One of the first steps you take when you are estimating 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.

In Islamorada you can estimate when it's a good idea to plant cosmos by referring to the USDA zone info.

Planting Calendar for Cosmos

Frost tolerance for cosmos:	Tolerant of a very small amount of frost.
When to plant:	Up to 3 weeks before last frost.

Since cosmos do ok in moderate cold you can plant them a bit earlier in the year than other frost tender plants.

The earliest that you can plant cosmos in Islamorada 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 cosmos and expect a good harvest is probably November. Any later than that and your cosmos may not have a chance to grow to maturity. If you are starting your cosmos indoors then you might be able to get away with starting them a few weeks earlier.

Last Frost Date

In Islamorada it never frosts. It might get as low as 40°F during the coldest months of winter.

Keep in mind 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 Islamorada and it changes from year to year. Since it never frosts in Islamorada you do not have to be ready to protect your cosmos in the event of a surprise late frost.

USDA Zone Info for Islamorada

Here is the info for USDA Zone 11a.

Average Date of Last Frost (spring)	Never
Average Date of First Frost (fall)	Never
Lowest Expected Low	40°F
Highest Expected Low	45°F

This means that on a really cold year, the coldest it will get is 40°F. On most years you should be prepared to experience lows near 45°F.

Plants to Grow in Islamorada

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