Before planting it is a good idea to find your USDA Zone info to figure out your garden schedule. The most important data that the zone info tells us is average last frost and the lowest expected temperature for your area.

By reviewing the USDA zone info for Des Plaines it's possible to determine when it's the best time to plant achimenes.

Planting Calendar for Achimenes

Frost tolerance for achimenes:	Not tolerant of frost.
When to plant:	After all chance of frost has passed.

It's probably a bad idea to plant achimenes until after all chance of frost has passed because they are not cold tolerant.

The earliest that you can plant achimenes in Des Plaines is April. However, you really should wait until May if you don't want to take any chances.

The last month that you can plant achimenes and expect a good harvest is probably August. Any later than that and your achimenes may not have a chance to grow to maturity. You can get started a little bit earlier by starting your achimenes indoors.

Last Frost Date

On average the last frost has passed is on April 15 in Des Plaines. It might get as low as -15°F during the coldest months of winter.

It's important to remember that USDA zone info for Des Plaines is an average and the actual date of last frost changes from year to year. Half of the time in Des Plaines last frost occurs after April 15 so make sure that you are prepared to cover your achimenes in the event of a late frost.

USDA Zone Info for Des Plaines

Here is the info for USDA Zone 5b.

Average Date of Last Frost (spring)	April 15
Average Date of First Frost (fall)	October 15
Lowest Expected Low	-15°F
Highest Expected Low	-10°F

This means that on a really cold year, the coldest it will get is -15°F. On most years you should be prepared to experience lows near -10°F.

Plants to Grow in Des Plaines

You may be interested in your other planting guides for Des Plaines.