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.

By reviewing the USDA zone info for Ottumwa it's possible to figure out when it's a good idea to plant chervil.

Planting Calendar for Chervil

Frost tolerance for chervil:	Tolerant of a very small amount of frost.
When to plant:	Up to 3 weeks before last frost.

Chervil are one of those plants that can tolerate a tiny bit of cold weather which means that you can start planting them slightly earlier than other frost tender plants.

The earliest that you can plant chervil in Ottumwa 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 chervil and expect a good harvest is probably August. Any later than that and your chervil may not have a chance to fully mature. You can get started a few weeks earlier by starting your chervil indoors.

Last Frost Date

On average the last frost has passed is on April 15 in Ottumwa. It might get as low as -15°F during 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. Since half of the time in Ottumwa it frosts late in the year after April 15 be ready to protect your chervil in the event of one of those late frosts.

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.