When to Plant Alternanthera in Zone 5a

One of the first steps you take when you are making a decision about 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.

In Zone 5a you can estimate when to plant alternanthera by reviewing the USDA zone info.


Planting Calendar for Alternanthera

Frost tolerance for alternanthera: Not tolerant of frost.
When to plant: After all chance of frost has passed.

It's probably not a good idea to plant alternanthera until after the last frost has passed because they are not cold tolerant.

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

The earliest that you can plant alternanthera in Zone 5a 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 alternanthera and expect a good harvest is probably August. You probably don't want to wait any later than that or else your alternanthera may not have a chance to grow to maturity. Starting your alternanthera indoors is a great way to get them started a little bit earlier.

Last Frost Date

In Zone 5a the average date of last frost happens on April 15. You should expect an average low temperature of -20°F in the coldest months of winter.

Always keep in mind that USDA zone info for Zone 5a is not always accurate and the actual date of last frost is different every year. Half of the time in Zone 5a there is a last frost after April 15 so make sure that you are prepared to protect your alternanthera if you have one of those late frosts.

USDA Zone Info for Zone 5a

Here is the info for USDA Zone 5a.

Average Date of Last Frost (spring)April 15
Average Date of First Frost (fall)October 15
Lowest Expected Low-20°F
Highest Expected Low-15°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 -15°F.

Plants to Grow in Zone 5a

You may be interested in your other planting guides for Zone 5a.