When to plant pepper (sweet & chili) in Rochester
Pepper (sweet & chili) is frost-tender, so every date keys off Rochester's last spring frost of Apr 29.
Step 1 · Sow
Start seeds indoors
Mar 19 – Apr 9
Before your last frost, on a warm windowsill or heat mat.
Step 2 · Plant
Transplant outdoors
Jun 9 – Jun 30
Once frost risk has passed and nights stay mild.
Step 3 · Harvest
Harvest window
Aug 13 – Sep 7
Picking runs until conditions turn against the crop.
Window
Days to maturity
65 – 90 d
Rochester's 173-day season leaves this much room.
Pepper (sweet & chili) on Rochester's growing year
Frost-bounded season with crops mapped onto the 12-month axis.
Frost risk Growing Harvest
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
FROST
FROST
APR 29
OCT 24
Common questions
When will pepper (sweet & chili) be ready to harvest in Rochester?
Expect to harvest from around mid August (Aug 13–Sep 7) in Rochester, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 80%.
When should I start pepper (sweet & chili) seeds indoors in Rochester?
Start seeds indoors around mid March (Mar 19–Apr 9) in Rochester, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 85%.
When can I transplant pepper (sweet & chili) outdoors in Rochester?
Transplant outdoors around early June (Jun 9–Jun 30) in Rochester, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 86%.
How long is the growing season in Rochester?
Rochester has roughly 173 frost-free days, which is enough time to grow pepper (sweet & chili) to maturity outdoors.
The rule of thumb
Sow pepper (sweet & chili) 6–8 weeks before your last spring frost; plant out 2–3 weeks after it. Every date on this page is derived from that rule and Rochester's frost dates.
Confidence 89/100 · Curated · based on NOAA GHCN-Daily 1991–2020 normal · frost dates are probabilities, not guarantees.