When to Plant Xerianthemum in Sterling, IL

One of the first steps you take when you are making a decision about 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.

The earliest that you can plant xerianthemum in Sterling can be estimated by looking at the USDA zone info.


Planting Calendar for Xerianthemum

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

You can plant xerianthemum just a tiny bit earlier in the year because they are one of those plants that can tolerate a tiny bit of cold weather.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Legend 
A good time to plant xerianthemum
Possibly ok, but a risky time to plant xerianthemum
Probably not a good time to plant xerianthemum

The earliest that you can plant xerianthemum in Sterling 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 xerianthemum and expect a good harvest is probably August. If you wait any later than that and your xerianthemum may not have a chance to fully mature. Starting your xerianthemum indoors is a great way to get them started a few weeks earlier.

Last Frost Date

On average the last frost has passed is on April 15 in Sterling. It might get as low as -15°F during the coldest months of winter.

Remember that the actual date of last frost may not be accurate from year to year because it is based on the USDA zone info for Sterling and it will vary from year to year. Half of the time in Sterling there is a last frost after April 15 so be sure to be ready to cover your xerianthemum in the event of a surprise late frost.

USDA Zone Info for Sterling

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 Sterling

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