When to plant pepper (sweet & chili) in San Diego
Pepper (sweet & chili) is frost-tender, so every date keys off San Diego's last spring frost.
Step 1 · Sow
Direct sow outdoors
May 11 – Jun 1
Sow straight into warm, workable soil.
Step 2 · Harvest
Harvest window
Jul 15 – Aug 9
Picking runs until conditions turn against the crop.
Window
Days to maturity
65 – 90 d
From sowing to first pick.
Common questions
When can I sow pepper (sweet & chili) outdoors in San Diego?
Direct-sow around mid May (May 11–Jun 1) in San Diego, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 81%.
When will pepper (sweet & chili) be ready to harvest in San Diego?
Expect to harvest from around mid July (Jul 15–Aug 9) in San Diego, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 76%.
How long is the growing season in San Diego?
San Diego has roughly 365 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 San Diego's frost dates.
Confidence 84/100 · Curated · based on NOAA GHCN-Daily 1991–2020 normal · frost dates are probabilities, not guarantees.