When to plant eggplant in Illinois

Plant out in Chicago

Apr 24–May 8

Across Illinois the window opens between April 18 and May 15. Find your city below; the dates follow each town's own average last frost.

Start indoors, Chicago: Jan 30–Feb 13
Plant out, Chicago: Apr 24–May 8
Last sowing for a harvest: Jul 29
Last frost, Chicago: Apr 10

Start seeds indoors 8–10 weeks before the last frost; plant out 2–4 weeks after the last frost. Eggplant sulks in cool weather. Black plastic mulch warms the soil.

Eggplant planting dates by city

Start indoorsPlant outSow outdoorsFall plantingAverage last and first frost

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

ChicagoApr 24–May 8

AuroraMay 3–May 17

NapervilleMay 12–May 26

JolietMay 3–May 17

RockfordMay 8–May 22

ElginMay 10–May 24

SpringfieldApr 29–May 13

PeoriaApr 30–May 14

ChampaignApr 29–May 13

WaukeganMay 14–May 28

CiceroApr 25–May 9

BloomingtonMay 9–May 23

SchaumburgMay 14–May 28

EvanstonMay 10–May 24

Arlington HeightsMay 3–May 17

BolingbrookMay 4–May 18

DecaturApr 28–May 12

SkokieMay 10–May 24

PalatineMay 9–May 23

Des PlainesApr 30–May 14

Orland ParkMay 3–May 17

Oak LawnApr 24–May 8

Mount ProspectMay 3–May 17

Tinley ParkMay 7–May 21

BerwynApr 25–May 9

WheatonMay 12–May 26

NormalMay 9–May 23

Oak ParkApr 25–May 9

Hoffman EstatesMay 14–May 28

Downers GroveMay 12–May 26

All 121 cities

City	Start indoors	Plant out	Last frost
Chicago	Jan 30 to Feb 13	Apr 24 to May 8	Apr 10
Aurora	Feb 8 to Feb 22	May 3 to May 17	Apr 19
Naperville	Feb 17 to Mar 3	May 12 to May 26	Apr 28
Joliet	Feb 8 to Feb 22	May 3 to May 17	Apr 19
Rockford	Feb 13 to Feb 27	May 8 to May 22	Apr 24
Elgin	Feb 15 to Mar 1	May 10 to May 24	Apr 26
Springfield	Feb 4 to Feb 18	Apr 29 to May 13	Apr 15
Peoria	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Apr 30 to May 14	Apr 16
Champaign	Feb 4 to Feb 18	Apr 29 to May 13	Apr 15
Waukegan	Feb 19 to Mar 5	May 14 to May 28	Apr 30
Cicero	Jan 31 to Feb 14	Apr 25 to May 9	Apr 11
Bloomington	Feb 14 to Feb 28	May 9 to May 23	Apr 25
Schaumburg	Feb 19 to Mar 5	May 14 to May 28	Apr 30
Evanston	Feb 15 to Mar 1	May 10 to May 24	Apr 26
Arlington Heights	Feb 8 to Feb 22	May 3 to May 17	Apr 19
Bolingbrook	Feb 9 to Feb 23	May 4 to May 18	Apr 20
Decatur	Feb 3 to Feb 17	Apr 28 to May 12	Apr 14
Skokie	Feb 15 to Mar 1	May 10 to May 24	Apr 26
Palatine	Feb 14 to Feb 28	May 9 to May 23	Apr 25
Des Plaines	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Apr 30 to May 14	Apr 16
Orland Park	Feb 8 to Feb 22	May 3 to May 17	Apr 19
Oak Lawn	Jan 30 to Feb 13	Apr 24 to May 8	Apr 10
Mount Prospect	Feb 8 to Feb 22	May 3 to May 17	Apr 19
Tinley Park	Feb 12 to Feb 26	May 7 to May 21	Apr 23
Berwyn	Jan 31 to Feb 14	Apr 25 to May 9	Apr 11
Wheaton	Feb 17 to Mar 3	May 12 to May 26	Apr 28
