The USDA Zone info is a great tool for gardeners to help us determine 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 USDA zone info for Chico should be reviewed to figure out when it's a good idea to plant salvia.

Planting Calendar for Salvia

Frost tolerance for salvia:	Tolerant of a very small amount of frost.
When to plant:	Up to 3 weeks before last frost.

Salvia can survive in some cold which means that you can plant them just a tiny bit earlier in the year than other frost tender plants.

The earliest that you can plant salvia in Chico is February. However, you really should wait until March if you don't want to take any chances.

The last month that you can plant salvia and expect a good harvest is probably September. If you wait any later than that and your salvia may not have a chance to fully mature. Starting your salvia indoors is a great way to get them started a couple of weeks earlier.

Last Frost Date

In Chico the average date of last frost happens on February 15. In the coldest months of winter you should expect an average low temperature of 20°F.

Just be sure to remember that USDA zone info for Chico may not be accurate from year to year and the actual date of last frost can change quite a bit from year to year. Since half of the time in Chico you get a frost after February 15 be ready to cover your salvia if you have one of those late frosts.

USDA Zone Info for Chico

Here is the info for USDA Zone 9a.

Average Date of Last Frost (spring)	February 15
Average Date of First Frost (fall)	December 15
Lowest Expected Low	20°F
Highest Expected Low	25°F

This means that on a really cold year, the coldest it will get is 20°F. On most years you should be prepared to experience lows near 25°F.

Plants to Grow in Chico

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