Hey everyone! I'm relatively new to gardening and have a community garden plot in southern Wisconsin. I was wondering if it's feasible to directly sow peppers like habaneros and serranos outside when the soil temperature reaches around 75°F, which would be early June here. I know that many suggest starting them indoors, but that's not an option for me. So, should I go ahead and try to direct sow them outdoors or should I just skip planting peppers altogether?
1 Answer
Honestly, I wouldn't recommend direct sowing those hot peppers, especially habaneros. They really need a long, hot growing season to thrive. I start my peppers indoors at the end of February and move them outside by late May. That way, I can get my harvest in before the first frost, which hits around mid-October here in PA. If starting indoors isn’t an option for you, you might want to consider buying seedlings from a local store—they usually have a great selection and it’s worked well for me!

I think I will try that. Thanks so much!