Normal	Feb 14 to Feb 28	May 9 to May 23	Apr 25
Oak Park	Jan 31 to Feb 14	Apr 25 to May 9	Apr 11
Hoffman Estates	Feb 19 to Mar 5	May 14 to May 28	Apr 30
Downers Grove	Feb 17 to Mar 3	May 12 to May 26	Apr 28
Plainfield	Feb 9 to Feb 23	May 4 to May 18	Apr 20
Glenview	Feb 15 to Mar 1	May 10 to May 24	Apr 26
Elmhurst	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Apr 30 to May 14	Apr 16
Lombard	Feb 17 to Mar 3	May 12 to May 26	Apr 28
Buffalo Grove	Feb 8 to Feb 22	May 3 to May 17	Apr 19
Moline	Feb 13 to Feb 27	May 8 to May 22	Apr 24
Crystal Lake	Feb 14 to Feb 28	May 9 to May 23	Apr 25
Romeoville	Feb 9 to Feb 23	May 4 to May 18	Apr 20
Bartlett	Feb 19 to Mar 5	May 14 to May 28	Apr 30
DeKalb	Feb 13 to Feb 27	May 8 to May 22	Apr 24
Belleville	Feb 1 to Feb 15	Apr 26 to May 10	Apr 12
Oswego	Feb 8 to Feb 22	May 3 to May 17	Apr 19
Urbana	Feb 4 to Feb 18	Apr 29 to May 13	Apr 15
Carol Stream	Feb 14 to Feb 28	May 9 to May 23	Apr 25
Quincy	Jan 28 to Feb 11	Apr 22 to May 6	Apr 8
Park Ridge	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Apr 30 to May 14	Apr 16
Wheeling	Feb 8 to Feb 22	May 3 to May 17	Apr 19
Streamwood	Feb 19 to Mar 5	May 14 to May 28	Apr 30
Carpentersville	Feb 15 to Mar 1	May 10 to May 24	Apr 26
Hanover Park	Feb 19 to Mar 5	May 14 to May 28	Apr 30
Rock Island	Feb 13 to Feb 27	May 8 to May 22	Apr 24
Addison	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Apr 30 to May 14	Apr 16
Calumet City	Feb 12 to Feb 26	May 7 to May 21	Apr 23
Northbrook	Feb 15 to Mar 1	May 10 to May 24	Apr 26
North Chicago	Feb 19 to Mar 5	May 14 to May 28	Apr 30
Woodridge	Feb 17 to Mar 3	May 12 to May 26	Apr 28
St. Charles	Feb 14 to Feb 28	May 9 to May 23	Apr 25
Mundelein	Feb 18 to Mar 4	May 13 to May 27	Apr 29
O'Fallon	Feb 1 to Feb 15	Apr 26 to May 10	Apr 12
Glendale Heights	Feb 17 to Mar 3	May 12 to May 26	Apr 28
Elk Grove Village	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Apr 30 to May 14	Apr 16
Pekin	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Apr 30 to May 14	Apr 16
Algonquin	Feb 15 to Mar 1	May 10 to May 24	Apr 26
Highland Park	Feb 15 to Mar 1	May 10 to May 24	Apr 26
Gurnee	Feb 19 to Mar 5	May 14 to May 28	Apr 30
Niles	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Apr 30 to May 14	Apr 16
McHenry	Feb 20 to Mar 6	May 15 to May 29	May 1
Huntley	Feb 14 to Feb 28	May 9 to May 23	Apr 25
New Lenox	Feb 8 to Feb 22	May 3 to May 17	Apr 19
Glen Ellyn	Feb 17 to Mar 3	May 12 to May 26	Apr 28
Lake in the Hills	Feb 14 to Feb 28	May 9 to May 23	Apr 25
Galesburg	Feb 9 to Feb 23	May 4 to May 18	Apr 20
Burbank	Jan 30 to Feb 13	Apr 24 to May 8	Apr 10
Danville	Feb 10 to Feb 24	May 5 to May 19	Apr 21
Lansing	Feb 12 to Feb 26	May 7 to May 21	Apr 23
Lockport	Feb 9 to Feb 23	May 4 to May 18	Apr 20
Wilmette	Feb 15 to Mar 1	May 10 to May 24	Apr 26
Round Lake Beach	Feb 13 to Feb 27	May 8 to May 22	Apr 24
