Before planting it is a good idea to find your USDA Zone info to estimate your garden schedule. The most important data that the zone info tells us is average last frost and the lowest expected temperature for your area.

The earliest that you can plant firebush in Tampa should be determined by reviewing the USDA zone info.

Planting Calendar for Firebush

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

You really shouldn't plant firebush until after all chance of frost has passed because they require warm weather.

The earliest that you can plant firebush in Tampa 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 firebush and expect a good harvest is probably September. If you wait any later than that and your firebush may not have a chance to grow to maturity. You can get started a few weeks earlier by starting your firebush indoors.

Last Frost Date

The average date of last frost is February 15 in Tampa. You should expect an average low temperature of 25°F in the coldest months of winter.

Just be sure to remember that USDA zone info for Tampa is not always accurate and the actual date of last frost will vary from year to year. Since half of the time in Tampa you get a frost after February 15 be ready to cover your firebush if you have a late frost.

USDA Zone Info for Tampa

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 Tampa

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