When to plant peppers in Maryland

Plant out in Baltimore

Apr 7–Apr 21

Across Maryland the window opens between April 7 and May 8. Find your city below; the dates follow each town's own average last frost.

Start indoors, Baltimore: Jan 13–Jan 27
Plant out, Baltimore: Apr 7–Apr 21
Last sowing for a harvest: Aug 9
Last frost, Baltimore: Mar 24

Start seeds indoors 8–10 weeks before the last frost; plant out 2–4 weeks after the last frost. Peppers germinate slowly. A heat mat under the seed tray speeds them up.

Peppers planting dates by city

Start indoorsPlant outSow outdoorsFall plantingAverage last and first frost

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

BaltimoreApr 7–Apr 21

ColumbiaApr 19–May 3

FrederickApr 16–Apr 30

GermantownApr 28–May 12

WaldorfMay 1–May 15

Silver SpringApr 24–May 8

Ellicott CityApr 16–Apr 30

Glen BurnieApr 24–May 8

GaithersburgApr 15–Apr 29

RockvilleApr 15–Apr 29

BethesdaApr 23–May 7

DundalkApr 7–Apr 21

BowieMay 6–May 20

SevernApr 24–May 8

Bel Air SouthApr 24–May 8

TowsonApr 16–Apr 30

Aspen HillApr 15–Apr 29

WheatonApr 15–Apr 29

North BethesdaApr 15–Apr 29

PotomacApr 15–Apr 29

OdentonApr 24–May 8

HagerstownApr 25–May 9

CatonsvilleApr 7–Apr 21

EssexApr 7–Apr 21

AnnapolisApr 10–Apr 24

Severna ParkApr 10–Apr 24

ClintonApr 17–May 1

OlneyApr 15–Apr 29

RandallstownApr 16–Apr 30

Owings MillsApr 16–Apr 30

All 68 cities

City	Start indoors	Plant out	Last frost
Baltimore	Jan 13 to Jan 27	Apr 7 to Apr 21	Mar 24
Columbia	Jan 25 to Feb 8	Apr 19 to May 3	Apr 5
Frederick	Jan 22 to Feb 5	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 2
Germantown	Feb 3 to Feb 17	Apr 28 to May 12	Apr 14
Waldorf	Feb 6 to Feb 20	May 1 to May 15	Apr 17
Silver Spring	Jan 30 to Feb 13	Apr 24 to May 8	Apr 10
Ellicott City	Jan 22 to Feb 5	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 2
Glen Burnie	Jan 30 to Feb 13	Apr 24 to May 8	Apr 10
Gaithersburg	Jan 21 to Feb 4	Apr 15 to Apr 29	Apr 1
Rockville	Jan 21 to Feb 4	Apr 15 to Apr 29	Apr 1
Bethesda	Jan 29 to Feb 12	Apr 23 to May 7	Apr 9
Dundalk	Jan 13 to Jan 27	Apr 7 to Apr 21	Mar 24
Bowie	Feb 11 to Feb 25	May 6 to May 20	Apr 22
Severn	Jan 30 to Feb 13	Apr 24 to May 8	Apr 10
Bel Air South	Jan 30 to Feb 13	Apr 24 to May 8	Apr 10
Towson	Jan 22 to Feb 5	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 2
Aspen Hill	Jan 21 to Feb 4	Apr 15 to Apr 29	Apr 1
Wheaton	Jan 21 to Feb 4	Apr 15 to Apr 29	Apr 1
North Bethesda	Jan 21 to Feb 4	Apr 15 to Apr 29	Apr 1
Potomac	Jan 21 to Feb 4	Apr 15 to Apr 29	Apr 1
Odenton	Jan 30 to Feb 13	Apr 24 to May 8	Apr 10
Hagerstown	Jan 31 to Feb 14	Apr 25 to May 9	Apr 11
Catonsville	Jan 13 to Jan 27	Apr 7 to Apr 21	Mar 24
Essex	Jan 13 to Jan 27	Apr 7 to Apr 21	Mar 24
Annapolis	Jan 16 to Jan 30	Apr 10 to Apr 24	Mar 27
Severna Park	Jan 16 to Jan 30	Apr 10 to Apr 24	Mar 27
Clinton	Jan 23 to Feb 6	Apr 17 to May 1	Apr 3
