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 El Centro you will be able to determine when you can plant amaranthus.

Planting Calendar for Amaranthus

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

Since amaranthus require warm weather it is necessary to wait until after all chance of frost has passed before you can plant them.

The earliest that you can plant amaranthus in El Centro 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 amaranthus and expect a good harvest is probably September. Any later than that and your amaranthus may not have a chance to really do well. You can get started a few weeks earlier by starting your amaranthus indoors.

Last Frost Date

On average the last frost has passed is on January 31 in El Centro. It might get as low as 30°F during the coldest months of winter.

Always keep in mind that the actual date of last frost may not be accurate from year to year because it is based on the USDA zone info for El Centro and it can change quite a bit from year to year. Half of the time in El Centro you get surprised by a frost after January 31 so make sure that you are ready to cover your amaranthus if you have one of those late frosts.

USDA Zone Info for El Centro

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 Centro

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