JenTiffany:
You can start them outdoors for sure. However, it is much easier to control the external factors if you start them indoors. You dont have to worry about temperature extremes, too much or too little rain, excessive wind, garden pests, both insect and furry and feathered. Then once the plants are 3-4" tall, they will have a better chance dealing with the elements outside. The big issue with transplanting them outside after being only indoors is that you must "harden" them off before you put them out side for good. The seedlings at that point are not used to the extremes of temps, wind and sun. You have to introduce them to the outdoors gradually until they are ready to go into the ground or container outside for good.

Even if you start them indoors and transplant them shortly after they sprout, you might have better success than planting directly in the ground. Germination is always easier under controlled conditions.

Bruce

I started my seeds awhile ago but got a few more seeds from the great people on GW. I am starting a few late Fataili, choc Hab, and 7pot Brain. I do have lights but now it's so warm the family likes the AC on so that nixes my lights. I will sprout them then put outside and hope for the best. I may devise some seedling protection box not sure yet. It can be done but as Bruce advised the wild outdoors are not ideal for the little pepper sprouts. Depending on how the season goes I may have to overwinter these guys. Keep s posted on how it goes.

Thanks guys! Maybe I'll just try a couple of both and see what happens!

What I do for late plantings after its warm enough outside is that I start them in pots, but put the pots outside in full sun from the start.

If it rains or gets windy or otherwise bad weather, I can easily pull the pots indoors. And since seedlings don't need hardening off if you start them in full sun anyway, it lets you skip that step completely.

Once they're a couple inches tall with plenty of leaves, then it goes out in the garden or into it's big boy pot.

That sounds perfect! Thank you! I'll do that. :)