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.

A way of figuring out when you can plant polka dot plant is to check out the USDA zone info for Richmond.

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.

Since polka dot plant are not cold tolerant it is important to wait until after the last frost before you can plant them.

The earliest that you can plant polka dot plant in Richmond 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 polka dot plant and expect a good harvest is probably September. Any later than that and your polka dot plant may not have a chance to fully mature. Starting your polka dot plant indoors is a great way to get them started a couple of weeks earlier.

Last Frost Date

In Richmond the average date of last frost happens on February 15. You should expect an average low temperature of 20°F in the coldest months of winter.

It's important to remember that the actual date of last frost is just an average because it is based on the USDA zone info for Richmond and it will vary from year to year. Half of the time in Richmond you get a frost after February 15 so make sure that you are ready to protect your polka dot plant in the event of a surprise late frost.

USDA Zone Info for Richmond

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 Richmond

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