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 reviewing the USDA zone info for Niles you will be able to estimate when it's the best time to plant lithospermum.

Planting Calendar for Lithospermum

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

You can not plant lithospermum until after all chance of frost has passed because they do not do well in cold weather.

The earliest that you can plant lithospermum in Niles 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 lithospermum and expect a good harvest is probably August. Any later than that and your lithospermum may not have a chance to fully mature. You can get started a little bit earlier by starting your lithospermum indoors.

Last Frost Date

On average the last frost is on April 15 in Niles. You can expect an average low temperature of -15°F in the coldest months of winter.

Since the USDA zone info for Niles is just an average the actual date of last frost changes from year to year. Half of the time in Niles there is a last frost after April 15 so just be sure to be ready to cover your lithospermum in the event of a late frost.

USDA Zone Info for Niles

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 Niles

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