One of the best tools that you have as gardeners to help us figure out your gardening schedule is the 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.

One way of estimating when it's a good idea to plant polka dot plant is to consult the USDA zone info for Gatlinburg.

Planting Calendar for Polka Dot Plant

Frost tolerance for polka dot plant:	Not tolerant of frost.
When to plant:	After the last frost has passed.

It's not a good idea to plant polka dot plant until after all chance of frost has passed because they do not do well in cold weather.

The earliest that you can plant polka dot plant in Gatlinburg 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 polka dot plant and expect a good harvest is probably August. You probably don't want to wait any later than that or else your polka dot plant may not have a chance to grow to maturity. Starting your polka dot plant indoors is a great way to get them started a couple of weeks earlier.

Last Frost Date

In Gatlinburg the average date of last frost happens on April 15. You can expect an average low temperature of 0°F in the coldest months of winter.

It's important to remember that the actual date of last frost may not be accurate from year to year because it is based on the USDA zone info for Gatlinburg and it will vary from year to year. Since half of the time in Gatlinburg last frost occurs after April 15 be ready to cover your polka dot plant in the event of a surprise late frost.

USDA Zone Info for Gatlinburg

Here is the info for USDA Zone 7a.

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

This means that on a really cold year, the coldest it will get is 0°F. On most years you should be prepared to experience lows near 5°F.

Plants to Grow in Gatlinburg

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