Before planting it is a good idea to find your USDA Zone info to figure out 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 estimating when to plant four o' clock is to consult the USDA zone info for Lake Bluff.

Planting Calendar for Four O' Clock

Frost tolerance for four o' clock:	Not tolerant of frost.
When to plant:	After the last frost when the weather gets warmer.

It's probably not a good idea to plant four o' clock until after the last frost has passed because they do not do well in cold weather.

The earliest that you can plant four o' clock in Lake Bluff 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 four o' clock and expect a good harvest is probably August. If you wait any later than that and your four o' clock may not have a chance to really do well. Starting your four o' clock indoors is a great way to get them started a couple of weeks earlier.

Last Frost Date

The average date of last frost is April 15 in Lake Bluff. You should expect an average low temperature of -15°F in the coldest months of winter.

Keep in mind that USDA zone info for Lake Bluff may not be accurate from year to year and the actual date of last frost changes from year to year. Since half of the time in Lake Bluff there is a last frost after April 15 be ready to cover your four o' clock if you have a surprise late frost.

USDA Zone Info for Lake Bluff

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 Lake Bluff

You may be interested in your other planting guides for Lake Bluff.