One of the best tools that you have as gardeners to help us determine 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.

By reviewing the USDA zone info for Rancho Mirage you should be able to determine when you can plant marigold.

Planting Calendar for Marigold

Frost tolerance for marigold:	Not tolerant of frost.
When to plant:	After the last frost.

Since marigold are not cold tolerant it is necessary to wait until after all chance of frost has passed before you can plant them.

The earliest that you can plant marigold in Rancho Mirage 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 marigold and expect a good harvest is probably September. If you wait any later than that and your marigold may not have a chance to really do well. Starting your marigold indoors is a great way to get them started a couple of weeks earlier.

Last Frost Date

The average date of last frost is February 15 in Rancho Mirage. In the coldest months of winter you can expect an average low temperature of 25°F.

Since the USDA zone info for Rancho Mirage is just an average the actual date of last frost can change quite a bit from year to year. Since half of the time in Rancho Mirage you get surprised by a frost after February 15 be ready to cover your marigold if you have a late frost.

USDA Zone Info for Rancho Mirage

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 Rancho Mirage

You may be interested in your other planting guides for Rancho Mirage.