Starting peppers in Z7 right now, outdoors, no. Its too cold for the seeds still. I would hold off a few more weeks. Even for that, indoor seed starting might give better results if indoor temps are at 70 degrees. Once the plants are at a few inches tall, then they can go outside for a few hours per day, and slowly add more outdoor sun time. I start seeds in flats. The trays are 11x22 inches and have inserts that hold 32 small 2"x2" pots. The plastic inserts help keep the pots from tipping over in the heavy plastic trays. Never had these fall over from any winds.

Melissa,

Thanks for the illustrated swearing lesson! I will study hard so I can be cool like you.

Good luck with the poblanos. They are delicious. I haven't had great success growing them -- they never got large. But I will keep trying.

Jim

Thanks for the advice Ken. I was only leaving them outside in the sun on warm days, because they don't get much sun in the house and I don't have any grow lights or heaters. Unfortunately my house will not be 70° until it's at least 75° outside...even with the windows open, it seems only the coolest air blows in. But good to know that they shouldn't be outside until they're a few inches tall.

Jim, my only other experience with peppers was a bell pepper plant I bought already started. It produced one green pepper, and I patiently admired it every day waiting for it to turn red. Then finally I noticed that a while back it had plopped off its stem and settled into a little crook right below. It had been slowly rotting so I didn't get to eat it. I have no great expectations for any of my plants, but the seeds only cost as much as buying one pepper or tomato.

Melissa

For sweet peppers. I like growing the thicker meat, pointed end, pimento type peppers. They have several peppers on each small plant and do ripen sooner than a bell. I have tried growing many bell types and I too, was never impressed by poor amount per plant. For some reason bell peppers, even though they are heat lovers, stop producing once ouside temps are above about 85 degrees. When I grow small pepper types like pepperoncini, or sweet cherry types, these are usually loaded on every plant. The pepperoncini I can pick all summer and they still keep going. If you start from seeds, be sur eto use a good quality seed starting mix. These are not pottin soil, or any other 'dirt' based products, but are made with things like coconut husks and peat moss. You get better, healthier growth, with less losses due to nasty things like damping off and other problems seedlings have to contend with.

Ooh that sounds great, I love pimientos. Maybe I'll try to find some seeds. I definitely bought way too many seeds for the small beds and containers I have. My downstairs neighbor would be fine if I dig up and plant more of the yard, but the edges are just covered in vines. Plus I need open space for my dog to practice agility obstacles. But I'll squeeze in whatever I can! Thanks Ken.

Melissa

Here is a variety I haven't tried yet, but look like a decent pepper for stuffing too, as thei are not pointed like the pimentos I grew. Once i find a decent pepper, I save seeds for future years.

http://www.totallytomato.com/dp.asp?P=%7B6E84BDB4%2D1716%2D4611%2DA6B7%2D7DB447199796%7D

Below, is also a page of several types. The ones I grew were Pimento Elite Hybrid. Prolific plants, but even for that, you only get about 6 or so compared to some other skinny types. Many more than a bell however.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tomato Growers

Thanks Ken, I'll save that link for next year!

Melissa