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 Orinda can be used to determine when it's a good idea to plant polka dot plant.

Planting Calendar for Polka Dot Plant

Frost tolerance for polka dot plant:	Not tolerant of frost.
When to plant:	After all chance of frost has passed.

Polka Dot Plant are not cold tolerant which tells us that it's important to wait until it warms up after all chance of frost has passed before you can plant them.

The earliest that you can plant polka dot plant in Orinda is March. However, you really should wait until April if you don't want to take any chances.

The last month that you can plant polka dot plant and expect a good harvest is probably September. You probably don't want to wait any later than that or else your polka dot plant may not have a chance to grow to maturity. Starting your polka dot plant indoors is a great way to get them started a few weeks earlier.

Last Frost Date

On average the last frost has passed is on February 15 in Orinda. It might get as low as 25°F during the coldest months of winter.

Keep in mind that the actual date of last frost is an average because it is based on the USDA zone info for Orinda and it can change quite a bit from year to year. Since half of the time in Orinda you get a frost after February 15 be ready to cover your polka dot plant if you have a surprise late frost.

USDA Zone Info for Orinda

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 Orinda

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