Elgin, Illinois: planting zone & frost dates
Elgin is in USDA plant hardiness zone 5b, where the average coldest winter night reaches -15 to -10°F (-26.1 to -23.3°C). The typical last spring frost is around May 1 and the first fall frost around Oct 12.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | May 12 | Oct 3 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | May 1 | Oct 12 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 26 | Oct 18 |
How to read this: after the spring "10% risk" date, a 32°F frost happens in only about 1 year in 10. In fall, the "10% risk" date is the early end — a frost before it happens about 1 year in 10.
Frost data comes from NOAA station ELGIN, IL (USC00112736), 2.6 mi (4.2 km) from the city center and 49 ft lower than the city center (-15 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 30 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Elgin
All 5 ZIP codes covering Elgin are in zone 5b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Elgin
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost May 1, first frost Oct 12). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | May 8 – May 22 | — | — |
| Pepper | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | May 15 – May 29 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Apr 17 – May 8 | Apr 3 – May 15 | Aug 3 – Aug 31 |
| Green Beans | — | — | May 8 – Jun 12 | Jul 20 – Aug 3 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | May 8 – Jun 5 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Apr 3 – Apr 10 | May 8 – May 22 | May 8 – May 29 | Jul 20 – Aug 3 |
| Cucumber | Apr 3 – Apr 10 | May 15 – May 22 | May 8 – May 29 | Jul 20 – Aug 3 |
| Carrot | — | — | Apr 10 – May 15 | Jul 20 – Aug 3 |
| Onion | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Apr 3 – Apr 24 | — | — |
| Basil | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | May 15 – May 29 | May 15 – Jun 5 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Mar 20 – Apr 17 | Aug 17 – Sep 14 |
| Kale | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | Apr 3 – Apr 24 | Apr 3 – Apr 24 | Aug 3 – Aug 31 |
| Broccoli | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | Apr 17 – May 8 | — | Jul 20 – Aug 3 |
| Peas | — | — | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | Aug 3 – Aug 17 |
| Eggplant | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | May 15 – May 29 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | — | Jul 20 – Aug 3 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 27 – May 15 | Aug 31 – Sep 28 |
| Strawberry | — | Apr 3 – Apr 24 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Apr 10 – May 22 | Aug 3 – Aug 17 |
Nearby cities in Illinois
- Schaumburg — zone 5b, last frost May 6, first frost Oct 8
- Aurora — zone 5b, last frost Apr 25, first frost Oct 18
- Naperville — zone 5b, last frost May 4, first frost Oct 11
- Joliet — zone 6a, last frost Apr 26, first frost Oct 20
- Waukegan — zone 6a, last frost May 4, first frost Oct 12
- Cicero — zone 6a, last frost Apr 17, first frost Oct 26
More: all Illinois cities · other zone 5b cities: Madison, WI, Des Moines, IA, Aurora, IL, Fort Collins, CO, Naperville, IL, Rockford, IL, Greeley, CO, Green Bay, WI
Elgin gardening questions
When is the last frost in Elgin, IL?
Plan around May 1. At NOAA's Elgin, IL station, 2.6 mi from the city center, there is a 30% chance of a 32°F frost after that date. Half of springs have their last frost by Apr 26, and after May 12 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Apr 14. The 90% and 10% dates are 30 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Elgin, IL?
Start seeds indoors Mar 6 – Mar 20 and set transplants outside May 8 – May 22, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 164 days between the 30% frost dates, enough for most varieties including 80–85-day slicers. More: tomato planting dates by zone.
How long is the growing season in Elgin?
About 174 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 152 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 193 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 3 and a 30% chance by Oct 12. That ranks 10th longest of 14 Illinois cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Elgin?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 12): transplant broccoli Jul 20 – Aug 3; sow kale Aug 3 – Aug 31; sow lettuce Aug 3 – Aug 31; sow radishes Aug 31 – Sep 28. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Oct 29. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Elgin's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Elgin is zone 5b on both the 2012 and the 2023 USDA maps (PRISM/OSU ZIP listings). About 42% of U.S. ZIP codes kept their half-zone in 2023. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
How does Elgin compare with Schaumburg, IL?
Both are in zone 5b. The typical last spring frost in Elgin (May 1) comes about 5 days earlier than in Schaumburg, IL (May 6), 12 miles away, and the first fall frost is Oct 12 versus Oct 8. The two cities use different NOAA stations.