What to Plant in January
January is prime time for planning your pepper garden. In warmer zones, you can start seeds indoors this month.
🌿 Transplant Outdoors
Classic Jalapeño
Start seeds indoors in mid-March. Transplant in mid-May when soil temperature reaches 60°F. First harvest typically in mid-July.
Serrano
Start indoors mid-March. Serranos love heat - wait until soil is thoroughly warm before transplanting.
Poblano
Excellent choice for these zones. Very productive. Can harvest continuously from July through frost.
Cayenne
One of the easiest hot peppers to grow. Plants produce heavily. Excellent for drying.
Thai Chili
Excellent container variety. Very ornamental with upright peppers. Productive throughout summer.
Ghost Pepper (Bhut Jolokia)
Start very early (late January). Long season needed. Consider overwintering plants indoors for earlier harvest next year.
NuMex Piñata
Developed in New Mexico, perfect for these zones. Multiple colors on same plant add visual interest. Very productive.
Jalafuego
Thrives in these zones. Hotter than standard jalapeños - handle with care. Excellent for hot sauce making.
Jalapeño
Start seeds indoors in mid-March. Transplant in mid-May when soil temperature reaches 60°F. First harvest typically in mid-July.
Serrano
Start indoors mid-March. Serranos love heat - wait until soil is thoroughly warm before transplanting.
Classic Jalapeño
Start indoors 8-10 weeks before last frost. Transplant after soil warms to 60°F.
Early Jalapeño
Early harvest means you can succession plant for continuous production.
TAM Jalapeño
Excellent disease resistance. Thrives in humid climates.
Mucho Nacho Jalapeño
Large plants need 24-30 inch spacing. Stake for support.
Purple Jalapeño
Harvest when deep purple or wait until red for sweeter flavor.
NuMex Piñata Jalapeño
Each color stage has unique flavor. Harvest at preferred color.
Jalapeño M
Resistant to common pepper diseases. Great for humid regions.
Fooled You Jalapeño
Great introduction to growing peppers for families.
Jalafuego
Wait for soil to reach 65°F before transplanting. Heat lover!
Chipotle (Smoked Jalapeño)
Harvest red jalapeños for smoking. Green ones can be used fresh. 12+ week harvest.
Biker Billy Jalapeño
Large plants need extra space. 24-30 inch spacing recommended.
Fresno Pepper
Develops heat as it ripens from green to red.
Habanero
Start very early (late February/early March). Use black plastic mulch to warm soil. Expect first harvest in mid-August.
Bell Pepper
Start mid-March. Use row covers for early protection. Green peppers mature in 60-70 days, colored peppers need additional 2-3 weeks.
Poblano
Excellent choice for these zones. Very productive. Can harvest continuously from July through frost.
Cayenne
One of the easiest hot peppers to grow. Plants produce heavily. Excellent for drying.
Bell Pepper
Very productive. Pick green for continuous production or wait for sweet colored peppers.
Anaheim
New Mexico staple. Excellent for canning and freezing.
Poblano
When dried and smoked, becomes ancho chile. Large fruits need support.
Cayenne
Harvest red for maximum heat. Great for hot sauce.
Serrano
Very productive. Harvest green or allow to ripen to red.
Thai Chili
Small peppers pack serious heat. Harvest when red for best flavor.
Habanero
Needs consistent heat. Wait for soil to reach 70°F before transplanting.
Ghost Pepper (Bhut Jolokia)
Requires hot conditions and patience. Use black plastic, heat mats, row covers.
Gigantia Jalapeño
Heavy producer of jumbo fruits. Provide calcium for thick walls. Excellent for stuffing.
Craig's Grande Jalapeño
Legendary variety worth the wait. Stake heavily - fruits are massive!
Mammoth Jalapeño
Very productive. Similar to Mucho Nacho but larger. Space 24-30 inches.
Conchos Jalapeño
Mexican variety with exceptional crunch. Perfect for nacho slices.
Señorita Jalapeño
Early harvest means succession planting possible. Very space efficient.
