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

One way of getting a good idea when it's the best time to plant balsam is to consult the USDA zone info for South Pasadena.

Planting Calendar for Balsam

Frost tolerance for balsam:	Not tolerant of frost.
When to plant:	After the last frost when the weather gets warmer.

You really shouldn't plant balsam until after all chance of frost has passed because they do not do well in cold weather.

The earliest that you can plant balsam in South Pasadena is February. However, you really should wait until March if you don't want to take any chances.

The last month that you can plant balsam and expect a good harvest is probably September. Any later than that and your balsam may not have a chance to really do well. Starting your balsam indoors is a great way to get them started a few weeks earlier.

Last Frost Date

The average date of last frost is January 31 in South Pasadena. You can expect an average low temperature of 30°F in the coldest months of winter.

It's important to remember that USDA zone info for South Pasadena is not always accurate and the actual date of last frost will vary from year to year. Half of the time in South Pasadena last frost occurs after January 31 so make sure that you are ready to cover your balsam in the event of one of those late frosts.

USDA Zone Info for South Pasadena

Here is the info for USDA Zone 10a.

Average Date of Last Frost (spring)	January 31
Average Date of First Frost (fall)	December 15
Lowest Expected Low	30°F
Highest Expected Low	35°F

This means that on a really cold year, the coldest it will get is 30°F. On most years you should be prepared to experience lows near 35°F.

Plants to Grow in South Pasadena

You may be interested in your other planting guides for South Pasadena.