The USDA Zone info is a great tool for gardeners to help us figure out your gardening schedule. The most important data that the zone info tells us is average last frost and the lowest expected temperature for your area.

The first opportunity to plant alternanthera in Benson should be estimated by reviewing the USDA zone info.

Planting Calendar for Alternanthera

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

Since alternanthera are not cold tolerant you really should wait until after all chance of frost has passed before you can plant them.

The earliest that you can plant alternanthera in Benson 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 alternanthera and expect a good harvest is probably August. Any later than that and your alternanthera may not have a chance to grow to maturity. You can get started a few weeks earlier by starting your alternanthera indoors.

Last Frost Date

The average date of last frost is March 15 in Benson. It might get as low as 15°F during the coldest months of winter.

Since the USDA zone info for Benson is just an average the actual date of last frost changes from year to year. Half of the time in Benson there is a last frost after March 15 so make sure that you are prepared to cover your alternanthera if you have a surprise late frost.

USDA Zone Info for Benson

Here is the info for USDA Zone 8b.

Average Date of Last Frost (spring)	March 15
Average Date of First Frost (fall)	November 15
Lowest Expected Low	15°F
Highest Expected Low	20°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 20°F.

Plants to Grow in Benson

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