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Plant Peppers in Zone 12b

Seed-starting, transplant & harvest dates for USDA Zone 12b

Direct sow
Feb 1
Harvest (~80d)
Apr 22

Zone 12b is effectively frost-free, so the Zone 12b calendar for peppers is set by heat, not cold. There is no last frost to count backward from and no first frost to beat, which means the question is not whether peppers will finish but whether it will sit through the hottest stretch of the year. Peppers is a tender crop needing about 80 days from sowing to harvest.

Planting peppers for a fall harvest in Zone 12b

Zone 12b has no meaningful frost, so the fall and winter months are the easiest time of year to grow peppers here. Sow from about October 1 onward.

Peppers set fruit poorly above 90 degrees, so a late-summer planting often out-produces the spring one in hot-summer zones.

Fall dates are counted backward from the Zone 12b average first frost, not forward from a sowing date. See the fall planting calendar by zone for the full method.

Spring vs fall peppers in Zone 12b

Planting Sow or start In the ground Harvest
Spring Feb 1 Feb 1 Apr 22
Fall Oct onward Oct onward Winter
Last spring frost
Frost-free
First fall frost
Frost-free
Growing season
365 days

Peppers in nearby zones

Peppers in Zone 12a (colder) Peppers in Zone 13a (warmer) Full Peppers grow guide Zone 12b planting calendar

Further reading on peppers

Other crops in Zone 12b

Tomatoes in Zone 12b Cucumbers in Zone 12b Lettuce in Zone 12b Zucchini in Zone 12b Carrots in Zone 12b Beans (bush) in Zone 12b Peas in Zone 12b Broccoli in Zone 12b Spinach in Zone 12b Kale in Zone 12b Onions in Zone 12b Garlic in Zone 12b Potatoes in Zone 12b Squash (winter) in Zone 12b Corn in Zone 12b Radishes in Zone 12b Beets in Zone 12b Eggplant in Zone 12b Basil in Zone 12b Cilantro in Zone 12b Parsley in Zone 12b Pumpkins in Zone 12b Sunflowers in Zone 12b

Frequently asked questions

When should I start peppers in Zone 12b?

Direct sow outdoors around Feb 1.

Can I direct sow peppers in Zone 12b?

Yes, direct sow around Feb 1.

Can I plant peppers in the fall in Zone 12b?

Zone 12b has no meaningful frost, so the fall and winter months are the easiest time of year to grow peppers here. Sow from about October 1 onward.

Will peppers survive frost in Zone 12b?

No. Peppers is a tender crop and a single light frost ends it, so every Zone 12b planting has to finish before the average first frost (Zone 12b rarely sees one).