When to plant in Elgin, IL
Planting dates worked out from Elgin's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 11
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
Apr 28
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 15
1 year in 10 by Oct 1
Frost-free days
168
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Elgin Water · 2.9 km away · station 227 m, town 227 m. How we match towns to stations
This season
Plan your garden.
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant out or sow | Harvest from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 16 – Mar 30 | May 11 – May 25 | Jul 5 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 2 – Mar 16 | May 11 – May 25 | Jul 10 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Feb 26 – Mar 5 | Apr 2 – Apr 16 | May 12 |
| Peas | — | Apr 2 – Apr 30 | May 27 |
| Bush beans | — | May 4 – May 25 | Jun 23 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 12 – May 24 | Jun 11 |
| Beet | — | Apr 12 – May 24 | Jun 1 |
| Potato | — | Apr 12 – May 3 | Jun 21 |
| Kale | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Apr 9 – Apr 23 | May 22 |
| Broccoli | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Apr 2 – Apr 23 | Jun 1 |
| Cucumber | Apr 13 – Apr 20 | May 11 – May 25 | Jun 30 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 13 – Apr 20 | May 11 – May 25 | Jun 25 |
| Winter squash | Apr 13 – Apr 20 | May 11 – May 25 | Jul 30 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 4 – May 25 | Jul 3 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Apr 2 – Apr 23 | Jul 1 |
| Garlic | — | Oct 1 – Oct 29 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Apr 2 – Apr 30 | May 10 |
| Basil | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | May 11 – May 25 | Jul 7 |
Elgin's weather over time
How the growing season has shifted here, year by year, from the station's own records.
Each year's last spring frostLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Last spring frost |
|---|---|
| 1898 | Apr 29 |
| 1899 | Apr 16 |
| 1900 | May 5 |
| 1911 | May 3 |
| 1912 | Apr 20 |
| 1913 | May 11 |
| 1914 | Apr 21 |
| 1915 | Apr 17 |
| 1916 | Apr 15 |
| 1917 | May 23 |
| 1918 | May 1 |
| 1919 | Apr 26 |
| 1921 | Apr 18 |
| 1922 | Apr 29 |
| 1923 | May 13 |
| 1924 | May 1 |
| 1925 | May 26 |
| 1926 | May 15 |
| 1976 | May 8 |
| 1978 | May 2 |
| 1979 | May 1 |
| 1980 | Apr 26 |
| 1981 | Apr 22 |
| 1982 | Apr 28 |
| 1985 | Apr 10 |
| 1986 | Apr 23 |
| 1987 | Apr 10 |
| 1988 | Apr 29 |
| 1990 | Apr 19 |
| 1991 | Apr 22 |
| 1992 | May 27 |
| 1993 | Apr 22 |
| 1994 | May 1 |
| 1995 | Apr 24 |
| 1996 | Apr 27 |
| 1997 | Apr 22 |
| 1998 | Apr 17 |
| 1999 | Apr 26 |
| 2000 | Apr 22 |
| 2001 | Apr 19 |
| 2002 | May 21 |
| 2003 | Apr 23 |
| 2004 | May 4 |
| 2005 | May 4 |
| 2006 | Apr 26 |
| 2007 | Apr 18 |
