Question
Hello!  I am starting green and red peppers inside.  I live in Wisconsin and started the seeds on the new moon on April 6.  I used small peat pots to plant and the weather is in the 60's now.  On what date do you recommend I put them outside?  Also, I am concerned about what is in the soil.  What container can I use to plant when I put them outside?  How big should it be?  (I have about 40 peat pots with an average of 4 stalks each that are now 2-3 inches out of the soil)   Thank you for any advice.  

Answer
Sanut, I would not place the plants outdoors permanently until after Memorial Day.  Peppers are very sensitive to cooler temperatures and will go into shock if exposed too early.  You do want to acclimate them to the outdoors prior to placing them out for good.  To do so, just place them out for a couple of hours per day starting on May 15th. Do not expose them to full sun for at least a few days, or they could suffer from sun scald.  After 3 days, increase the time outdoors to 6 hours.  After 5 days, 12 hours.  Finally, after 7-10 days, they are ready to be left out 24 hours per day. This is called hardening-off and helps them to gradually transition to outdoor conditions.

In regard to pots, you need a 12" pot for each plant that is 8" to 12" deep.  This will give them enough room for root development, and will also result in an increased harvest.  Also, use an organic soil mix that includes peat moss, compost, and manure.  Garden centers sell several mixtures for container gardening that will work great.  Remember to place the pots in a location where the peppers will get full sun for at least 6-8 hours per day.

I hope this answered your question.  Please write again if I can ever be of assistance.

Regards,

Mike