When to Plant Cilantro in Zone 3a

One of the first steps you take when you are figuring out 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 earliest that you can plant cilantro in Zone 3a should be figured out by checking out the USDA zone info.


Planting Calendar for Cilantro

Frost tolerance for cilantro: Tolerant of a very small amount of frost.
When to plant: Up to 3 weeks before last frost.

Cilantro do ok in moderate cold which tells us that you can start planting them slightly earlier than more sensitive plants.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Legend 
A good time to plant cilantro
Possibly ok, but a risky time to plant cilantro
Probably not a good time to plant cilantro

The earliest that you can plant cilantro in Zone 3a 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 cilantro and expect a good harvest is probably August. Any later than that and your cilantro may not have a chance to grow to maturity. Starting your cilantro indoors is a great way to get them started a few weeks earlier.

Last Frost Date

In Zone 3a the average date of last frost happens on May 15. In the coldest months of winter you should expect an average low temperature of -40°F.

Always keep in mind that USDA zone info for Zone 3a is just an average and the actual date of last frost is different every year. Half of the time in Zone 3a there is a last frost after May 15 so make sure that you are ready to cover your cilantro if you have a surprise late frost.

USDA Zone Info for Zone 3a

Here is the info for USDA Zone 3a.

Average Date of Last Frost (spring)May 15
Average Date of First Frost (fall)September 15
Lowest Expected Low-40°F
Highest Expected Low-35°F

This means that on a really cold year, the coldest it will get is -40°F. On most years you should be prepared to experience lows near -35°F.

Plants to Grow in Zone 3a

You may be interested in your other planting guides for Zone 3a.