Traveler's Jalapeño
Balcony and patio favorite. Use 5-gallon pot minimum.
El Jefe Jalapeño
Modern hybrid with old-school flavor. Very virus resistant.
NuMex Jalmundo
Improvement over Mucho Nacho. Even larger with milder heat.
NuMex Primavera
Reliable early variety. Good disease resistance too.
Thai Chili
Excellent container variety. Very ornamental with upright peppers. Productive throughout summer.
Ghost Pepper (Bhut Jolokia)
Start very early (late January). Long season needed. Consider overwintering plants indoors for earlier harvest next year.
Chipotle (Smoked Jalapeño)
Same growing as jalapeños. Leave peppers on plant until fully red and starting to dry. Perfect for smoking and drying.
Jalapeño
Start seeds indoors in mid-March. Transplant in mid-May when soil temperature reaches 60°F. First harvest typically in mid-July.
Serrano
Start indoors mid-March. Serranos love heat - wait until soil is thoroughly warm before transplanting.
Habanero
Start very early (late February/early March). Use black plastic mulch to warm soil. Expect first harvest in mid-August.
Bell Pepper
Start mid-March. Use row covers for early protection. Green peppers mature in 60-70 days, colored peppers need additional 2-3 weeks.
Poblano
Excellent choice for these zones. Very productive. Can harvest continuously from July through frost.
Cayenne
One of the easiest hot peppers to grow. Plants produce heavily. Excellent for drying.
Thai Chili
Excellent container variety. Very ornamental with upright peppers. Productive throughout summer.
Ghost Pepper (Bhut Jolokia)
Start very early (late January). Long season needed. Consider overwintering plants indoors for earlier harvest next year.
Jalapeño M
Thrives in these zones. Disease resistance makes it ideal for humid climates. Very productive throughout summer.
Early Jalapeño
Excellent choice for these zones. Early maturity allows for succession planting. First harvest in early-mid July.
NuMex Vaquero
Produces well even in hot summers when others struggle.
Jalapa Jalapeño
Heirloom from Jalapa, Veracruz. Balanced heat and complex flavor.
Zapotec Jalapeño
Heritage variety with complex taste. Great for traditional mole.
Mitla Jalapeño
Heat lovers choice. More kick than typical jalapeños.
Orange Jalapeño
Ripens green → orange (not red!). Slightly sweeter than green.
Lemon Spice Jalapeño
Ripens green → lemon yellow. Beautiful in salsa and garnishes.
Jalapeño Popper Hybrid
Uniform size perfect for consistent cooking. Commercial favorite.
Coolapeño
Heat-sensitive eaters rejoice! All flavor, no burn. Great fresh eating.
Delicias Jalapeño
Regional favorite in northern Mexico. Authentic traditional flavor.
Espinalteco Jalapeño
Regional Mexican variety. Excellent for hot sauce production.
Huasteco Jalapeño
Huastecan variety handles humidity well. Fruity undertones unique.
Rayado Jalapeño
Collector's variety. Stunning ornamental value. Save seeds carefully!
Jalapeño Brown
Collector's item. Nearly impossible to find. Save seeds!
Jaloro Jalapeño
Ripens green → golden yellow. Mild heat, sweet flavor.
TAM Veracruz Jalapeño
Perfect for commercial mild jalapeño production. Very productive.
Señor Jalapeño
Reliable yields. Good disease resistance. Professional growers choice.
TAM Jalapeño
Performs exceptionally well in these zones. Milder heat makes it versatile. Very productive plants.
Purple Jalapeño
Stunning in containers or garden beds. Purple color most vibrant in full sun. Harvest when purple or wait for red.
Mucho Nacho
Excellent choice for jumbo jalapeños. Thick walls perfect for stuffing. Give plants extra space and feeding.
Señorita Jalapeño
Ideal for these zones. Seedless peppers save prep time. Milder heat makes them family-friendly.
Jalapeño Gigante
Better suited to these zones with longer season. Huge peppers perfect for roasting whole. Stake plants well.