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.

A way of getting a good idea when it's possible to plant tropical water plants is to look at the USDA zone info for Waco.

Planting Calendar for Tropical Water Plants

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

Since tropical water plants are not cold tolerant it's important to wait until after the last frost has passed before you can plant them.

The earliest that you can plant tropical water plants in Waco 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 tropical water plants and expect a good harvest is probably August. Any later than that and your tropical water plants may not have a chance to fully mature. If you are starting your tropical water plants indoors then you might be able to get away with starting them a couple of weeks earlier.

Last Frost Date

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

Since the USDA zone info for Waco is not always accurate the actual date of last frost changes from year to year. Since half of the time in Waco you get a frost after March 15 be ready to cover your tropical water plants in the event of a late frost.

USDA Zone Info for Waco

Here is the info for USDA Zone 8b.

Average Date of Last Frost (spring)	March 15
Average Date of First Frost (fall)	November 15
Lowest Expected Low	15°F
Highest Expected Low	20°F

This means that on a really cold year, the coldest it will get is 15°F. On most years you should be prepared to experience lows near 20°F.

Plants to Grow in Waco

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