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 looking at the USDA zone info for Chapel Hill you will be able to estimate when it's a good idea to plant canna.

Planting Calendar for Canna

Frost tolerance for canna:	Not tolerant of frost.
When to plant:	After the last frost.

Since canna are not cold tolerant it is necessary to wait until after the last frost before you can plant them.

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

Last Frost Date

The average date of last frost is April 15 in Chapel Hill. It might get as low as 5°F during the coldest months of winter.

Remember that USDA zone info for Chapel Hill is an average and the actual date of last frost can change quite a bit from year to year. Since half of the time in Chapel Hill you get surprised by a frost after April 15 be ready to cover your canna if you have one of those late frosts.

USDA Zone Info for Chapel Hill

Here is the info for USDA Zone 7b.

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

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

Plants to Grow in Chapel Hill

You may be interested in your other planting guides for Chapel Hill.