One of the first steps you take when you are getting a good idea your gardening schedule is find your USDA Zone info. The zone info helps tell us things like average date of last frost and lowest expected temperature for your area.

It's a good idea to estimate when it's the best time to plant thunbergia by referring to the USDA zone info for Chicago Heights.

Planting Calendar for Thunbergia

Frost tolerance for thunbergia:	Not tolerant of frost.
When to plant:	After the last frost when the weather gets warmer.

Since thunbergia do not do well in cold weather you have to wait until after the last frost has passed before you can plant them.

The earliest that you can plant thunbergia in Chicago Heights 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 thunbergia and expect a good harvest is probably August. If you wait any later than that and your thunbergia may not have a chance to really do well. Starting your thunbergia indoors is a great way to get them started a little bit earlier.

Last Frost Date

In Chicago Heights the average date of last frost happens on April 15. In the coldest months of winter you can expect an average low temperature of -15°F.

Keep in mind that the actual date of last frost is not always accurate because it is based on the USDA zone info for Chicago Heights and it will vary from year to year. Since half of the time in Chicago Heights you get a frost after April 15 be ready to protect your thunbergia in the event of a surprise late frost.

USDA Zone Info for Chicago Heights

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 Chicago Heights

You may be interested in your other planting guides for Chicago Heights.