Vernon Hills	Feb 18 to Mar 4	May 13 to May 27	Apr 29
Granite City	Jan 24 to Feb 7	Apr 18 to May 2	Apr 4
Oak Forest	Feb 12 to Feb 26	May 7 to May 21	Apr 23
Yorkville	Feb 17 to Mar 3	May 12 to May 26	Apr 28
Batavia	Feb 8 to Feb 22	May 3 to May 17	Apr 19
Chicago Heights	Feb 12 to Feb 26	May 7 to May 21	Apr 23
Edwardsville	Jan 24 to Feb 7	Apr 18 to May 2	Apr 4
Woodstock	Feb 14 to Feb 28	May 9 to May 23	Apr 25
South Elgin	Feb 15 to Mar 1	May 10 to May 24	Apr 26
Belvidere	Feb 13 to Feb 27	May 8 to May 22	Apr 24
West Chicago	Feb 14 to Feb 28	May 9 to May 23	Apr 25
Alton	Jan 24 to Feb 7	Apr 18 to May 2	Apr 4
Homer Glen	Feb 9 to Feb 23	May 4 to May 18	Apr 20
Morton Grove	Feb 15 to Mar 1	May 10 to May 24	Apr 26
Zion	Feb 19 to Mar 5	May 14 to May 28	Apr 30
Westmont	Feb 17 to Mar 3	May 12 to May 26	Apr 28
Melrose Park	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Apr 30 to May 14	Apr 16
Collinsville	Jan 28 to Feb 11	Apr 22 to May 6	Apr 8
Loves Park	Feb 13 to Feb 27	May 8 to May 22	Apr 24
Rolling Meadows	Feb 8 to Feb 22	May 3 to May 17	Apr 19
Elmwood Park	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Apr 30 to May 14	Apr 16
Lisle	Feb 17 to Mar 3	May 12 to May 26	Apr 28
Kankakee	Feb 8 to Feb 22	May 3 to May 17	Apr 19
Maywood	Jan 31 to Feb 14	Apr 25 to May 9	Apr 11
Freeport	Feb 15 to Mar 1	May 10 to May 24	Apr 26
Machesney Park	Feb 20 to Mar 6	May 15 to May 29	May 1
Roselle	Feb 19 to Mar 5	May 14 to May 28	Apr 30
Bloomingdale	Feb 19 to Mar 5	May 14 to May 28	Apr 30
East Peoria	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Apr 30 to May 14	Apr 16
Darien	Feb 8 to Feb 22	May 3 to May 17	Apr 19
Montgomery	Feb 8 to Feb 22	May 3 to May 17	Apr 19
Villa Park	Feb 17 to Mar 3	May 12 to May 26	Apr 28
Carbondale	Jan 29 to Feb 12	Apr 23 to May 7	Apr 9
Blue Island	Jan 30 to Feb 13	Apr 24 to May 8	Apr 10
Frankfort	Feb 12 to Feb 26	May 7 to May 21	Apr 23
Grayslake	Feb 18 to Mar 4	May 13 to May 27	Apr 29
Geneva	Feb 14 to Feb 28	May 9 to May 23	Apr 25
Park Forest	Feb 12 to Feb 26	May 7 to May 21	Apr 23
South Holland	Feb 12 to Feb 26	May 7 to May 21	Apr 23
Libertyville	Feb 18 to Mar 4	May 13 to May 27	Apr 29
Crest Hill	Feb 9 to Feb 23	May 4 to May 18	Apr 20
Dolton	Feb 12 to Feb 26	May 7 to May 21	Apr 23
East Moline	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Apr 30 to May 14	Apr 16

Questions

When should I plant eggplant in Illinois?

In Chicago, plant out from April 24 to May 8. Across Illinois the window opens between April 18 and May 15, depending on the local last frost.

How is this date worked out?

Start seeds indoors 8–10 weeks before the last frost; plant out 2–4 weeks after the last frost. Frost dates are NOAA 1991–2020 averages for the weather station nearest each city.

More for Illinois

Eggplant in other states

Frost dates for every city in Illinois