Bill Shoemaker said:

Just for what it's worth, I'm in central/N.E. Pa. and last year it
gave the last frost date as early May. I started my pepper plants in
late Feb. to early March, and didn't wind up putting them in the
ground until Memorial Day week, because it was too cold.

Things were screwed up because of the excessive heat and drought, but
I was glad I started as early as I did. The plants didn't begin to
produce until late in the growing season (some never did), and I
didn't get fully ripe peppers until way after labor day. And, the
bells didn't produce that much.

I wonder if trying to hold the plants so long before transplanting might
not have been part of your problem with lateness, along with the weather...

I always start my plants in early April, usually set out in late May (very late, last
year) and was picking early tomatoes in late July (usually I start getting them in
mid-July), green peppers in July, the first ripe ones in August, and eggplants
in late July. My paste tomatoes were only a week late, though I did loose
about half of one variety to BER when they were small.

Mulching with compost or a mix of shredded leaves and coffeegrounds
might have helped to give the plants a boost. I also watered *a lot* even
with the mulch (though not enough, or consistantly enough, for that one
susceptible paste variety).

--
Pat in Plymouth MI

Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
(attributed to Don Marti)