If you're trying to squeeze a few more days/weeks out of your pepper harvest and the temperatures are dropping at or below 40˚ F, we recommend covering your peppers with frost cloth or a small hoop house with greenhouse film to keep them warm during the cold nights if you can to help them keep producing.
Temperatures below 60°F at night will also result in blossom drop. At temperatures below 40°F, peppers may show some chilling injury. A shortage of water at bloom time can also result in blossom drop or failure to set fruit.
40F won't hurt any of those plants but if the soil gets too cold they can all be affected. So if it's me I cover if I think the soil might get too cold too long. Most warm season crops I like to maintain 60F soil temp minimum.
In the case of peppers, the ideal daytime temperature is 21-26°C (70-80°F). The ideal nighttime temperature is 18-21°C (65-70°F). Of course, these ranges may vary, depending on the pepper varieties you grow. Pepper plants may still grow outside of the ideal temperature range.
Protecting your plants from the cold and ensuring they get enough heat is paramount all season long, but particularly towards the end of the summer. When the threat of frost becomes serious, harvest all your peppers even if they are still green.
Seedlings, with their tender new leaves, often give up the ghost when temperatures dip to 32-33°F. Tropical plants have differing low-temperature thresholds. Some keel over when temps fall to 40°F; others crumble at 35°F. Other plants are just hardy by nature and can withstand temperatures as low as 18-20°F.
Tomato plants can suffer from chilling injuries when temperatures are between 0 °C to 5 °C . Pepper plants can also suffer from chilling injury if temperatures stay between 0 to 10 °C (32 to 50 °F ) for a long time. This injury may appear as puckered leaves and stunted growth.
Peppers really like temperatures above 55-60˚ F if possible, so covering them on cold nights or during cold weather is best. The same goes for tomatoes, basil, and other warm-season vegetables! Keep them warm if possible.
A general rule of thumb is to water deeply once or twice a week, though this can vary based on weather conditions and soil type. For example, sandy soils may need more frequent watering, while clay soils retain moisture longer and may require less frequent watering. It's best to water your peppers in the early morning.
Each plant has a different threshold when it comes to dealing with the cold. Some plants can survive outside even when temperatures hit freezing. Others need to be brought indoors when temperatures reach the mid-40s.
So when temperatures start dipping below 50º F, leave the tomatoes on the vine if warmer days and nights are forecast. But if temperatures have started on a steady downward slide, go ahead and pick the mature green tomatoes and bring them indoors.
Spice up your garden 🌶️ by nailing the perfect 70°F-90°F temp for thriving jalapeño peppers! 70°F to 90°F is ideal for jalapeño peppers to flourish. 🌡️ Watch for stress signs like wilting and flower drop. Stable temps and humidity (40-70%) ensure healthy growth.
People have asked, can peppers survive 40˚ F temperatures? Most peppers are not happy when temperatures drop below 50-60˚ F.
First, it's good to know which plants are sensitive to temps around 35 or 40 degrees F. These are common tender plants that will need some protection. Hanging baskets: begonias, calibrachoa, gerbera, impatiens, vinca, euphorbia, and scoparia.
Expect 5-10 large bell peppers per well-grown plant, and 20-50 hot peppers per plant. Storage: Peppers don't stay fresh and crunchy for more than a few days, even in the refrigerator, so use them while they are in season. Small chiles can be dried if laid on cookie sheets in an airy place.
Epsom salt delivers an immediate shot-in-the-arm of magnesium to the plants and boosts growth when applied as a foliar spray. Mix 2 tablespoons of Epsom salt in an average size spray bottle... shake it vigorously and apply to plant every 2 weeks with a thorough soaking.
Poor Pollination Can Cause Plants Flowering But Not Fruiting
Pepper plants contain both male and female parts. The male part of the flower (the anther) releases pollen so that the female part (the stigma) of the flower can grow fruit. However, this pollination process does not happen automatically.
Quick Guide to Growing Peppers
Plant them 18 to 24 inches apart in a sunny, well-drained spot. Pepper plants need at least 6-8 hours of sunlight per day. Mix compost or other organic matter into the soil when planting. Water immediately after planting, then regularly throughout the season.
Optimal growth at 70-80°F day, 65-70°F night for pepper plants.
Hotcaps, plastic tunnels, fabric covers, and other devices help protect seedlings and transplants from cool air temperatures. Row covers enhance growth and earliness. Peppers grown under row covers require ventilation when air temperatures exceed 80ºF.
How Cold Can Tomatoes Tolerate? Tomato seeds won't germinate when the soil temperature is below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Tomato seedlings suffer cold damage in temperatures below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Some tomato varieties are bred to be more cold-tolerant and can set fruit when it's below 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
Another temperature to keep in mind: tomato plants will not survive in temperatures below 35 degrees Fahrenheit, and will not thrive at temperatures below 50 degrees. Gardeners can use a frost date calendar to note their region's average dates of last frost in spring and first frost in fall.
Harvest Guard® (also called row cover) is a lightweight fabric that can help warm the air and soil. If placed over a plant, leave enough fabric so the plant can continue to grow (it will push the fabric up as it grows), or use some sort of support to keep the fabric off the plant.
If nighttime temperatures consistently drop below 50°F (10°C) in your area, it's a sign that it's time to bring your pepper plants indoors. This typically occurs as fall progresses.