7 Pot Douglah Pepper (Chocolate 7 Pot) in Zone 3a & 3b
Capsicum chinense
Yes, 7 Pot Douglah pepper (Chocolate 7 Pot) grows in zones 3a and 3b. Start seeds indoors Mar 14–Mar 21 and plant out Jun 13–Jun 20.
When to plant 7 Pot Douglah pepper (Chocolate 7 Pot) in zone 3b
Zones 3a and 3b share the same average frost dates, so this page covers both.
Method: Start indoors: Start indoors from seed, then transplant outside. It needs a head start most zones can't give it by direct-sowing alone.
| Start indoors | Mar 14–Mar 21 |
|---|---|
| Direct sow / transplant outside | Jun 13–Jun 20 |
| Estimated harvest | Sep 16–Sep 23 (~95 days after transplanting) |
Spacing: 1 per square foot (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 2.5-3 ft.
Before you plant: Zone 3b's first fall frost usually comes close to or before the harvest. See the details below.
Plant alongside it in zone 3b
These go outside within two weeks of 7 Pot Douglah pepper (Chocolate 7 Pot) in zone 3b, so one planting day can cover them.
- Bell PepperJun 13–Jun 20
- 7 Pot Primo PepperJun 13–Jun 20
- Aji Amarillo PepperJun 13–Jun 20
- Anaheim Pepper (New Mexico, Hatch)Jun 13–Jun 20
- Carolina Reaper PepperJun 13–Jun 20
- Cayenne PepperJun 13–Jun 20
7 Pot Douglah, also sold as Chocolate 7 Pot or Trinidad Douglah, is a Trinidad superhot whose pods ripen to a deep chocolate brown rather than red.
How 7 Pot Douglah pepper (Chocolate 7 Pot) fits zone 3's season
Zone 3b's frost-free window runs about 98 days, from May 30 to September 5. 7 Pot Douglah pepper (Chocolate 7 Pot) needs about 95 days from transplant to first harvest.
Frost risk in zone 3b: Harvest usually starts about 11 days after zone 3b's average first frost (September 5), and 7 Pot Douglah pepper (Chocolate 7 Pot) is damaged by even a light frost. It's close: an average date means frost comes earlier about half the time, so pick a faster-maturing variety if you can and be ready to cover plants on cold nights. (Frost tolerance and protection advice: Purdue Extension.)
7 Pot Douglah Pepper (Chocolate 7 Pot) planting windows in every zone
Zone 3b is highlighted. Useful for comparing against a neighbouring zone, or for a garden somewhere else.
| Zone | Start indoors | Sow or plant out | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3a & 3b (your zone) | Mar 14–Mar 21 | Jun 13–Jun 20 | Sep 16–Sep 23 |
| 4a & 4b | Feb 27–Mar 6 | May 29–Jun 5 | Sep 1–Sep 8 |
| 5a & 5b | Feb 22–Mar 1 | May 24–May 31 | Aug 27–Sep 3 |
| 6a & 6b | Feb 7–Feb 14 | May 9–May 16 | Aug 12–Aug 19 |
| 7a & 7b | Jan 23–Jan 30 | Apr 24–May 1 | Jul 28–Aug 4 |
| 8a & 8b | Jan 7–Jan 14 | Apr 8–Apr 15 | Jul 12–Jul 19 |
| 9a & 9b | Nov 30–Dec 7 | Mar 1–Mar 8 | Jun 4–Jun 11 |
| 10a & 10bSummer window | May–Jul | Aug–Sep | ~95 days after transplanting |
| 11a & 11bSummer window | May–Nov | Aug–Feb | ~95 days after transplanting |
Harvest dates are about 95 days after the sow or plant-out date, not after starting seeds indoors.
Good companions
- Basil: Reputed to repel aphids and improve pepper growth nearby, but a controlled garden trial testing this same claim on a related crop found no pest-reduction benefit from basil, and found higher pest counts on the basil-companioned plants. Treat this pairing as unproven, not as a working pest deterrent.
- Onion: Reputed to deter many common pepper pests, though this specific pairing hasn't been tested the way onion/carrot pest-masking has. Treat it as garden tradition.
Where to buy 7 Pot Douglah pepper seeds
None of the seed suppliers we list carries 7 Pot Douglah pepper seeds right now. A local garden center or a specialty seed house is the place to look.
See why we recommend these suppliers →
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See it growing
Search YouTube for "growing 7 Pot Douglah pepper (Chocolate 7 Pot)" videos → (a live search, not a hand-picked video; results vary and aren't vetted by us)
← Back to the full zone 3b calendar · Plan your beds in the Garden Designer →
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Growing 7 Pot Douglah Pepper (Chocolate 7 Pot) in USDA zone 3b: when to start seeds indoors, when to direct-sow, and when to expect a harvest.
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