One of the first steps you take when you are getting a good idea your gardening schedule is find your 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.

By using the USDA zone info for El Cajon you should be able to figure out when to plant dusty miller.

Planting Calendar for Dusty Miller

Frost tolerance for dusty miller:	Very tolerant of frost.
When to plant:	Up to 7 weeks before last frost.

Since dusty miller are very cold tolerant you can plant them a lot earlier in the year than plants that are more sensitive to the cold.

The earliest that you can plant dusty miller in El Cajon is January. However, you really should wait until February if you don't want to take any chances.

The last month that you can plant dusty miller and expect a good harvest is probably October. Any later than that and your dusty miller may not have a chance to really do well. Starting your dusty miller indoors is a great way to get them started a few weeks earlier.

Last Frost Date

The average date of last frost is January 31 in El Cajon. In the coldest months of winter you should expect an average low temperature of 30°F.

Since the USDA zone info for El Cajon is just an average the actual date of last frost is different every year. Half of the time in El Cajon you get surprised by a frost after January 31 so just be sure to be ready to cover your dusty miller in the event of a surprise late frost.

USDA Zone Info for El Cajon

Here is the info for USDA Zone 10a.

Average Date of Last Frost (spring)	January 31
Average Date of First Frost (fall)	December 15
Lowest Expected Low	30°F
Highest Expected Low	35°F

This means that on a really cold year, the coldest it will get is 30°F. On most years you should be prepared to experience lows near 35°F.

Plants to Grow in El Cajon

You may be interested in your other planting guides for El Cajon.