The USDA Zone info is a great tool for gardeners to help us determine your gardening schedule. The most important data that the zone info tells us is average last frost and the lowest expected temperature for your area.

A way of getting a good idea when to plant crassula is to examine the USDA zone info for Des Moines.

Planting Calendar for Crassula

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

You really shouldn't plant crassula until after all chance of frost has passed because they are not cold tolerant.

The earliest that you can plant crassula in Des Moines 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 crassula and expect a good harvest is probably August. If you wait any later than that and your crassula may not have a chance to grow to maturity. Starting your crassula indoors is a great way to get them started a few weeks earlier.

Last Frost Date

In Des Moines the average date of last frost happens on April 15. You should expect an average low temperature of -15°F in the coldest months of winter.

Remember that the actual date of last frost is an average because it is based on the USDA zone info for Des Moines and it can change quite a bit from year to year. Half of the time in Des Moines you get surprised by a frost after April 15 so just be sure to be ready to cover your crassula in the event of one of those late frosts.

USDA Zone Info for Des Moines

Here is the info for USDA Zone 5b.

Average Date of Last Frost (spring)	April 15
Average Date of First Frost (fall)	October 15
Lowest Expected Low	-15°F
Highest Expected Low	-10°F

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

Plants to Grow in Des Moines

You may be interested in your other planting guides for Des Moines.