When to plant peppers in USDA Zone 9b

Plan your peppers planting around local frost risk and soil temperature, then work backward from the harvest week your buyers need. The calendar below is a starting point, not a field-level weather forecast.

Orlando, Tampa, San Antonio, southern LA coast. Average last spring frost February 5, first fall frost December 15 — a 313-day frost-free season.

Zone fit: excellent
Peppers is well suited to Zone 9b. Standard planting dates work with minor adjustments for microclimates.

Key dates

Start seeds indoors
December 4 – December 18
Transplant outdoors
February 19 – March 12
Expected first harvest
May 7 – June 4
Fall planting window
September 15 – October 6
Fall harvest window
December 1 – December 29

Windows are calculated from your zone's average frost dates. Adjust ±1 week for microclimates, elevation, and your own frost records.

Spacing and soil

Plant spacing
18″
Row spacing
30″
Seed depth
0.25″
Soil temperature
75–85°F
Frost tolerance
tender
Days to harvest
70 days

Grower notes for Zone 9b

Peppers need warmer soil than tomatoes. Wait until nights are consistently above 55°F or fruit set stalls.

Plant near: basil, onions, carrots

Keep away from: fennel, kohlrabi

Other nightshades for Zone 9b

Same crop, other zones

Track your own plantings

BAU Farm Intelligence turns these windows into per-field tasks — indoor seed-start reminders, transplant dates, harvest projections — using your farm's actual frost history.