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When to plant peppers

Nightshades, Capsicum annuum

Spacing
18″ apart
Per sq ft
1
To harvest
60–90 days
Frost
Tender

Companion plants for peppers

What to grow next to 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 peppers by city

Start 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 peppers in late winter or early spring and again in late summer.

Don’t go by the calendar alone. 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.

Bell 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.

Wait for warm soil; cold nights stall peppers for weeks.

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

How to grow peppers

Bell peppers start slowly but, once the weather is truly warm, set fruit steadily until frost. Plants are compact enough for small beds and containers, though they sulk in cool, short-season gardens without a warm start.

Sun and soil

Full sun and well-drained soil rich in organic matter, pH about 6.0–6.5. Keep moisture even, 1–2 inches a week; use a raised bed where soil stays wet.

Planting

  1. Sow seeds ¼ inch deep indoors 8–10 weeks before the last frost, at about 80°F.
  2. Transplant 2–4 weeks after the last frost, when soil is at least 65°F and nights stay above 55°F.
  3. Space 18 inches apart in rows 24 inches apart.
  4. Black plastic warms soil for an earlier start; add straw mulch only after the soil is warm.

Care

  • Water deeply and evenly, especially during fruit set.
  • Side-dress with nitrogen when the first fruits set and again 3–4 weeks later; heavy early feeding gives big plants with few peppers.
  • Stake plants heavy with fruit; the branches are brittle.
  • Flowers drop when nights fall below 55°F or days top 90°F. Fruit set resumes when it moderates.

Harvest

Pick green bells once full size with firm, thick walls. Left another few weeks (about 35–45 days from flower to full color), they turn red, yellow or orange and sweeten. Cut stems rather than pulling.

Common problems

  • Blossom-end rot: Sunken, dark spots at the fruit tip. Keep soil evenly moist, mulch, and avoid excess nitrogen.
  • Sunscald: Pale, papery patches on exposed fruit. Keep plants leafy and use light shade cloth in very hot areas.
  • Bacterial leaf spot: Small dark spots and leaf drop. Use disease-free transplants, avoid overhead watering, and rotate nightshades for 3 years.

Varieties to try

  • 'California Wonder' — classic open-pollinated blocky bell
  • 'Ace' — early, good for short seasons
  • 'King Arthur' — large, productive hybrid
  • 'Gypsy' — tapered, early, yellow to red

Crop rotation

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, hot pepper, eggplant, potato.

Frequently asked questions

When should I plant peppers?
Start 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 peppers?
Good neighbors for 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 peppers?
Keep peppers apart from potato and strawberry. Same family: shared blights, viruses and Colorado potato beetle.
How far apart should I plant peppers?
In rows, space peppers about 18 inches apart with rows 24 inches apart. In a square-foot bed, plant 1 per square foot.
How long do peppers take to grow?
About 60–90 days from planting out transplants to first harvest, depending on the variety and the weather.
Can peppers handle frost?
No. 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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