One of the best tools that you have as gardeners to help us figure out your gardening schedule is the 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.

The USDA zone info for Hayward should be reviewed to determine when to plant balsam.

Planting Calendar for Balsam

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

Since balsam are not cold tolerant you must wait until after the last frost has passed before you can plant them.

The earliest that you can plant balsam in Hayward 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 balsam and expect a good harvest is probably September. Any later than that and your balsam may not have a chance to really do well. If you are starting your balsam indoors then you might be able to get away with starting them a little bit earlier.

Last Frost Date

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

Remember that USDA zone info for Hayward 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 Hayward you get surprised by a frost after January 31 be ready to cover your balsam in the event of a late frost.

USDA Zone Info for Hayward

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 Hayward

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