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.

By looking at the USDA zone info for Orange it's a good idea to figure out when it's a good idea to plant helianthemum.

Planting Calendar for Helianthemum

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

Since helianthemum do well in moderate cold you can plant them a little earlier in the year than other plants that might not handle the cold.

The earliest that you can plant helianthemum in Orange is January. However, you really should wait until February if you don't want to take any chances.

The last month that you can plant helianthemum and expect a good harvest is probably October. Any later than that and your helianthemum may not have a chance to grow to maturity. Starting your helianthemum indoors is a great way to get them started a couple of weeks earlier.

Last Frost Date

The average date of last frost is February 15 in Orange. In the coldest months of winter you can expect an average low temperature of 20°F.

Since the USDA zone info for Orange may not be accurate from year to year the actual date of last frost is different every year. Half of the time in Orange last frost occurs after February 15 so always be ready to cover your helianthemum in the event of a late frost.

USDA Zone Info for Orange

Here is the info for USDA Zone 9a.

Average Date of Last Frost (spring)	February 15
Average Date of First Frost (fall)	December 15
Lowest Expected Low	20°F
Highest Expected Low	25°F

This means that on a really cold year, the coldest it will get is 20°F. On most years you should be prepared to experience lows near 25°F.

Plants to Grow in Orange

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