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When to plant hot peppers

Nightshades, Capsicum annuum

Spacing
18″ apart
Per sq ft
1
To harvest
70–100 days
Frost
Tender

Companion plants for hot peppers

What to grow next to hot peppers, what to keep away, and what is only tradition. Every pairing says how strong the evidence is.

Grow together 4

Helps, or shares the bed well.

  • Carrot Practical Low, quick crops use the space between slow-growing pepper plants without competing for light.

    Carrot guide

  • Lettuce Practical Low, quick crops use the space between slow-growing pepper plants without competing for light.

    Lettuce guide

  • Spinach Practical Low, quick crops use the space between slow-growing pepper plants without competing for light.

    Spinach guide

  • Zinnia Practical Zinnias draw pollinators and predatory insects.

    Source: Gardening with Companion Plants (EM128E), Linda Chalker-Scott, Washington State University Extension, 2023. Zinnia guide

Keep apart 2

Shared pests, disease or competition.

  • Potato Practical Same family: shared blights, viruses and Colorado potato beetle.

    Potato guide

  • Strawberry Practical Nightshades carry verticillium wilt, a soil disease that also kills strawberries. Don’t plant strawberries where nightshades grew in the last 3–4 years.

    Strawberry guide

Tradition only 3

On many charts, with little or no evidence.

  • Basil Tradition Said to help Commonly paired. Basil needs the same warmth, so it is a convenient neighbor rather than a pest repellent.

    Basil guide

  • Onion Tradition Said to help Said to deter aphids by scent; aromatic repellents have not held up in field tests.

    Source: Gardening with Companion Plants (EM128E), Linda Chalker-Scott, Washington State University Extension, 2023. Onion guide

  • Chives Tradition Said to help Said to deter aphids by scent; aromatic repellents have not held up in field tests.

    Source: Gardening with Companion Plants (EM128E), Linda Chalker-Scott, Washington State University Extension, 2023. Chives guide

Studied Field or lab research shows an effect, at least under some conditions.
Mixed Some studies find an effect, others don’t, or it only works in a narrow way.
Practical Explained by light, space, timing, support or a shared pest or disease.
Tradition Widely repeated, but with little or no evidence behind it.

See every pairing side by side in the companion planting chart, or try them in a bed with the garden planner.

When to plant hot peppers by city

Start hot peppers indoors 8–10 weeks before your last frost, plant them out 2–4 weeks after your last frost, once the soil is at least 65°F. Here is what that means for 2027 in cities across the US, using each city’s average frost dates and the date its normal daily temperature reaches 65°F, so cool-spring places like Seattle wait for real warmth (NOAA 1991–2020). Pick the city with the climate most like yours, or enter your ZIP code above.

City Last frost Start indoors Plant out
Seattle, WA (9a) Mar 13 Apr 7–21 Jun 30 – Jul 14
Portland, OR (8b) Feb 25 Apr 2–16 Jun 25 – Jul 9
Sacramento, CA (9b) Jan 12 Feb 7–21 May 2–16
Phoenix, AZ (10a) Jan 5 Dec 15–29 Mar 9–23
Salt Lake City, UT (7b) Mar 31 Mar 1–15 May 24 – Jun 7
Denver, CO (6a) Apr 30 Mar 7–21 May 30 – Jun 13
Dallas, TX (8b) Mar 2 Jan 12–26 Apr 6–20
Minneapolis, MN (5a) Apr 23 Mar 11–25 Jun 3–17
Kansas City, MO (6b) Apr 4 Feb 15 – Mar 1 May 10–24
Chicago, IL (6b) Apr 10 Mar 14–28 Jun 6–20
Columbus, OH (6b) Apr 20 Feb 28 – Mar 14 May 23 – Jun 6
Nashville, TN (7b) Apr 1 Feb 10–24 May 5–19
Atlanta, GA (8a) Mar 24 Feb 2–16 Apr 27 – May 11
Raleigh, NC (8a) Mar 28 Feb 6–20 May 1–15
Philadelphia, PA (7b) Mar 30 Feb 17 – Mar 3 May 12–26
Boston, MA (7a) Apr 4 Mar 13–27 Jun 5–19

In frost-free parts of Florida, southern California and the Gulf Coast, timing is about heat instead: plant hot peppers in late winter or early spring and again in late summer.

