One of the best tools that you have as gardeners to help us estimate your gardening schedule is the USDA zone info. The most important data that the zone info tells us is average last frost and the lowest expected temperature for your area.

In Des Plaines you can estimate when it's the best time to plant bidens by using the USDA zone info.

Planting Calendar for Bidens

Frost tolerance for bidens:	Not tolerant of frost.
When to plant:	After the last frost when the weather gets warmer.

You should not plant bidens until after the last frost has passed because they are not cold tolerant.

The earliest that you can plant bidens 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 bidens and expect a good harvest is probably August. Any later than that and your bidens may not have a chance to fully mature. Starting your bidens indoors is a great way to get them started a few weeks earlier.

Last Frost Date

The average date of last frost is April 15 in Des Plaines. In the coldest months of winter you can expect an average low temperature of -15°F.

It's important to remember that USDA zone info for Des Plaines is an average and the actual date of last frost is different every year. Since half of the time in Des Plaines you get surprised by a frost after April 15 be ready to protect your bidens 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.