One of the first steps you take when you are getting a good idea 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 looking at the USDA zone info for Lake Forest you should be able to estimate when it's the best time to plant chrysocephalum.

Planting Calendar for Chrysocephalum

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

Since chrysocephalum do not do well in cold weather it is important to wait until after the last frost before you can plant them.

The earliest that you can plant chrysocephalum in Lake Forest 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 chrysocephalum and expect a good harvest is probably August. You probably don't want to wait any later than that or else your chrysocephalum may not have a chance to grow to maturity. If you are starting your chrysocephalum indoors then you might be able to get away with starting them a few weeks earlier.

Last Frost Date

In Lake Forest the average date of last frost happens on April 15. It might get as low as -15°F during the coldest months of winter.

Remember that USDA zone info for Lake Forest is an average and the actual date of last frost is different every year. Since half of the time in Lake Forest you get surprised by a frost after April 15 be ready to cover your chrysocephalum if you have one of those late frosts.

USDA Zone Info for Lake Forest

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 Forest

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