One of the first steps you take when you are estimating your gardening schedule is find your USDA Zone info. The most important data that the zone info tells us is average last frost and the lowest expected temperature for your area.

By referring to the USDA zone info for Bloomingdale you will be able to estimate when it's a good idea to plant stocks.

Planting Calendar for Stocks

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

Stocks are barely cold tolerant which means that you can plant them slightly earlier than more sensitive plants.

The earliest that you can plant stocks in Bloomingdale 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 stocks and expect a good harvest is probably August. Any later than that and your stocks may not have a chance to really do well. Starting your stocks indoors is a great way to get them started a few weeks earlier.

Last Frost Date

The average date of last frost is April 15 in Bloomingdale. In the coldest months of winter you can expect an average low temperature of -15°F.

Always keep in mind that USDA zone info for Bloomingdale is an average and the actual date of last frost changes from year to year. Since half of the time in Bloomingdale there is a last frost after April 15 be ready to protect your stocks in the event of one of those late frosts.

USDA Zone Info for Bloomingdale

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 Bloomingdale

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