One of the first steps you take when you are figuring out your gardening schedule is find your USDA Zone info. The zone info helps tell us things like average date of last frost and lowest expected temperature for your area.

It's possible to figure out when it's a good idea to plant helianthemum by looking at the USDA zone info for Albert Lea.

Planting Calendar for Helianthemum

Frost tolerance for helianthemum:	Tolerant of some frost.
When to plant:	Up to 5 weeks before last frost.

Helianthemum can survive in a little bit of cold which means that you can plant them a little earlier in the year than other frost tender plants.

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

Last Frost Date

The average date of last frost is May 15 in Albert Lea. It might get as low as -25°F during the coldest months of winter.

Always keep in mind that the actual date of last frost is an average because it is based on the USDA zone info for Albert Lea and it changes from year to year. Half of the time in Albert Lea last frost occurs after May 15 so be sure to be ready to cover your helianthemum if you have a surprise late frost.

USDA Zone Info for Albert Lea

Here is the info for USDA Zone 4b.

Average Date of Last Frost (spring)	May 15
Average Date of First Frost (fall)	September 15
Lowest Expected Low	-25°F
Highest Expected Low	-20°F

This means that on a really cold year, the coldest it will get is -25°F. On most years you should be prepared to experience lows near -20°F.

Plants to Grow in Albert Lea

You may be interested in your other planting guides for Albert Lea.