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What Can Grow in Illinois?

Growing Zone Zone 5b
Frost-Free Days 197
Last Frost early April
First Frost late October

Illinois has a humid continental climate with hot summers and cold winters. Chicago is Zone 5b-6a; southern Illinois is warmer at Zone 6-7. Classic Midwest growing region.

Find your exact zone:
Illinois spans 5 different growing zones. The planting calendar below uses the most common zone (Zone 5b). Use the search above or browse all zones here:
Zone 4a Zone 4b Zone 5a Zone 5b Zone 6a

📅 Planting Calendar for Illinois

When to start seeds indoors and transplant outdoors, based on your frost dates.

Plant Start Indoors Transplant Out Direct Sow Harvest
🌾 Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira) Mar 10 Apr 7 — May 27 – Jun 21
🥬 Arugula — — Apr 7 Apr 28 – May 17
❤️ Beets — — Apr 7 May 27 – Jun 16
🫑 Bell Pepper Feb 10 Apr 7 — Jun 16 – Jul 6
🥬 Bok Choy Mar 10 Apr 7 — May 22 – Jun 6
🥦 Broccoli Feb 24 Apr 7 — Jun 6 – Jun 26
🫛 Brussels Sprouts Feb 10 Apr 7 — Jul 6 – Oct 4
🥬 Cabbage Feb 24 Apr 7 — Jun 16 – Aug 5
🥕 Carrot — — Apr 7 Jun 16 – Jun 26
🥔 Celeriac Jan 27 Apr 7 — Jul 26 – Aug 5
🍒 Cherry Tomato Feb 24 Apr 7 — Jun 1 – Jun 16
🌶️ Chili Pepper Feb 10 Apr 7 — Jun 11 – Jun 26
🥬 Collard Greens Mar 10 Apr 7 — Jun 6 – Jun 26
🌽 Corn — — Apr 7 Jun 6 – Jul 6
🥒 Cucumber Mar 17 Apr 7 — May 27 – Jun 16
🫛 Edamame (Soybean) — — Apr 7 Jun 16 – Jul 11
🍆 Eggplant Feb 10 Apr 7 — Jun 11 – Jun 26
🫘 Fava Beans — — Apr 7 Jun 26 – Jul 16
🌿 Florence Fennel — — Apr 7 Jun 11 – Jul 6
🧄 Garlic — — Oct 1 – Oct 31 Jun – Jul (following year)
🫘 Green Beans — — Apr 7 May 27 – Jun 11
🍬 Ground Cherry Feb 24 Apr 7 — Jun 16 – Jul 1
🥬 Kale Mar 10 Apr 7 — Jun 1 – Jun 21
🥬 Kohlrabi Mar 10 Apr 7 — May 22 – Jun 6
🧅 Leek Jan 13 Apr 7 — Jul 16 – Sep 4
🥬 Lettuce — — Apr 7 May 7 – Jun 6
🌱 Microgreens — — Apr 7 Apr 14 – Apr 28
🥬 Mustard Greens — — Apr 7 May 7 – May 17
🧅 Onion Feb 10 Apr 7 — Jul 6 – Aug 5
🥕 Parsnip — — Apr 7 Jul 16 – Aug 15
🫛 Peas — — Apr 7 Jun 1 – Jun 16
🥔 Potato — — Apr 7 Jun 16 – Aug 5
🎃 Pumpkin Mar 17 Apr 7 — Jun 21 – Jul 16
🔴 Radish — — Apr 7 Apr 29 – May 7
🥔 Rutabaga — — Apr 7 Jul 6 – Jul 21
🫛 Snap Peas — — Apr 7 Jun 6 – Jun 16
🥬 Spinach — — Apr 7 May 17 – May 27
🍠 Sweet Potato — — Apr 7 Jul 6 – Aug 5
🥬 Swiss Chard — — Apr 7 May 27 – Jun 6
🫑 Tomatillo Feb 24 Apr 7 — Jun 21 – Jul 16
🍅 Tomato Feb 24 Apr 7 — Jun 6 – Jul 1
🫛 Turnip — — Apr 7 May 22 – Jun 6
🥬 Zucchini Mar 17 Apr 7 — May 22 – Jun 6
🌿 Basil Mar 10 Apr 7 — May 7 – Jun 6
💙 Borage — — Apr 7 May 27 – Jun 6
🌿 Cilantro — — Apr 7 Apr 28 – May 22
🌿 Dill — — Apr 7 May 17 – Jun 6
🌱 Fenugreek (Methi) — — Apr 7 Apr 27 – May 7
🌿 French Tarragon — — Apr 7 Jun 6 – Jul 6
🌼 German Chamomile — — Apr 7 Jun 6 – Jul 6
🍃 Lemon Balm Feb 24 Apr 7 — Jun 6 – Jun 16
🌿 Parsley — — Apr 7 Jun 16 – Jul 6
🍉 Watermelon Mar 10 Apr 7 — Jun 16 – Jul 6
🌻 Sunflower — — Apr 7 Jun 6 – Jun 26

Dates are averages based on Zone 5b frost dates (last frost: early April, first frost: late October). Adjust for your specific microclimate.

🥦 Vegetables

🍓 Fruits

🌿 Herbs

⚠️ Worth Trying (Marginal)

These plants are outside the ideal zone range but possible with the right approach.

🗺️ USDA Plant Hardiness Zones

Zone 5 is shown in this colour on the map below
2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map — zones 1 to 13

2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map — public domain. USDA Agricultural Research Service

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

USDA zones run 1a–13b (26 half-zones). Each full zone above covers both the a and b half-zones. Browse all US zones →

Browse Related Zones

Zone 4a Zone 4b Zone 5a Zone 5b Zone 6a Zone 6b Zone 7a

Frequently Asked Questions

Illinois has a humid continental climate with hot summers and cold winters. Chicago is Zone 5b-6a; southern Illinois is warmer at Zone 6-7. Classic Midwest growing region. Vegetables like Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira), Arugula, Asparagus, Beets, Bell Pepper all grow well here.
With 197 frost-free days, you can grow two cool-season crops per year — one in spring (plant after early April) and one in late summer for fall harvest before late October.
Top vegetables for Illinois: Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira), Arugula, Asparagus, Beets, Bell Pepper. For beginners, Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira) and Arugula are the easiest to start with.
Apple, Blackberry, Blueberry, Elderberry all grow well in Illinois. Zone 5b is suitable for most temperate fruits.