seeds Need advice on when to plant my seedlings outside

[jodom]

I live in Southern Delaware and the weather here has been up and down with future temp swing up to 68 and down to the 30s...I am hardening off my plants now but with these wild swings I am reluctant to plant them outside yet. I also don't want to wait much longer and risk an extremely short growing season (although better than killing my plants). Is anyone else experiencing the same conundrum?
  

 

[The_NorthEast_ChileMan]

I live in Southern Delaware and the weather here has been up and down with future temp swing up to 68 and down to the 30s...I am hardening off my plants now but with these wild swings I am reluctant to plant them outside yet. I also don't want to wait much longer and risk an extremely short growing season (although better than killing my plants). Is anyone else experiencing the same conundrum?

 
The two criteria I use are last frost date and soil temps as it should be a minimum of 50°F with 60°F preferred (Peppers don't like cold feet/roots.).

 

[podz]

Depends what you are growing. Rocotos definitely won't mind 39 degrees, neither will baccatums or annuums but it will slow them down a bit. Chinense will probably not tolerate 39 at all.
 
If I had your weather chart, most of my stuff would go out right now.

 

[jodom]

@podz, I have a majority of Chinense but also have jalapeno and red chili. Would you plant the jalapeno and red chili with upper 30s on the forecast?

 

[jodom]

Depends what you are growing. Rocotos definitely won't mind 39 degrees, neither will baccatums or annuums but it will slow them down a bit. Chinense will probably not tolerate 39 at all.
 
If I had your weather chart, most of my stuff would go out right now.

 
I have a majority of Chinense but also have jalapeno and red chili. Would you plant the jalapeno and red chili with upper 30s on the forecast?

 

[podz]

 
I have a majority of Chinense but also have jalapeno and red chili. Would you plant the jalapeno and red chili with upper 30s on the forecast?

 
Definitely the jalapeno and red chili. They can withstand 39 for up to 6 hours or so but let's say 12 hours would probably be a bit much if they're not hardened off yet. Put a frost sheet over them just in case on those 39 nights, though it's highly unlikely to get frost at that temp.

 

[Dulac]

I put them out last month here in VA. Mostly c.chinese. There were a few lows in the 30s, but no frost. I was thinking it'd be mostly higher 40s and 50s, but the weather swings here a lot too. Everything is cool except the slug and hail damage. If I put them out later, it's hard to build up their UV tolerance.