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.

In Merced you can estimate when to plant saxifraga by looking at the USDA zone info.

Planting Calendar for Saxifraga

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

You can plant saxifraga a bit earlier in the year because they are one of those plants that can tolerate a tiny bit of cold weather.

The earliest that you can plant saxifraga in Merced 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 saxifraga and expect a good harvest is probably September. Any later than that and your saxifraga may not have a chance to fully mature. Starting your saxifraga indoors is a great way to get them started a few weeks earlier.

Last Frost Date

On average the last frost when the weather gets warmer is on February 15 in Merced. It might get as low as 20°F during the coldest months of winter.

Remember that USDA zone info for Merced may not be accurate from year to year and the actual date of last frost is different every year. Since half of the time in Merced it frosts late in the year after February 15 be ready to cover your saxifraga in the event of a late frost.

USDA Zone Info for Merced

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 Merced

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