| 2008 | May 2 |
| 2009 | Apr 17 |
| 2011 | Apr 22 |
| 2012 | Apr 28 |
| 2013 | May 13 |
| 2014 | Apr 23 |
| 2015 | Apr 25 |
| 2016 | Apr 13 |
| 2017 | Apr 23 |
| 2018 | Apr 29 |
| 2019 | Apr 29 |
| 2020 | May 10 |
| 2021 | May 12 |
| 2022 | Apr 28 |
| 2023 | Apr 27 |
| 2024 | Apr 25 |
| 2025 | Apr 16 |
| 2026 | May 7 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1898 | 176 |
| 1899 | 163 |
| 1911 | 173 |
| 1912 | 178 |
| 1913 | 134 |
| 1914 | 188 |
| 1915 | 171 |
| 1916 | 153 |
| 1917 | 135 |
| 1918 | 152 |
| 1919 | 173 |
| 1921 | 172 |
| 1922 | 171 |
| 1923 | 159 |
| 1924 | 174 |
| 1925 | 136 |
| 1926 | 133 |
| 1976 | 160 |
| 1978 | 158 |
| 1979 | 165 |
| 1980 | 161 |
| 1981 | 163 |
| 1982 | 175 |
| 1985 | 174 |
| 1987 | 175 |
| 1988 | 159 |
| 1990 | 174 |
| 1991 | 157 |
| 1992 | 142 |
| 1993 | 160 |
| 1994 | 161 |
| 1995 | 151 |
| 1996 | 166 |
| 1997 | 175 |
| 1998 | 187 |
| 1999 | 180 |
| 2000 | 167 |
| 2001 | 170 |
| 2002 | 145 |
| 2003 | 160 |
| 2004 | 153 |
| 2005 | 171 |
| 2006 | 168 |
| 2007 | 192 |
| 2008 | 178 |
| 2009 | 175 |
| 2011 | 188 |
| 2012 | 160 |
| 2013 | 161 |
| 2014 | 178 |
| 2015 | 174 |
| 2016 | 212 |
| 2017 | 196 |
| 2018 | 166 |
| 2019 | 171 |
| 2020 | 147 |
| 2021 | 173 |
| 2022 | 162 |
| 2023 | 185 |
| 2024 | 174 |
| 2025 | 190 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1898 | 17.7 °C |
| 1899 | 18.2 °C |
| 1900 | 18.5 °C |
| 1911 | 19.0 °C |
| 1912 | 18.1 °C |
| 1913 | 18.5 °C |
| 1914 | 18.7 °C |
| 1915 | 17.1 °C |
| 1916 | 18.2 °C |
| 1917 | 16.4 °C |
| 1918 | 17.9 °C |
| 1919 | 18.9 °C |
| 1920 | 17.5 °C |
| 1921 | 20.3 °C |
| 1922 | 19.2 °C |
| 1923 | 18.0 °C |
| 1924 | 16.2 °C |
| 1925 | 18.9 °C |
| 1926 | 17.1 °C |
| 1976 | 16.7 °C |
| 1978 | 17.5 °C |
| 1979 | 16.4 °C |
| 1980 | 17.2 °C |
| 1982 | 16.4 °C |
| 1983 | 17.4 °C |
| 1986 | 18.0 °C |
| 1987 | 18.2 °C |
| 1988 | 18.9 °C |
| 1990 | 17.2 °C |
| 1992 | 15.8 °C |
| 1993 | 17.0 °C |
| 1994 | 17.6 °C |
| 1995 | 17.8 °C |
| 1996 | 16.4 °C |
| 1997 | 16.5 °C |
| 1998 | 19.2 °C |
| 1999 | 18.5 °C |
| 2000 | 17.8 °C |
| 2001 | 18.6 °C |
| 2002 | 18.4 °C |
| 2003 | 17.8 °C |
| 2004 | 17.3 °C |
| 2005 | 19.6 °C |
| 2006 | 18.3 °C |
| 2007 | 18.4 °C |
| 2008 | 17.7 °C |
| 2009 | 16.8 °C |
| 2011 | 17.9 °C |
| 2012 | 18.9 °C |
| 2013 | 17.5 °C |
| 2014 | 17.3 °C |
| 2015 | 18.1 °C |
| 2016 | 18.7 °C |
| 2017 | 18.0 °C |
| 2018 | 18.3 °C |
| 2019 | 18.2 °C |
| 2020 | 18.2 °C |
| 2021 | 19.2 °C |
| 2022 | 18.6 °C |
| 2023 | 18.4 °C |
| 2024 | 19.1 °C |
| 2025 | 18.5 °C |
| 2026 | 19.1 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1898, Elgin's last spring frost has stayed at about the same time of year. The frost-free season has grown by about 1 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Elgin Water (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.