Olney	Jan 21 to Feb 4	Apr 15 to Apr 29	Apr 1
Randallstown	Jan 22 to Feb 5	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 2
Owings Mills	Jan 22 to Feb 5	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 2
College Park	Jan 30 to Feb 13	Apr 24 to May 8	Apr 10
Chillum	Jan 18 to Feb 1	Apr 12 to Apr 26	Mar 29
Pikesville	Jan 22 to Feb 5	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 2
Montgomery Village	Feb 3 to Feb 17	Apr 28 to May 12	Apr 14
Salisbury	Jan 23 to Feb 6	Apr 17 to May 1	Apr 3
Pasadena	Jan 30 to Feb 13	Apr 24 to May 8	Apr 10
Milford Mill	Jan 22 to Feb 5	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 2
Middle River	Jan 13 to Jan 27	Apr 7 to Apr 21	Mar 24
Bel Air North	Jan 30 to Feb 13	Apr 24 to May 8	Apr 10
Eldersburg	Jan 22 to Feb 5	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 2
Parkville	Jan 22 to Feb 5	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 2
Laurel	Jan 25 to Feb 8	Apr 19 to May 3	Apr 5
Crofton	Feb 11 to Feb 25	May 6 to May 20	Apr 22
Clarksburg	Feb 3 to Feb 17	Apr 28 to May 12	Apr 14
Perry Hall	Jan 22 to Feb 5	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 2
Carney	Jan 22 to Feb 5	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 2
Reisterstown	Jan 22 to Feb 5	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 2
South Laurel	Jan 25 to Feb 8	Apr 19 to May 3	Apr 5
Lochearn	Jan 22 to Feb 5	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 2
Ilchester	Jan 30 to Feb 13	Apr 24 to May 8	Apr 10
Fairland	Jan 25 to Feb 8	Apr 19 to May 3	Apr 5
Elkridge	Jan 30 to Feb 13	Apr 24 to May 8	Apr 10
Ballenger Creek	Jan 22 to Feb 5	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 2
Fort Washington	Jan 23 to Feb 6	Apr 17 to May 1	Apr 3
North Laurel	Jan 25 to Feb 8	Apr 19 to May 3	Apr 5
Edgewood	Jan 30 to Feb 13	Apr 24 to May 8	Apr 10
Greenbelt	Jan 30 to Feb 13	Apr 24 to May 8	Apr 10
Suitland	Jan 18 to Feb 1	Apr 12 to Apr 26	Mar 29
Landover	Jan 18 to Feb 1	Apr 12 to Apr 26	Mar 29
North Potomac	Jan 21 to Feb 4	Apr 15 to Apr 29	Apr 1
Arnold	Jan 16 to Jan 30	Apr 10 to Apr 24	Mar 27
Cockeysville	Jan 22 to Feb 5	Apr 16 to Apr 30	Apr 2
Camp Springs	Jan 23 to Feb 6	Apr 17 to May 1	Apr 3
Langley Park	Jan 30 to Feb 13	Apr 24 to May 8	Apr 10
Hyattsville	Jan 18 to Feb 1	Apr 12 to Apr 26	Mar 29
Arbutus	Jan 13 to Jan 27	Apr 7 to Apr 21	Mar 24
Rosedale	Jan 13 to Jan 27	Apr 7 to Apr 21	Mar 24
Westminster	Feb 13 to Feb 27	May 8 to May 22	Apr 24

Questions

When should I plant peppers in Maryland?

In Baltimore, plant out from April 7 to April 21. Across Maryland the window opens between April 7 and May 8, depending on the local last frost.

How is this date worked out?

Start seeds indoors 8–10 weeks before the last frost; plant out 2–4 weeks after the last frost. Frost dates are NOAA 1991–2020 averages for the weather station nearest each city.

More for Maryland

Peppers in other states

Frost dates for every city in Maryland