If you live somewhere with fluctuating temperatures – and let’s be honest, most of us do – it’s really important to know what your poblanos can tolerate. This helps you plan when to germinate them as well as when to take protective measures.
Poblano pepper plants grow best at temperatures between 70 and 85°F. They need temperatures between 70 and 80°F for germination to take place. Poblanos can’t survive a frost and will start to show signs of distress when temperatures drop below 50°F. Likewise, they begin to drop their flowers if daytime temps are above 90°F.
Let’s “dig in”!
Can poblano pepper plants tolerate cold temperatures?
For those of us who live up north, this is a constant worry.
Poblano peppers can tolerate cold temperatures up to a point. They start to get unhappy when temperatures reach below 50°F. They die off during a frost because their cells freeze, causing expansion and rupturing the cell walls. If you’re growing poblano peppers during cold weather, water and fertilize them well. Put them in a sunny spot.
Truthfully, poblano pepper plants prefer warm weather. They thrive at 70-85°F.
If you’re growing your poblanos during colder weather, make sure you’re watering well, fertilizing them correctly, and that they’re getting enough sun to give them a leg up.
Can poblano peppers survive 40-degree weather?
Say there’s a random cold front, or perhaps you’re growing your poblanos into the fall and are worried about the subsequent temperatures. Will your peppers make it?
Poblano peppers can survive 40-degree weather, but they don’t do well when temperatures drop below 50°F. Temperatures need to be at least 70°F in order for germination to take place. Whether you started germination early or there’s a bizarre cold front, 40-degree weather warrants replanting.
Poblano peppers don’t do well when temperatures drop below 50°F, but they can still survive until there is a frost.
Temperatures need to be 70°F at the very least in order for germination to take place. If you’re growing outdoors from seed and temps reach 40 degrees – whether you planted too early or there’s a freak cold front – unfortunately, you’ll have to start over.
How cold is too cold for poblano pepper plants?
At what point do your peppers give in?
Frost – otherwise known as 32°F – is too cold for poblano pepper plants. The liquid inside of the plant cells freezes and ruptures the cell walls. There is no saving them past this point. Likewise, anything below 70°F is too cold for germination. Heat mats can help keep temperatures up during the germination process.
Poblano pepper plants die when there is a frost. This is because the inside of their cells freeze and rupture the cell walls.
As discussed above, peppers won’t germinate below 70°F. If you’re having trouble keeping an ambient temperature of at least 70°, a heat mat can do wonders!
Can poblano peppers survive frost?
Poblano peppers can’t survive frost.
Poblano peppers can not survive frost. Just as ice cubes expand during the freezing process, so too do the cells inside poblanos. This bursts open the cell walls which permanently kills your plant.
You know how water expands when it freezes? Well, the internal liquid of your poblano plants’ cells expands from freezing and then burst open the cell walls. There’s no coming back from that!
While it’s not possible to salvage them once they’ve been damaged, it is possible to protect them – which we’re about to talk about!
How to protect poblano pepper plants from the extreme cold?
If poblano peppers require warm temperatures, what can you do when a cold front rolls in?
Some ways to protect poblano pepper plants from the extreme cold include:
- Mulch to protect roots
- Transfer to a greenhouse
- Use row covers
- Use a heat mat during germination
Can poblano pepper plants survive in hot temperatures?
Summer’s fast approaching! Or the forecast isn’t all that great. Now what?
Poblano peppers can survive in hot temperatures, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be happy. They drop their flowers with daytime temperatures above 90°F and nighttime temperatures above 75°F. A fertilizer with a high phosphorus value can help encourage new blooms once the heat wave has passed.
Poblano pepper plants can survive in hot temperatures, but not without repercussions.
Peppers will drop their flowers when daytime temps reach above 90°F with nighttime temps above 75°F.
Fertilizers with a high phosphorus ratio (the P in NPK) will encourage flowering, so perhaps employ such a fertilizer once the heat wave has passed to get your poblanos back on track.
Can poblano peppers tolerate 100 degrees?
Talk about hot!
Poblano peppers can tolerate 100°F – up to a point. It’s vital to water your peppers as much as possible if you’re going through an extreme heat wave. Their flowers will definitely drop and their stems and leaves will wilt.
Poblano peppers likely won’t die from 100-degree heat, but they will certainly wilt and drop their flowers. Consistent temperatures of 100° may kill a poblano. Water your peppers as much as possible if you’re going through an incredibly hot spell.
If however, the poblano pepper plants are exposed to temperatures above 80°F while germinating, you’ll need to start over.
What temperature is too hot for poblano pepper plants?
Again, at what point do your peppers give in?
Anything above 85°F is too hot for poblano pepper plants and will start to damage your plants. You’ll see signs of unhappiness such as wilting and dropping flowers. During germination, anything above 80°F may warrant starting over again.
Hot varieties of peppers, such as poblano peppers, do best with heat levels between 70 and 85°F.
Peppers like temperatures of 70-80°F while germinating, so anything above that may stunt or hinder the germination process. You might have to start over again. Germination is perhaps the most finicky aspect of the entire growth process!
How do you protect pepper plants from extreme heat?
Since peppers can’t handle extreme heat, is there anything you can do?
These are some tips on how to protect pepper plants from extreme heat:
- Bring them inside
- Use a shade cloth
- Fertilize to encourage foliage that will protect the peppers from the sun
