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.

It's possible to figure out when to plant endive by reviewing the USDA zone info for Madison.

Planting Calendar for Endive

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

Since endive do well in moderate cold you can plant them a little earlier in the year than plants that are more sensitive to the cold.

The earliest that you can plant endive in Madison 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 endive and expect a good harvest is probably August. Any later than that and your endive may not have a chance to really do well. Starting your endive indoors is a great way to get them started a couple of weeks earlier.

Last Frost Date

On average the last frost is on May 15 in Madison. It might get as low as -25°F during the coldest months of winter.

Since the USDA zone info for Madison is not always accurate the actual date of last frost is different every year. Since half of the time in Madison there is a last frost after May 15 be ready to cover your endive in the event of one of those late frosts.

USDA Zone Info for Madison

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 Madison

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