When to plant bell peppers in the US
Outdoors, bell peppers go in from around March 5 in Phoenix to June 13 in Denver.
- Type
- Tender No frost, likes warmth
- First harvest
- About 130 days from sowing in the UK
- Spacing
- 18 in between plants
- In pots
- Yes in a big enough pot
- Tender. Bell pepper goes outdoors only once the last frost has passed and the soil has warmed.
- Start under cover. In a greenhouse or polytunnel it can go in about four weeks earlier than outdoors.
- Two goes in warm places. Where summers are long, there’s a second window later in the year as well as the spring one.
Town by town
24 towns from north to south. Dates move later the further you go from the equator and the higher up. Tap a town for its full calendar.
Sow outdoorsSow under cover (indoors, a greenhouse or a cold frame)
| TownTown, north to south | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SeattleFrom May 18Outdoors May 18 to Jun 13 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Sow under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow outdoors and under cover | July: Sow under cover | August: Not this month | September: Not this month | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| PortlandFrom May 11Outdoors May 11 to Jun 6 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Sow under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow under cover | July: Not this month | August: Not this month | September: Not this month | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| MilwaukeeFrom May 26Outdoors May 26 to Jun 21 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Not this month | May: Sow under cover | June: Sow outdoors and under cover | July: Sow under cover | August: Not this month | September: Not this month | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| BostonFrom May 15Outdoors May 15 to Jun 10 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Sow under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow outdoors and under cover | July: Sow under cover | August: Not this month | September: Not this month | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| DetroitFrom May 23 and Jul 26Outdoors May 23 to Jun 18, and Jul 26 to Aug 4 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Not this month | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow outdoors and under cover | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow under cover | September: Not this month | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| ChicagoFrom May 24 and Jul 28Outdoors May 24 to Jun 19, and Jul 28 to Aug 8 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Not this month | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow outdoors and under cover | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Not this month | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| New York CityFrom May 9 and Jul 28Outdoors May 9 to Jun 4, and Jul 28 to Aug 12 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Sow under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow under cover | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow under cover | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| Columbus, OhioFrom May 22 and Jul 27Outdoors May 22 to Jun 17, and Jul 27 to Aug 9 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Sow under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow outdoors and under cover | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Not this month | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| PhiladelphiaFrom May 8 and Jul 28Outdoors May 8 to Jun 3, and Jul 28 to Aug 17 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Sow under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow under cover | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow under cover | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| IndianapolisFrom May 20 and Jul 27Outdoors May 20 to Jun 15, and Jul 27 to Aug 12 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Sow under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow outdoors and under cover | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow under cover | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| DenverFrom Jun 13Outdoors Jun 13 to Jul 9 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Not this month | May: Sow under cover | June: Sow outdoors and under cover | July: Sow outdoors and under cover | August: Not this month | September: Not this month | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| BaltimoreFrom May 4 and Jul 27Outdoors May 4 to May 30, and Jul 27 to Aug 19 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Sow under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow under cover | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow under cover | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| WashingtonFrom May 4 and Jul 27Outdoors May 4 to May 30, and Jul 27 to Aug 21 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Sow under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow under cover | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow under cover | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| LouisvilleFrom May 7 and Jul 28Outdoors May 7 to Jun 2, and Jul 28 to Aug 21 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Sow under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow under cover | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow under cover | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| Las VegasFrom Mar 17 and Jul 30Outdoors Mar 17 to Apr 12, and Jul 30 to Sep 21 | January: Not this month | February: Sow under cover | March: Sow outdoors and under cover | April: Sow outdoors and under cover | May: Sow under cover | June: Not this month | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow under cover | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| NashvilleFrom Apr 29 and Jul 28Outdoors Apr 29 to May 25, and Jul 28 to Aug 28 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Sow under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow under cover | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow under cover | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| Oklahoma CityFrom Apr 23 and Jul 30Outdoors Apr 23 to May 19, and Jul 30 to Sep 3 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Sow outdoors and under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow under cover | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow under cover | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| CharlotteFrom Apr 23 and Jul 26Outdoors Apr 23 to May 19, and Jul 26 to Aug 28 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Sow outdoors and under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow under cover | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow under cover | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| AlbuquerqueFrom May 10 and Jul 25Outdoors May 10 to Jun 5, and Jul 25 to Aug 21 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Not this month | April: Sow under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow under cover | July: Sow outdoors and under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow under cover | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| Los AngelesFrom Apr 10 and Aug 14Outdoors Apr 10 to May 12, and Aug 14 to Nov 13 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Sow under cover | April: Sow outdoors and under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow under cover | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow outdoors and under cover | November: Sow outdoors and under cover | December: Sow under cover |
| AtlantaFrom Apr 22 and Jul 28Outdoors Apr 22 to May 18, and Jul 28 to Aug 30 | January: Not this month | February: Not this month | March: Sow under cover | April: Sow outdoors and under cover | May: Sow outdoors and under cover | June: Sow under cover | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow under cover | October: Not this month | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
| PhoenixFrom Mar 5 and Aug 11Outdoors Mar 5 to Mar 31, and Aug 11 to Nov 22 | January: Not this month | February: Sow under cover | March: Sow outdoors and under cover | April: Sow under cover | May: Not this month | June: Not this month | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow outdoors and under cover | November: Sow outdoors and under cover | December: Sow under cover |
| JacksonvilleFrom Mar 13 and Jul 31Outdoors Mar 13 to Apr 8, and Jul 31 to Nov 26 | January: Not this month | February: Sow under cover | March: Sow outdoors and under cover | April: Sow outdoors and under cover | May: Not this month | June: Not this month | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow outdoors and under cover | November: Sow outdoors and under cover | December: Sow under cover |
| HoustonFrom Mar 22 and Jul 31Outdoors Mar 22 to Apr 17, and Jul 31 to Sep 25 | January: Not this month | February: Sow under cover | March: Sow outdoors and under cover | April: Sow outdoors and under cover | May: Sow under cover | June: Not this month | July: Sow under cover | August: Sow outdoors and under cover | September: Sow outdoors and under cover | October: Sow under cover | November: Not this month | December: Not this month |
Don’t see your town? Find it by name or postcode.
Bell peppers in other countries
When to plant other crops in the US
Fruiting
Roots
Leaves
Beans and peas
Onion family
Brassicas
Herbs
Fruit
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Get these dates as reminders
Bia turns this calendar into a nudge when it’s time to sow, plant out and harvest, for your backyard or community garden plot wherever you are in the US. Free for 2 months.
App StoreComing soonHow these dates are worked out: climate records for each town (ERA5-Land, 1995 to 2024), its frost dates and its height above sea level turn a seed-packet date into a local one. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information; towns from GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). How sowing dates work