When to Plant Fuchsia in Westchester, IL

Before planting it is a good idea to find your USDA Zone info to estimate 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 you will be able to determine when you can plant fuchsia.


Planting Calendar for Fuchsia

Frost tolerance for fuchsia: Not tolerant of frost.
When to plant: After the last frost has passed.

Since fuchsia do not do well in cold weather you must wait until after the last frost when the weather gets warmer before you can plant them.

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

The earliest that you can plant fuchsia 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 fuchsia and expect a good harvest is probably August. Any later than that and your fuchsia may not have a chance to really do well. If you are starting your fuchsia indoors then you might be able to get away with starting them a few weeks earlier.

Last Frost Date

In Westchester the average date of last frost happens on April 15. In the coldest months of winter you can expect an average low temperature of -15°F.

Since the USDA zone info for Westchester is not always accurate the actual date of last frost is different every year. Since half of the time in Westchester you get surprised by a frost after April 15 be ready to cover your fuchsia if you have a late frost.

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.