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.

The first opportunity to plant perilla in South Houston can be figured out by looking at the USDA zone info.

Planting Calendar for Perilla

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

Since perilla do not do well in cold weather it's necessary to wait until after the last frost before you can plant them.

The earliest that you can plant perilla in South Houston 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 perilla and expect a good harvest is probably September. Any later than that and your perilla may not have a chance to grow to maturity. You can get started a little bit earlier by starting your perilla indoors.

Last Frost Date

The average date of last frost is February 15 in South Houston. It might get as low as 20°F during the coldest months of winter.

Always keep in mind that USDA zone info for South Houston is not always accurate and the actual date of last frost can change quite a bit from year to year. Half of the time in South Houston you get a frost after February 15 so be sure to be ready to cover your perilla if you have one of those late frosts.

USDA Zone Info for South Houston

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 South Houston

You may be interested in your other planting guides for South Houston.