When to plant in Riverdale, IL
Planting dates worked out from Riverdale's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
Apr 18
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
Apr 11
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 27
1 year in 10 by Oct 10
Frost-free days
200
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Chicago Midway Ap 3sw · 16.6 km away · station 189 m, town 183 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 | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Apr 24 – May 8 | Jun 18 |
| Sweet pepper | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | Apr 24 – May 8 | Jun 23 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Feb 18 – Feb 25 | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | May 4 |
| Peas | — | Mar 25 – Apr 22 | May 19 |
| Bush beans | — | Apr 20 – May 11 | Jun 9 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 3 – May 15 | Jun 2 |
| Beet | — | Apr 3 – May 15 | May 23 |
| Potato | — | Apr 3 – Apr 24 | Jun 12 |
| Kale | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 1 – Apr 15 | May 14 |
| Broccoli | Feb 11 – Feb 25 | Mar 25 – Apr 15 | May 24 |
| Cucumber | Mar 27 – Apr 3 | Apr 24 – May 8 | Jun 13 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Mar 27 – Apr 3 | Apr 24 – May 8 | Jun 8 |
| Winter squash | Mar 27 – Apr 3 | Apr 24 – May 8 | Jul 13 |
| Sweet corn | — | Apr 20 – May 11 | Jun 19 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Mar 25 – Apr 15 | Jun 23 |
| Garlic | — | Oct 13 – Nov 10 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Mar 25 – Apr 22 | May 2 |
| Basil | Mar 13 – Mar 27 | Apr 24 – May 8 | Jun 20 |
Riverdale'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 |
|---|---|
| 1928 | May 12 |
| 1929 | May 4 |
| 1930 | Apr 26 |
| 1931 | Apr 30 |
| 1932 | Apr 27 |
| 1933 | Apr 27 |
| 1934 | Apr 28 |
| 1935 | Apr 17 |
| 1936 | Apr 23 |
| 1937 | Apr 16 |
| 1938 | May 13 |
| 1939 | Apr 13 |
| 1940 | May 4 |
| 1941 | Mar 30 |
| 1942 | Apr 20 |
| 1943 | May 1 |
| 1944 | Apr 19 |
| 1945 | May 9 |
| 1946 | Apr 27 |
| 1947 | May 10 |
| 1948 | Apr 9 |
| 1949 | Apr 19 |
| 1950 | Apr 28 |
| 1951 | Apr 17 |
| 1952 | Apr 11 |
| 1953 | Apr 21 |
| 1954 | May 4 |
| 1955 | Mar 30 |
| 1956 | Apr 24 |
| 1957 | Apr 15 |
| 1958 | Apr 29 |
| 1959 | Apr 22 |
| 1960 | Apr 18 |
| 1961 | Apr 17 |
| 1962 | Apr 16 |
| 1963 | May 1 |
| 1964 | Apr 9 |
| 1965 | Apr 3 |
| 1966 | May 10 |
| 1967 | Apr 25 |
| 1968 | Apr 6 |
| 1969 | Apr 24 |
| 1970 | Apr 7 |
| 1971 | May 3 |
| 1972 | Apr 9 |
| 1973 | Apr 17 |
| 1974 | May 7 |
| 1975 | Apr 13 |
| 1976 | Apr 12 |
| 1977 | May 10 |
| 1978 | May 2 |
| 1979 | May 1 |
| 1981 | May 12 |
| 1982 | Apr 28 |
| 1983 | May 9 |
| 1984 | Apr 7 |
| 1985 | Apr 10 |
| 1986 | Apr 23 |
| 1987 | Apr 9 |
| 1988 | Apr 19 |
| 1989 | Apr 13 |
| 1990 | Apr 18 |
| 1991 | Apr 2 |
| 1992 | Apr 28 |
| 1993 | Apr 17 |
| 1994 | Apr 7 |
| 1995 | Apr 10 |
| 1996 | Apr 10 |
| 1997 | Apr 18 |
| 1998 | Apr 5 |
| 1999 | Mar 27 |
| 2000 | Apr 12 |
| 2001 | Apr 18 |
| 2002 | Apr 6 |
| 2003 | Apr 10 |
| 2004 | Apr 14 |
| 2005 | Mar 28 |
| 2006 | Apr 9 |
| 2007 | Apr 15 |
| 2008 | Apr 2 |
| 2009 | Apr 12 |
| 2010 | Apr 9 |
| 2011 | Apr 1 |
| 2012 | Apr 11 |
| 2013 | Apr 21 |
| 2014 | Apr 16 |
| 2015 | Apr 4 |
| 2016 | Apr 9 |
| 2017 | Mar 23 |
| 2018 | Apr 18 |
| 2019 | Apr 15 |
| 2020 | May 9 |
