Before planting it is a good idea to find your USDA Zone info to estimate 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.

The earliest that you can plant melons in Natchitoches should be determined by reviewing the USDA zone info.

Planting Calendar for Melons

Frost tolerance for melons:	Not tolerant of frost.
When to plant:	After the last frost has passed.

You really shouldn't plant melons until after the last frost has passed because they do not do well in cold weather.

The earliest that you can plant melons in Natchitoches 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 melons and expect a good harvest is probably August. Any later than that and your melons may not have a chance to grow to maturity. You can get started a couple of weeks earlier by starting your melons indoors.

Last Frost Date

In Natchitoches the average date of last frost happens on March 15. You should expect an average low temperature of 15°F in the coldest months of winter.

Remember that USDA zone info for Natchitoches is not always accurate and the actual date of last frost changes from year to year. Half of the time in Natchitoches you get surprised by a frost after March 15 so just be sure to be ready to protect your melons if you have a late frost.

USDA Zone Info for Natchitoches

Here is the info for USDA Zone 8b.

Average Date of Last Frost (spring)	March 15
Average Date of First Frost (fall)	November 15
Lowest Expected Low	15°F
Highest Expected Low	20°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 20°F.

Plants to Grow in Natchitoches

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