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.

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

Planting Calendar for Ajuga

Frost tolerance for ajuga:	Very tolerant of frost.
When to plant:	Up to 7 weeks before last frost.

Ajuga are one of those plants that can tolerate quite a bit of cold weather which tells us that you can plant them much earlier than more sensitive plants.

The earliest that you can plant ajuga in Ottumwa is February. However, you really should wait until March if you don't want to take any chances.

The last month that you can plant ajuga and expect a good harvest is probably September. You probably don't want to wait any later than that or else your ajuga may not have a chance to really do well. If you are starting your ajuga indoors then you might be able to get away with starting them a couple of weeks earlier.

Last Frost Date

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

Since the USDA zone info for Ottumwa is not always accurate the actual date of last frost is different every year. Half of the time in Ottumwa there is a last frost after April 15 so be sure to be ready to cover your ajuga if you have a surprise late frost.

USDA Zone Info for Ottumwa

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 Ottumwa

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