More information or more questions would help a lot

Yes, the C.chinense species in particular ripens quite late so people start them (indoors) as early as December.

Since we're well past winter, why the question?

Dennis

Gertrude, most people on this forum do not know what Winter Sowing is. I am a winter sower, and hot peppers (and peppers in general) are not candidates for winter sowing because they are fully tropical, heat loving plants, which cannot survive frosts (usually). For these reasons, peppers are usually started indoors and grown under lights until it warms up. I don't know where you live, and your zone may be warm enough to start peppers outdoors now, but of course, that's not what winter sowing is. Winter sowing involves potting up and planting out seeds, putting them outdoors during winter, and letting nature 'do her thing'. Very good for perennials which need a period of stratification, and when the conditions are right, they germinate and produce strong seedlings, requiring no hardening off.

Thanks for the explanation of winter sowing.

Yah. Wrong technique for peppers.

But don't let that stop you. Peppers are fun! [albeit dangerous]

Dennis