Rainline Garden

When to plant peppers in Oregon and Washington

In Portland: Start peppers from seed indoors Mar 1–15, then plant the young plants in the garden May 10–31. In Bend: Jun 9–30. Find your city below.

Difficulty
Tricky here
Sun
Full sun; against a warm wall if possible
Spacing
18 inches apart
Planting depth
Plant starts at the depth they grew in the pot
Frost
Killed by frost
First harvest
About 75 days after planting

Even more heat-hungry than tomatoes. A warm wall or black plastic mulch helps.

Peppers planting dates by city

CityStart seeds indoorsPlant in the garden
Astoria, ORMar 11–25May 20 – Jun 10
Baker City, ORMar 16–30May 25 – Jun 15
Bend and Redmond, ORMar 31 – Apr 14Jun 9–30
Burns, ORApr 2–16Jun 11 – Jul 2
Coos Bay and North Bend, ORMar 11–25May 20 – Jun 10
Eugene, ORMar 1–15May 10–31
Gresham, ORMar 1–15May 10–31
Klamath Falls, ORMar 31 – Apr 14Jun 9–30
Medford, ORMar 1–15May 10–31
Pendleton, ORFeb 20 – Mar 6May 1–22
Portland, ORMar 1–15May 10–31
Roseburg, ORMar 1–15May 10–31
Salem, ORMar 1–15May 10–31
The Dalles, ORFeb 20 – Mar 6May 1–22
Wilsonville and Canby, ORMar 1–15May 10–31
Aberdeen and Hoquiam, WAMar 11–25May 20 – Jun 10
Bellingham, WAMar 1–15May 10–31
Ellensburg, WAMar 11–25May 20 – Jun 10
Everett, WAMar 1–15May 10–31
Forks, WAMar 11–25May 20 – Jun 10
Moses Lake, WAFeb 20 – Mar 6May 1–22
Olympia, WAMar 1–15May 10–31
Omak and Okanogan, WAMar 11–25May 20 – Jun 10
Seattle and Tacoma, WAMar 1–15May 10–31
Spokane, WAMar 11–25May 20 – Jun 10
Tri-Cities (Pasco, Kennewick, Richland), WAFeb 20 – Mar 6May 1–22
Vancouver, WAMar 1–15May 10–31
Walla Walla, WAFeb 20 – Mar 6May 1–22
Wenatchee, WAFeb 20 – Mar 6May 1–22
Yakima, WAFeb 27 – Mar 13May 8–29

How to grow peppers

  1. Start seeds indoors on your city's dates in trays or small pots under a grow light or in your sunniest window. Or skip this step and buy young plants (starts) at a garden center.
  2. Harden off the young plants: about a week before planting, set them outside for a few hours a day, a little longer each day.
  3. Plant them in the garden on your city's dates, 18 inches apart. Plant starts at the depth they grew in the pot.
  4. Water deeply once or twice a week rather than a little every day, and mulch once the soil is warm.
  5. Harvest: Pick green any time once full size, or leave them to ripen red, which can take three more weeks.

Varieties that do well in the Northwest

Watch out for

Cool nights stall growth. Black plastic mulch and row cover early in the season make a big difference here.

More tomatoes and summer crops

See all 51 plants