Root Cause Garden

When to plant peppers

By , a nature lover who checks every guide against university extension sources.

Last checked against 3 sources, including extension guides and NOAA frost data

Short answer

Peppers are very tender: transplants can go in 2 or more weeks after your average last frost, once days are warm and the soil has warmed up. Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before you plant them outside. Seeds need soil of at least 60 °F to sprout.[1, 2]

Peppers at a glance

Frost tolerance Very tender [1, 2]
Plant outside (transplants) 2 or more weeks after the average last frost [1, 2]
Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before planting out [1]
Soil temperature for seeds At least 60 °F; best around 80 °F [1]
Time to harvest About 70 days from transplanting [1]

Spring planting

Example dates for some US cities

Based on each city's main airport weather station: the date with an even chance of frost after it (32 °F). [3] Your own dates can differ: use the ZIP code box above.

City Average last frost Plant outside Start indoors
New York, NY Mar 30 Apr 13 or later Feb 16 – Mar 2
Atlanta, GA Mar 15 Mar 29 or later Feb 1 – Feb 15
Dallas–Fort Worth, TX Mar 8 Mar 22 or later Jan 25 – Feb 8
Chicago, IL Apr 16 Apr 30 or later Mar 5 – Mar 19
Denver, CO May 5 May 19 or later Mar 24 – Apr 7
Minneapolis, MN Apr 23 May 7 or later Mar 12 – Mar 26
Seattle, WA Mar 2 Mar 16 or later Jan 19 – Feb 2

Questions people ask

When should I start peppers seeds indoors?

6–8 weeks before you plant them outside. Count back from your planting date: 2 or more weeks after your average last frost. [1, 2]

Can peppers survive frost?

No. Very tender crops don’t tolerate frost or cool spring winds, which is why they wait until 2 or more weeks after the last frost. [1]

What soil temperature do peppers seeds need?

At least 60 °F; they sprout best around 80 °F. [1]

How long do peppers take to grow?

About 70 days from transplanting. [1]

Sources

Facts on this page were checked against these sources on November 6, 2026. The wording is our own. Frost dates: NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; NOAA does not endorse this site. Some guides are written for Utah: we use only their general rules, not their local calendar dates.

  1. Vegetable Planting Guide (CMG GardenNotes #720). Colorado State University Extension. Reviewed Sep 2024.
  2. Suggested Vegetable Planting Dates for Utah. Utah State University Extension. Revised May 2025.
  3. U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (frost dates). NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

Spotted a mistake? Report an error and we'll check it against the sources and update the page.