When to plant pepper
Pepper is a very tender, warm-season fruit that matures in about 60–90 days from transplanting. Start seeds indoors about 8–10 weeks before your last spring frost, then set out transplants about 2–3 weeks after the last frost. Because the right calendar date depends on your local frost dates, pick your ZIP or city on the home planner to see exact pepper planting windows for your location; the per-location pages list them city by city. Windows are extension-guide planning ranges, not guarantees.
Pepper at a glance
| Category | warm-season fruit |
|---|---|
| Frost tolerance | Very tender |
| Start indoors | 8–10 weeks before last frost |
| Plant out | Transplant out 2–3 wk after last frost |
| Days to maturity | 60–90 days (from transplant) |
| Min. soil temp | 65°F |
| Second (fall) crop | Not typically |
Data: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (public domain) and USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Planting windows synthesized from U.S. Cooperative Extension guides.
Pepper planting windows by city
The exact dates depend on each location's average frost calendar. Here is pepper across 40 locations spanning the climate range — open one for its full printable calendar, or find your own dates with the ZIP planner.
| Location | Zone | Start indoors | Plant out | First harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adak, AK | 8b | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | Jun 14 – Jun 21 | Aug 13 – Sep 12 |
| Fort Payne, AL | 7b | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Apr 12 – Apr 19 | Jun 11 – Jul 11 |
| Saratoga, AR | 8b | Jan 15 – Jan 29 | Apr 9 – Apr 16 | Jun 8 – Jul 8 |
| Top-of-the-World, AZ | 8a | Jan 1 | Mar 10 – Mar 17 | May 9 – Jun 8 |
| Half Moon Bay, CA | 10a | Jan 1 | Feb 20 – Feb 27 | Apr 21 – May 21 |
| Rohnert Park, CA | 9a | Jan 1 – Jan 3 | Mar 14 – Mar 21 | May 13 – Jun 12 |
| Ellicott, CO | 6a | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | May 20 – May 27 | Jul 19 – Aug 18 |
| Millsboro, DE | 7b | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | Apr 18 – Apr 25 | Jun 17 – Jul 17 |
| Yankeetown, FL | 9b | Jan 1 – Jan 3 | Mar 14 – Mar 21 | May 13 – Jun 12 |
| Volcano, HI | 11a | — | year-round | — |
| Boise, ID | 7a | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | May 8 – May 15 | Jul 7 – Aug 6 |
| Effingham, IL | 6b | Feb 2 – Feb 16 | Apr 27 – May 4 | Jun 26 – Jul 26 |
| Indianapolis, IN | 6a | Feb 10 – Feb 24 | May 5 – May 12 | Jul 4 – Aug 3 |
| Minneapolis, KS | 6b | Feb 9 – Feb 23 | May 4 – May 11 | Jul 3 – Aug 2 |
| Bayou Blue, LA | 9b | Jan 1 | Feb 19 – Feb 26 | Apr 20 – May 20 |
| Glen Burnie, MD | 8a | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Apr 24 – May 1 | Jun 23 – Jul 23 |
| Elk Rapids, MI | 6a | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | May 14 – May 21 | Jul 13 – Aug 12 |
| Dawson, MN | 4b | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | May 17 – May 24 | Jul 16 – Aug 15 |
| Cayuga, OK | 7a | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Apr 29 – May 6 | Jun 28 – Jul 28 |
| Cleveland, MS | 8b | Jan 3 – Jan 17 | Mar 28 – Apr 4 | May 27 – Jun 26 |
| Island Park, ID | 4a | Apr 6 – Apr 20 | Jun 29 – Jul 6 | Aug 28 – Sep 27 |
| Hickory, NC | 8a | Jan 20 – Feb 3 | Apr 14 – Apr 21 | Jun 13 – Jul 13 |
| Litchville, ND | 4a | Mar 1 – Mar 15 | May 24 – May 31 | Jul 23 – Aug 22 |
| Plainview, NE | 5b | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | May 14 – May 21 | Jul 13 – Aug 12 |
| Capulin, NM | 5b | Mar 8 – Mar 22 | May 31 – Jun 7 | Jul 30 – Aug 29 |
| Gabbs, NV | 6b | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | May 15 – May 22 | Jul 14 – Aug 13 |
| Madrid, NY | 4b | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | May 13 – May 20 | Jul 12 – Aug 11 |
| London, OH | 6a | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | May 8 – May 15 | Jul 7 – Aug 6 |
| Perkins, OK | 7b | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Apr 17 – Apr 24 | Jun 16 – Jul 16 |
| Shedd, OR | 8b | Jan 3 – Jan 17 | Mar 28 – Apr 4 | May 27 – Jun 26 |
| Seltzer, PA | 6a | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Apr 30 – May 7 | Jun 29 – Jul 29 |
| Custer, SD | 5a | Mar 14 – Mar 28 | Jun 6 – Jun 13 | Aug 5 – Sep 4 |
| Lynchburg, TN | 7b | Jan 27 – Feb 10 | Apr 21 – Apr 28 | Jun 20 – Jul 20 |
| Early, TX | 8a | Jan 11 – Jan 25 | Apr 5 – Apr 12 | Jun 4 – Jul 4 |
| Ozona, TX | 8a | Jan 16 – Jan 30 | Apr 10 – Apr 17 | Jun 9 – Jul 9 |
| Fillmore, UT | 6a | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | May 18 – May 25 | Jul 17 – Aug 16 |
| Hillsville, VA | 7a | Feb 14 – Feb 28 | May 9 – May 16 | Jul 8 – Aug 7 |
| Green Bluff, WA | 6b | Mar 13 – Mar 27 | Jun 5 – Jun 12 | Aug 4 – Sep 3 |
| Gordon, WI | 4a | Mar 13 – Mar 27 | Jun 5 – Jun 12 | Aug 4 – Sep 3 |
| Elk Garden, WV | 6b | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | May 14 – May 21 | Jul 13 – Aug 12 |
How to time pepper
Pepper is a very tender warm-season fruit. Very tender crops need warm soil and air, so wait until well after the last frost — cold, wet soil stunts them even without a freeze. Start seeds indoors about 8–10 weeks before your last frost, then transplant out 2–3 wk after last frost. It matures in roughly 60–90 days from transplanting.
Find your own dates on the home planner, browse all crops, or read the methodology for the offsets and citations behind these windows.
Frequently asked questions
- Is pepper frost-tolerant?
- Pepper is a very tender crop. Very tender crops need warm soil and air, so wait until well after the last frost — cold, wet soil stunts them even without a freeze.
- How long does pepper take to grow?
- About 60–90 days from transplanting to first harvest, depending on variety and weather. Days-to-maturity ranges are typical values from U.S. Cooperative Extension planting guides.
- When should I start pepper seeds indoors?
- Start seeds indoors roughly 8–10 weeks before your average last spring frost, then transplant out set out transplants about 2–3 weeks after the last frost. Look up your local last-frost date on the planner for exact calendar dates.