When to plant chili pepper in Vancouver

In Vancouver, typical last spring frost is April 11 and typical first fall frost is November 12. Typical last spring frost: April 11. Chili pepper in Vancouver is not realistic outdoors: 0 suitable days are fewer than the 60 days this plant usually needs.

Chili pepper

How to grow Chili pepper Vancouver climate Weekly temperatures and windows

Where are you growing?

Not realistic outdoors

Comfortable in a cold frame

Chili pepper in Vancouver is doable with planning under fleece. 89 suitable days are enough for fast varieties (60 days) but not slow ones (100 days).

Start indoors: March 19 – April 22
Transplant outside: May 21 – June 24
Harvest: July 20 – November 4
Season vs crop: 89 grow days vs 60–100 needed
Typical frost (last spring – first fall): March 15 – November 23

Chili pepper in Vancouver is doable with planning under fleece. 89 suitable days are enough for fast varieties (60 days) but not slow ones (100 days).

Start seeds indoors March 19 – April 22, then transplant May 21 – June 24 so the crop can finish under fleece.

Estimate. Protection varies with the cover, the weather and how you vent it.

Fleece adds about 1–4 °C on frosty nights, depending on its weight. Remove it on warm days.

Fleece also cuts light: about 5–10 % for light fleece, up to 50–70 % for heavy grades. Take it off by day once frosts are over.

Cover dates are modelled from weather-model data using published greenhouse studies. They are not measured in your greenhouse. A max–min thermometer inside will tell you more.

Typical last frost estimate range April 3 – January 26, depending on the cover and the night.

Planting conditions

Start indoors
Grow indoors
Harden off
Transplant outside
Grow outdoors
Harvest

Local activity windows for this place and growing method. Blue fill is usually too cold for this plant. Dashed lines are typical last and first frost.

Suitable growing days in a row89

Days to harvest60–100 days from transplant

Mar 19 – Apr 22

Start indoors

Apr 23 – May 13

Grow indoors

May 14 – May 20

Harden off

May 21

Transplant outside

May 22 – Jul 19

Grow outdoors

Jul 20 – Nov 4

Harvest

Activity	Window	Notes
Start indoors	Mar 19 – Apr 22	Sow indoors before the outdoor window.
Grow indoors	Apr 23 – May 13	Seedlings grow indoors until harden or transplant.
Harden off	May 14 – May 20	Acclimate seedlings outdoors before planting.
Transplant outside	May 21	Move plants outside on this day (start of the plant-out window).
Grow outdoors	May 22 – Jul 19	Plants grow outdoors until harvest.
Harvest	Jul 20 – Nov 4	Expected harvest from typical days to harvest.

Start indoors
Grow indoors
Harden off
Transplant outside
Grow outdoors
Harvest

Blue fill is usually too cold for this plant. Dashed lines are typical last and first frost (35 seasons (1991–2025)). Adjust a week or two for your conditions.

Protected frost and sowing dates are modelled estimates from weather-model data and published greenhouse studies, not measured in your greenhouse. A max–min thermometer inside will tell you more.

Planting and growing across the year

Planting is the sow / plant-out window. Growing is daytime air versus this plant’s ideal (21 – 32 °C70 – 90 °F21 – 32 °C (70 – 90 °F)) and tolerable (16 – 35 °C61 – 95 °F16 – 35 °C (61 – 95 °F)) ranges, from modelled cover temperatures for the growing method you selected.

Ideal / plantable
Tolerable
Too cold
Too hot
Outside window

Planting uses sow / plant-out rules; growing shows daytime air against this plant’s ideal and tolerable ranges.

Key dates

Typical last spring frostMarch 15

Low-risk last spring frostApril 9

Typical first fall frostNovember 23

Low-risk first fall frostNovember 4

Frost-free days252

Earliest indoor seed startMarch 19

Latest indoor seed startApril 22

Transplant outdoorsMay 21 – June 24

Direct sow windownot recommended here

Suitable growing windowMay 21 – August 17 (89 days)

Expected harvestJuly 20 – November 4

How these dates are judged

Ideal conditions: Daytime air from 21 – 32 °C70 – 90 °F21 – 32 °C (70 – 90 °F).
Suitable conditions: Daytime air from 16 – 35 °C61 – 95 °F16 – 35 °C (61 – 95 °F).
Last frost and first frost: Typical spring and fall frost dates for Vancouver, shown in the key dates.
Days to harvest: 60–100 days from transplant, from typical days to harvest.
Sowing window: Dated sow and harvest bars use frost dates, soil minima, night limits, and last-sow count-back from typical crop timing. Air ratings on the weekly chart colour only weeks inside that same window — see weekly temperatures and windows.

Other plants for Vancouver

Calculated by Plan & Plant. Method. Data 35 seasons (1991–2025).

Frost and suitability dates are typical figures from climate statistics.

Based on 35 years (1991–2025) of ERA5-Land data from Open-Meteo, for an area of about 10 km. Typical dates, not a guarantee.

Dates for Vancouver use ERA5-Land cell 49.25, -122.95. How we calculated this · Algorithm 2026-10-season-10.

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