One of the first steps you take when you are estimating 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.

The earliest that you can plant romanesco in Madison should be determined by using the USDA zone info.

Planting Calendar for Romanesco

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

Since romanesco are moderately cold tolerant you can plant them a little earlier in the year than other frost tender plants.

The earliest that you can plant romanesco 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 romanesco and expect a good harvest is probably August. You probably don't want to wait any later than that or else your romanesco may not have a chance to fully mature. If you are starting your romanesco indoors then you might be able to get away with starting them a few weeks earlier.

Last Frost Date

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

Always keep in mind that USDA zone info for Madison may not be accurate from year to year and the actual date of last frost will vary from year to year. Half of the time in Madison there is a last frost after May 15 so always be ready to protect your romanesco if you have a late frost.

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.