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 referring to the USDA zone info for Lexington it's a good idea to estimate when to plant nigella.

Planting Calendar for Nigella

Frost tolerance for nigella:	Very tolerant of frost.
When to plant:	Up to 7 weeks before last frost.

Nigella do well in a bit of cold which means that you can plant them a lot earlier in the year than other frost tender plants.

The earliest that you can plant nigella in Lexington is February. However, you really should wait until March if you don't want to take any chances.

The last month that you can plant nigella and expect a good harvest is probably September. If you wait any later than that and your nigella may not have a chance to fully mature. If you are starting your nigella indoors then you might be able to get away with starting them a couple of weeks earlier.

Last Frost Date

The average date of last frost is April 15 in Lexington. It might get as low as -10°F during the coldest months of winter.

Always keep in mind that USDA zone info for Lexington is just an average and the actual date of last frost changes from year to year. Half of the time in Lexington there is a last frost after April 15 so make sure that you are ready to cover your nigella if you have a surprise late frost.

USDA Zone Info for Lexington

Here is the info for USDA Zone 6a.

Average Date of Last Frost (spring)	April 15
Average Date of First Frost (fall)	October 15
Lowest Expected Low	-10°F
Highest Expected Low	-5°F

This means that on a really cold year, the coldest it will get is -10°F. On most years you should be prepared to experience lows near -5°F.

Plants to Grow in Lexington

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