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 first opportunity to plant pyrethrum in Orinda should be estimated by looking at the USDA zone info.

Planting Calendar for Pyrethrum

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

Since pyrethrum are moderately cold tolerant you can plant them a little bit earlier in the year than plants that are more sensitive to the cold.

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

Last Frost Date

In Orinda the average date of last frost happens on February 15. You can expect an average low temperature of 25°F in the coldest months of winter.

Just be sure to remember that the actual date of last frost may not be accurate from year to year because it is based on the USDA zone info for Orinda and it changes from year to year. Half of the time in Orinda last frost occurs after February 15 so make sure that you are prepared to cover your pyrethrum if you have one of those late frosts.

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.