Peppers are considered a warm-season vegetable. Warm-season vegetables are most productive in higher temperature ranges (late spring, summer) and are better able to grow and produce a quality crop through Tennessee’s summer heat. They are damaged or killed by frost and freezing conditions; even cool, non-freezing temperatures may prevent them from growing and yielding well.

Peppers can be successfully planted in the garden by planting transplants starting late spring or early summer (after the traditional spring frost date, which typically occurs in the middle to end of April) and can produce throughout the summer. Peppers are grown from transplants due to their need for a long growing season and warm soil and air temperatures. Growing from transplants, seeds started earlier indoors, means that the plant will have a larger window to produce peppers during the growing season and provide more peppers for you to pick! Plants may be purchased from reputable garden centers or you can grow them yourself indoors. When placing transplants in your garden, spacing of 18 to 24 inches between plants is ideal.

Read more about successfully growing peppers in Tennessee, including cultivar suggestions and harvesting and storage here.