Chicago, IL · zone 6a · ~209 frost-free days
When to plant in Chicago: frost dates and zone 6a.
In Chicago, the typical last spring frost lands around Apr 10 and the first fall frost around Nov 5, giving you about 209 frost-free days. Cool-season crops go out before the last frost; warm-season crops wait until after it.
The 2026 windows
Sow dates for Chicago, keyed to your frost.
| Crop | Start indoors | Spring sow / set out | Fall sow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato, slicing | Mar 6 to May 6 | Apr 17 to Jun 17 | — |
| Lettuce, leaf | — | Mar 3 to Apr 17 | Aug 22 to Oct 21 |
| Carrot | — | Mar 3 to Apr 5 | Aug 10 to Sep 5 |
| Bush Bean | — | Apr 10 to May 31 | Jul 22 to Aug 24 |
| Cucumber, slicing | — | Apr 17 to Jul 17 | — |
| Pepper, bell | Mar 15 to May 6 | Apr 26 to Jun 17 | — |
| Kale | Jan 20 to Feb 17 | Mar 3 to Mar 31 | Aug 5 to Sep 20 |
| Spinach | — | Feb 17 to Mar 31 | Aug 22 to Oct 10 |
Chicago sits in Zone 6a, but two gardens in the same city can be a week or two apart. The planner works from your ZIP code's frost dates, not the zone, so the dates land right for your block, not the metro average.
Build your Chicago garden plan.
Tell the free planner what you want to eat and who you're feeding. It returns plant counts, spacing, and frost-safe sow dates for ZIP 60601 in about 60 seconds.
Chicago planting questions
What planting zone is Chicago, IL?+
Chicago is in USDA hardiness zone 6a. Growing zone, gardening zone, and planting zone all mean the same thing: the USDA number, 6a here. It tells you what survives winter, not when to plant. Frost dates set your planting time, and the free planner uses your exact ZIP code's frost dates, which can differ by weeks across one metro.
When is the last frost date in Chicago?+
The typical last spring frost in Chicago, IL is around Apr 10. That is an average from local history, not a guarantee, so tender crops like tomatoes and peppers are safer with a week of buffer after it.
When is the first frost date in Chicago?+
The typical first fall frost in Chicago, IL arrives around Nov 5, closing a growing season of roughly 209 frost-free days. Count backward from it to find the last date a fall crop can still finish.
What can I plant now in Chicago?+
It depends on the date. Cool-season crops like lettuce, kale, and spinach go out weeks before the last frost; warm-season crops like tomatoes and peppers wait until after Apr 10. The table above shows each crop's window; the free planner turns your ZIP into an exact, dated calendar.