One of the first steps you take when you are figuring out 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 first chance to plant calendula in Modesto can be figured out by referring to the USDA zone info.

Planting Calendar for Calendula

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

Calendula can survive in moderate cold which means that you can plant them a little earlier in the year than other frost tender plants.

The earliest that you can plant calendula in Modesto 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 calendula and expect a good harvest is probably October. Any later than that and your calendula may not have a chance to grow to maturity. Starting your calendula indoors is a great way to get them started a little bit earlier.

Last Frost Date

The average date of last frost is February 15 in Modesto. You should expect an average low temperature of 25°F in the coldest months of winter.

Since the USDA zone info for Modesto is just an average the actual date of last frost will vary from year to year. Half of the time in Modesto it frosts late in the year after February 15 so always be ready to protect your calendula in the event of a late frost.

USDA Zone Info for Modesto

Here is the info for USDA Zone 9b.

Average Date of Last Frost (spring)	February 15
Average Date of First Frost (fall)	December 15
Lowest Expected Low	25°F
Highest Expected Low	30°F

This means that on a really cold year, the coldest it will get is 25°F. On most years you should be prepared to experience lows near 30°F.

Plants to Grow in Modesto

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