When to plant Peppers
Calendar windows
Dates shift with your latitude — they are calculated from your local last-spring-frost date, not from a fixed calendar.
At a glance
Killed by any frost — plant out only after the last one.
Practical notes
Slow to germinate — start 8–10 weeks early with bottom heat around 22°C. Fruit will not set while nights stay below 12°C, so a greenhouse or a warm wall pays for itself.
Knowing when to pick
Green peppers are simply unripe — pick them to push a second flush, or wait 2–3 weeks for red, sweeter fruit.
Storing the crop
A week or two in the fridge. Slice and freeze raw, or thread on string and dry the hot varieties.
Crop rotation
Leave 3–4 years before nightshades return to the same bed — blight and wilts persist in soil.
Grows well with
Keep apart from
Watch for
Full guide: peppers diseases and pests (5) → with spread routes, compost verdicts and the prevention this list justifies.