When to plant garlic in Illinois

Fall planting in Chicago

Oct 15–Nov 19

Across Illinois the window opens between September 20 and October 15. Find your city below; the dates follow each town's own average first fall frost.

Fall planting, Chicago: Oct 15–Nov 19
Last frost, Chicago: Apr 10

Plant cloves from 3 weeks before to 2 weeks after the first fall frost. Plant cloves pointy end up, about 2 inches deep. Roots grow before the ground freezes and leaves come up in spring.

Garlic planting dates by city

Start indoorsPlant outSow outdoorsFall plantingAverage last and first frost

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

ChicagoOct 15–Nov 19

AuroraOct 2–Nov 6

NapervilleSep 25–Oct 30

JolietOct 4–Nov 8

RockfordSep 26–Oct 31

ElginSep 27–Nov 1

SpringfieldOct 1–Nov 5

PeoriaOct 2–Nov 6

ChampaignOct 3–Nov 7

WaukeganSep 28–Nov 2

CiceroOct 10–Nov 14

BloomingtonSep 25–Oct 30

SchaumburgSep 22–Oct 27

EvanstonSep 30–Nov 4

Arlington HeightsOct 5–Nov 9

BolingbrookOct 1–Nov 5

DecaturOct 3–Nov 7

SkokieSep 30–Nov 4

PalatineSep 28–Nov 2

Des PlainesOct 7–Nov 11

Orland ParkOct 1–Nov 5

Oak LawnOct 11–Nov 15

Mount ProspectOct 5–Nov 9

Tinley ParkSep 29–Nov 3

BerwynOct 10–Nov 14

WheatonSep 25–Oct 30

NormalSep 25–Oct 30

Oak ParkOct 10–Nov 14

Hoffman EstatesSep 22–Oct 27

Downers GroveSep 25–Oct 30

All 121 cities

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

Questions

When should I plant garlic in Illinois?

In Chicago, fall planting from October 15 to November 19. Across Illinois the window opens between September 20 and October 15, depending on the local last frost.

How is this date worked out?

Plant cloves from 3 weeks before to 2 weeks after the first fall frost. Frost dates are NOAA 1991–2020 averages for the weather station nearest each city.

More for Illinois

Garlic in other states

Frost dates for every city in Illinois