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 first opportunity to plant alternanthera in Ruidoso should be determined by reviewing the USDA zone info.

Planting Calendar for Alternanthera

Frost tolerance for alternanthera:	Not tolerant of frost.
When to plant:	After all chance of frost has passed.

It's probably not a good idea to plant alternanthera until after the last frost because they are not cold tolerant.

The earliest that you can plant alternanthera in Ruidoso 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 alternanthera and expect a good harvest is probably August. Any later than that and your alternanthera may not have a chance to grow to maturity. Starting your alternanthera indoors is a great way to get them started a little bit earlier.

Last Frost Date

On average the last frost is on April 15 in Ruidoso. You should expect an average low temperature of -5°F in the coldest months of winter.

Remember that USDA zone info for Ruidoso is not always accurate and the actual date of last frost will vary from year to year. Half of the time in Ruidoso there is a last frost after April 15 so make sure that you are prepared to cover your alternanthera if you have a surprise late frost.

USDA Zone Info for Ruidoso

Here is the info for USDA Zone 6b.

Average Date of Last Frost (spring)	April 15
Average Date of First Frost (fall)	October 15
Lowest Expected Low	-5°F
Highest Expected Low	0°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 0°F.

Plants to Grow in Ruidoso

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