One of the best tools that you have as gardeners to help us determine 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 getting a good idea when to plant doronicum is to refer to the USDA zone info for Zone 12b.

Planting Calendar for Doronicum

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

Doronicum do well in moderate cold which tells us that you can start planting them earlier than other frost tender plants.

The earliest that you can plant doronicum in Zone 12b 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 doronicum and expect a good harvest is probably November. Any later than that and your doronicum may not have a chance to grow to maturity. If you are starting your doronicum indoors then you might be able to get away with starting them a few weeks earlier.

Last Frost Date

In Zone 12b it never frosts. You can expect an average low temperature of 55°F in the coldest months of winter.

Just be sure to remember that the actual date of last frost is not always accurate because it is based on the USDA zone info for Zone 12b and it can change quite a bit from year to year. Since it never frosts in Zone 12b you do not have to be ready to cover your doronicum in the event of a surprise late frost.

USDA Zone Info for Zone 12b

Here is the info for USDA Zone 12b.

Average Date of Last Frost (spring)	Never
Average Date of First Frost (fall)	Never
Lowest Expected Low	55°F
Highest Expected Low	60°F

This means that on a really cold year, the coldest it will get is 55°F. On most years you should be prepared to experience lows near 60°F.

Plants to Grow in Zone 12b

You may be interested in your other planting guides for Zone 12b.