Colorado · zones 5a–7a
When to plant bell peppers in Colorado.
Sow or transplant between May 25 to Jul 7 in a typical year, keyed to Colorado's median last frost around May 9. Dates below are state medians; your ZIP code shifts them by days to weeks.
The 2026 windows
Bell Peppers dates for a typical Colorado season.
1 · Start indoors
Apr 13 to May 26
About 6 weeks before set-out. Warm spot, real light.
2 · Set out
May 25 to Jul 7
Keyed to the ~May 9 last frost. Sow 0.25" deep, 18" apart.
Harvest
~70 days later
~4 lb per plant over ~8 weeks.
Colorado spans more than one climate: Zone 6 is the most common zone, but the state runs 5a to 7a. That's why the planner works from your ZIP code's frost dates, not your zone: mountain and coastal gardens in the same state can be three weeks apart.
In Colorado: watch for
The pests that find bell peppers here.
The short season here, about 143 frost-free days, keeps pepper, bell in front of aphids only briefly. One early row cover usually carries a planting through the worst of it.
Clusters on new growth, sticky leaves, curling tips. Green peach aphid spreads virus.
Organic fix: Blast with water, then insecticidal soap or neem.
Bacterial leaf spot
Small water-soaked spots that turn brown; badly spotted leaves drop.
Organic fix: Plant resistant varieties, avoid overhead watering, rotate out of nightshades.
Plant wilts and collapses at the soil line after a bed stays soggy.
Organic fix: Plant on raised ground for drainage; remove collapsed plants and do not replant there.
Tiny shot-hole pits peppering young leaves.
Organic fix: Row cover the seedlings; healthy transplants outgrow the damage.
Your season math: Colorado gives bell peppers about 143 frost-free days, and it needs roughly 70 days to a first harvest. It's a one-planting crop, so time that single sowing well.
Planting bell peppers in Colorado: questions
When should I plant bell peppers in Colorado?+
In a typical Colorado year, sow bell peppers or set out transplants between May 25 to Jul 7, keyed to the state's median last frost around May 9. Your exact dates shift with your ZIP code and microclimate.
When do I start bell peppers seeds indoors in Colorado?+
Start seeds inside about 6 weeks before set-out: roughly Apr 13 to May 26 for a typical Colorado season.
What USDA zone is Colorado?+
Colorado spans zones 5a–7a, mostly zone 6. But frost dates, not zones, set planting time. The free planner uses your ZIP code's actual frost dates.
How many bell peppers plants do I need?+
Depends who you're feeding. The crop page has exact counts per household size, or the free planner does the math for your family in about 60 seconds.