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.

The USDA zone info for Merced should be read to estimate when it's possible to plant statice.

Planting Calendar for Statice

Frost tolerance for statice:	Tolerant of some frost.
When to plant:	Up to 5 weeks before last frost.

Statice do ok in mild cold which tells us that you can plant them a bit earlier in the year than more sensitive plants.

The earliest that you can plant statice in Merced 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 statice and expect a good harvest is probably October. Any later than that and your statice may not have a chance to grow to maturity. If you are starting your statice indoors then you might be able to get away with starting them a few weeks earlier.

Last Frost Date

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

Since the USDA zone info for Merced may not be accurate from year to year the actual date of last frost can change quite a bit from year to year. Half of the time in Merced you get a frost after February 15 so just be sure to be ready to cover your statice in the event of a surprise 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.