Before planting it is a good idea to find your USDA Zone info to determine 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 first opportunity to plant squash in Riverdale can be estimated by using the USDA zone info.

Planting Calendar for Squash

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

It's a bad idea to plant squash until after the last frost because they do not do well in cold weather.

The earliest that you can plant squash in Riverdale is April. However, you really should wait until May if you don't want to take any chances.

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

Last Frost Date

The average date of last frost is March 15 in Riverdale. You should expect an average low temperature of 10°F in the coldest months of winter.

Since the USDA zone info for Riverdale is an average the actual date of last frost changes from year to year. Since half of the time in Riverdale last frost occurs after March 15 be ready to cover your squash if you have a surprise late frost.

USDA Zone Info for Riverdale

Here is the info for USDA Zone 8a.

Average Date of Last Frost (spring)	March 15
Average Date of First Frost (fall)	November 15
Lowest Expected Low	10°F
Highest Expected Low	15°F

This means that on a really cold year, the coldest it will get is 10°F. On most years you should be prepared to experience lows near 15°F.

Plants to Grow in Riverdale

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