Do you want to grow penstemon in New Jersey, but don’t know when to plant them?
Planting penstemon is not as easy as it seems.
Here’s why:
- Penstemon are not able to survive frost or cold weather under 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
So if you plant them outside too early in the spring they will die. And if you plant them too late, your penstemon won’t produce a bloom.
Today, I’m going to teach you the ideal time to plant penstemon in New Jersey:
- To Learn More About HOW to Grow Penstemon, Check Out This GUIDE!
When to Plant Penstemon in New Jersey
As you may have already guessed, you need to pay very close attention to your local weather in the spring. Specifically, you are going to need to watch when the last frost occurs.
In general, when there hasn’t been a frost for two weeks, you are SAFE to plant your penstemon outside in New Jersey!
For your reference, I have created this table for average frost dates for most major cities in New Jersey. If your city is not listed below you can find its Last & First Frost Dates HERE.
New Jersey Last & First Frost Dates
Unfortunately, Mother Nature plays cruel tricks on us every year.
It should be noted that the above dates are just averages.
There are years when the last frost comes MUCH later. Sometimes, the last frost happens much earlier and you can get your penstemon planted outside in New Jersey much quicker.
Like I said before, you need to be very diligent in checking your local weather.
So what happens if a frost comes AFTER you plant your penstemon?
When you know a frost is coming you need to take action.
- If penstemon are in pots, bring them inside
- If penstemon are in the ground, cover them in burlap and hope they survive
Also, make sure not to plant your penstemon in your garden too late.
- Planting penstemon too late will cause small blooms or even worse, no blooms.
When Should You Start Your Penstemon Seeds Indoors?
Depending on the type of penstemon, it takes roughly 10 to 15 days to grow penstemon from seed indoors and then transplant them to your garden. And then another 4 to 6 months to bloom!
For a specific date that you should start penstemon seeds indoors you should:
- Find the last average frost date HERE
- And then subtract 10 days from it
Not only this, but I recommend again paying close attention to your local weather report.
It should also be noted that the best technique for bringing your penstemon plants outside is to introduce them (in their pots) outside for an hour. And then increase the amount of time they spend outside each day by an hour until they have been outside for 8 hours.
This will “harden” your penstemon plant, increasing its chances of fighting off diseases, insects, droughts, and wet conditions.
If you want to learn WHEN to plant ANY Flower in New Jersey, head over to HERE and just type in the flower you want to grow.
