When to Plant Chrysanthemum in Westchester, IL

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 referring to the USDA zone info for Westchester it's a good idea to figure out when it's possible to plant chrysanthemum.


Planting Calendar for Chrysanthemum

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

Since chrysanthemum are not cold tolerant it's important to wait until after the last frost has passed before you can plant them.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Legend 
A good time to plant chrysanthemum
Possibly ok, but a risky time to plant chrysanthemum
Probably not a good time to plant chrysanthemum

The earliest that you can plant chrysanthemum in Westchester 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 chrysanthemum and expect a good harvest is probably August. If you wait any later than that and your chrysanthemum may not have a chance to really do well. Starting your chrysanthemum indoors is a great way to get them started a few weeks earlier.

Last Frost Date

In Westchester the average date of last frost happens on April 15. It might get as low as -15°F during the coldest months of winter.

Keep in mind that the actual date of last frost is not always accurate because it is based on the USDA zone info for Westchester and it is different every year. Since half of the time in Westchester there is a last frost after April 15 be ready to cover your chrysanthemum in the event of one of those late frosts.

USDA Zone Info for Westchester

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 Westchester

You may be interested in your other planting guides for Westchester.