Starting peppers from seed gives you access to the varieties that actually thrive in Santa Cruz County's cool climate, not just the standard bells that struggle in fog. The process requires patience and a heat mat, but rewards you with stronger plants and far better variety selection than nursery transplants offer.

Your peppers reached full size weeks ago but refuse to change color. They're sitting on the plant, stubbornly green, while you wait for the red, yellow, or orange you expected. In Santa Cruz County's cool climate, this is one of the most common frustrations pepper growers face.

Container growing is the secret weapon for pepper success in Santa Cruz County's challenging microclimates. The ability to move plants to chase sun, protect them from cold nights, and warm soil faster can transform your pepper harvest, especially in coastal and foggy areas where in-ground peppers struggle.

The pepper transplants appear at nurseries in March, but planting them immediately is a mistake in Santa Cruz County. Our cool soil and cold nights can permanently stunt peppers planted too early. This guide explains exactly when to plant peppers in each microclimate for the best results.