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.

A way of getting a good idea when you can plant alternanthera is to consult the USDA zone info for Fort Dodge.

Planting Calendar for Alternanthera

Frost tolerance for alternanthera:	Not tolerant of frost.
When to plant:	After the last frost has passed.

It's not a good idea to plant alternanthera until after the last frost because they require warm weather.

The earliest that you can plant alternanthera in Fort Dodge 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 alternanthera and expect a good harvest is probably August. You probably don't want to wait any later than that or else your alternanthera may not have a chance to really do well. You can get started a couple of weeks earlier by starting your alternanthera indoors.

Last Frost Date

On average the last frost is on April 15 in Fort Dodge. You should expect an average low temperature of -20°F in the coldest months of winter.

Remember that USDA zone info for Fort Dodge is not always accurate and the actual date of last frost can change quite a bit from year to year. Half of the time in Fort Dodge you get surprised by a frost after April 15 so always be ready to cover your alternanthera if you have one of those late frosts.

USDA Zone Info for Fort Dodge

Here is the info for USDA Zone 5a.

Average Date of Last Frost (spring)	April 15
Average Date of First Frost (fall)	October 15
Lowest Expected Low	-20°F
Highest Expected Low	-15°F

This means that on a really cold year, the coldest it will get is -20°F. On most years you should be prepared to experience lows near -15°F.

Plants to Grow in Fort Dodge

You may be interested in your other planting guides for Fort Dodge.