Don’t go by the calendar alone. Hot peppers planted into cold soil sit still for weeks; wait until the soil 4 inches down is at least 65°F and nights stay above 50°F.

Hot pepper spacing

In a square-foot bed, plant 1 per square foot. In traditional rows, space plants about 18 inches apart with 24 inches between rows.

Jalapeños are quick; habaneros need a long, hot season.

One square foot planted with hot peppers, as drawn in the planner.

How to grow hot peppers

Hot peppers grow like bell peppers but usually yield more per plant. Jalapeños and cayennes ripen in a normal summer almost anywhere in the US; habaneros and other very hot types need a long, hot season and an early indoor start.

Sun and soil

Full sun in the warmest part of the garden, well-drained fertile soil, pH about 6.0–6.5, and 1–2 inches of water a week. They also do well in 3–5 gallon pots.

Planting

  1. Sow ¼ inch deep indoors 8–10 weeks before the last frost. Habanero types sprout slowly; keep them at 80–85°F and start at the early end.
  2. Transplant 2–4 weeks after the last frost, once soil is 65°F or warmer.
  3. Space 18 inches apart in rows 24 inches apart, and stake tall types such as cayennes.

Care

  • Water evenly and mulch once soil is warm; drought causes flower drop and blossom-end rot.
  • Feed lightly when fruit sets; extra nitrogen mostly grows leaves.
  • Wear gloves when picking and cutting the hottest kinds.
  • In short-season areas, black plastic or a pot on a south-facing patio adds the heat habaneros need.

Harvest

Pick green or let fruit ripen to full color. Jalapeños are ready when firm and deep green to nearly black; fine tan streaks are normal. Before a killing frost, pull whole plants and hang them to finish ripening.

Common problems

  • Flowers drop without fruit: Usually days above 90°F or nights below 55°F, or dry soil. Keep watering steady; set resumes as weather moderates.
  • Aphids and viruses: Hose aphids off or use insecticidal soap. Pull plants with mottled, distorted leaves; viruses have no cure.
  • Blossom-end rot: Sunken tips on long fruit. Water evenly and mulch.

Varieties to try

  • 'Early Jalapeño' — dependable jalapeño for shorter seasons
  • 'Serrano' — small, hotter than jalapeño, productive
  • 'NuMex Big Jim' — long, mild Anaheim type for roasting
  • 'Habanero' — very hot, fruity; needs a long, hot season

Crop rotation

Hot peppers belong to the nightshades (Solanaceae). Heavy feeders that share blights and soil pests. Rotate out for 3–4 years. Relatives that count as the same family for rotation: tomato, cherry tomato, bell pepper, eggplant, potato.

Frequently asked questions

When should I plant hot peppers?
Start hot peppers indoors 8–10 weeks before your last frost, plant them out 2–4 weeks after your last frost, once the soil is at least 65°F. Type your ZIP code above for exact dates, or see the city table.
What grows well with hot peppers?
Good neighbors for hot peppers include carrot, lettuce, spinach and zinnia. Each one is listed above with the reason and how strong the evidence is.
What should not be planted with hot peppers?
Keep hot peppers apart from potato and strawberry. Same family: shared blights, viruses and Colorado potato beetle.
How far apart should I plant hot peppers?
In rows, space hot peppers about 18 inches apart with rows 24 inches apart. In a square-foot bed, plant 1 per square foot.
How long do hot peppers take to grow?
About 70–100 days from planting out transplants to first harvest, depending on the variety and the weather.
Can hot peppers handle frost?
No. Hot peppers are killed by frost and sulk in cold soil, so wait until after your last frost and until the soil reaches about 65°F.

Sources

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