| 2021 | Apr 22 |
| 2022 | Mar 29 |
| 2023 | Apr 17 |
| 2024 | Mar 28 |
| 2025 | Apr 8 |
| 2026 | May 2 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1942 | 157 |
| 1943 | 168 |
| 1944 | 179 |
| 1945 | 152 |
| 1946 | 199 |
| 1947 | 181 |
| 1948 | 190 |
| 1949 | 188 |
| 1950 | 189 |
| 1951 | 194 |
| 1952 | 177 |
| 1953 | 197 |
| 1954 | 178 |
| 1955 | 208 |
| 1956 | 197 |
| 1957 | 193 |
| 1958 | 190 |
| 1959 | 188 |
| 1960 | 184 |
| 1961 | 192 |
| 1962 | 190 |
| 1963 | 184 |
| 1964 | 182 |
| 1965 | 208 |
| 1966 | 172 |
| 1967 | 183 |
| 1968 | 215 |
| 1969 | 181 |
| 1970 | 207 |
| 1971 | 184 |
| 1972 | 190 |
| 1973 | 201 |
| 1974 | 146 |
| 1975 | 213 |
| 1976 | 187 |
| 1977 | 183 |
| 1978 | 167 |
| 1979 | 165 |
| 1981 | 143 |
| 1982 | 176 |
| 1983 | 179 |
| 1984 | 199 |
| 1985 | 220 |
| 1986 | 192 |
| 1987 | 181 |
| 1988 | 176 |
| 1989 | 202 |
| 1990 | 183 |
| 1991 | 196 |
| 1992 | 171 |
| 1993 | 175 |
| 1994 | 225 |
| 1995 | 205 |
| 1996 | 202 |
| 1997 | 191 |
| 1998 | 214 |
| 1999 | 210 |
| 2000 | 177 |
| 2001 | 171 |
| 2002 | 208 |
| 2003 | 174 |
| 2004 | 185 |
| 2005 | 226 |
| 2006 | 185 |
| 2007 | 205 |
| 2008 | 208 |
| 2009 | 181 |
| 2010 | 209 |
| 2011 | 222 |
| 2012 | 208 |
| 2013 | 183 |
| 2014 | 199 |
| 2015 | 223 |
| 2016 | 223 |
| 2017 | 229 |
| 2018 | 184 |
| 2019 | 198 |
| 2020 | 171 |
| 2021 | 193 |
| 2022 | 228 |
| 2023 | 195 |
| 2024 | 237 |
| 2025 | 214 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1942 | 18.7 °C |
| 1943 | 18.1 °C |
| 1944 | 19.0 °C |
| 1945 | 17.2 °C |
| 1946 | 18.0 °C |
| 1947 | 17.9 °C |
| 1948 | 18.5 °C |
| 1949 | 19.0 °C |
| 1950 | 17.3 °C |
| 1951 | 17.6 °C |
| 1952 | 19.3 °C |
| 1953 | 19.4 °C |
| 1954 | 19.7 °C |
| 1955 | 20.9 °C |
| 1956 | 18.7 °C |
| 1957 | 18.7 °C |
| 1958 | 18.5 °C |
| 1959 | 20.2 °C |
| 1960 | 19.3 °C |
| 1961 | 18.2 °C |
| 1962 | 19.2 °C |
| 1963 | 19.2 °C |
| 1964 | 19.6 °C |
| 1965 | 18.2 °C |
| 1966 | 18.3 °C |
| 1967 | 17.5 °C |
| 1968 | 19.2 °C |
| 1969 | 18.8 °C |
| 1970 | 19.7 °C |
| 1971 | 19.0 °C |
| 1972 | 18.1 °C |
| 1973 | 19.0 °C |
| 1974 | 17.8 °C |
| 1975 | 18.6 °C |
| 1976 | 18.5 °C |
| 1977 | 20.2 °C |
| 1978 | 18.5 °C |
| 1979 | 17.8 °C |
| 1981 | 18.1 °C |
| 1982 | 18.1 °C |
| 1983 | 18.9 °C |
| 1984 | 18.5 °C |
| 1985 | 19.2 °C |
| 1986 | 19.3 °C |
| 1987 | 20.2 °C |
| 1988 | 20.6 °C |
| 1989 | 18.7 °C |
| 1990 | 19.3 °C |
| 1991 | 21.1 °C |
| 1992 | 17.8 °C |
| 1993 | 18.6 °C |
| 1994 | 18.9 °C |
| 1995 | 20.0 °C |
| 1996 | 18.3 °C |
| 1997 | 17.9 °C |
| 1998 | 20.3 °C |
| 1999 | 20.3 °C |
| 2000 | 19.2 °C |
| 2001 | 19.7 °C |
| 2002 | 19.9 °C |
| 2003 | 18.3 °C |
| 2004 | 18.8 °C |
| 2005 | 20.5 °C |
| 2006 | 19.4 °C |
| 2007 | 19.7 °C |
| 2008 | 18.9 °C |
| 2009 | 18.1 °C |
| 2010 | 20.4 °C |
| 2011 | 19.1 °C |
| 2012 | 20.6 °C |
| 2013 | 19.0 °C |
| 2014 | 19.3 °C |
| 2015 | 19.9 °C |
| 2016 | 20.5 °C |
| 2017 | 19.8 °C |
| 2018 | 19.9 °C |
| 2019 | 19.6 °C |
| 2020 | 19.7 °C |
| 2021 | 20.5 °C |
| 2022 | 20.7 °C |
| 2023 | 19.9 °C |
| 2024 | 21.0 °C |
| 2025 | 20.4 °C |
| 2026 | 20.1 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1928, Riverdale's last spring frost has come about 2 days earlier per decade, on average. The frost-free season has grown by about 3 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Chicago Midway Ap 3sw (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.