When to plant leeks in Illinois

Plant out in Chicago

Mar 27–Apr 10

Across Illinois the window opens between March 21 and April 17. Find your city below; the dates follow each town's own average last frost.

Start indoors, Chicago: Jan 16–Jan 30
Plant out, Chicago: Mar 27–Apr 10
Last frost, Chicago: Apr 10

Start seeds indoors 10–12 weeks before the last frost; plant out up to 2 weeks before the last frost. Plant leeks deep in a trench and fill it in as they grow to get long white stems.

Leeks planting dates by city

Start indoorsPlant outSow outdoorsFall plantingAverage last and first frost

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

ChicagoMar 27–Apr 10

AuroraApr 5–Apr 19

NapervilleApr 14–Apr 28

JolietApr 5–Apr 19

RockfordApr 10–Apr 24

ElginApr 12–Apr 26

SpringfieldApr 1–Apr 15

PeoriaApr 2–Apr 16

ChampaignApr 1–Apr 15

WaukeganApr 16–Apr 30

CiceroMar 28–Apr 11

BloomingtonApr 11–Apr 25

SchaumburgApr 16–Apr 30

EvanstonApr 12–Apr 26

Arlington HeightsApr 5–Apr 19

BolingbrookApr 6–Apr 20

DecaturMar 31–Apr 14

SkokieApr 12–Apr 26

PalatineApr 11–Apr 25

Des PlainesApr 2–Apr 16

Orland ParkApr 5–Apr 19

Oak LawnMar 27–Apr 10

Mount ProspectApr 5–Apr 19

Tinley ParkApr 9–Apr 23

BerwynMar 28–Apr 11

WheatonApr 14–Apr 28

NormalApr 11–Apr 25

Oak ParkMar 28–Apr 11

Hoffman EstatesApr 16–Apr 30

Downers GroveApr 14–Apr 28

All 121 cities

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

Questions

When should I plant leeks in Illinois?

In Chicago, plant out from March 27 to April 10. Across Illinois the window opens between March 21 and April 17, depending on the local last frost.

How is this date worked out?

Start seeds indoors 10–12 weeks before the last frost; plant out up to 2 weeks before the last frost. Frost dates are NOAA 1991–2020 averages for the weather station nearest each city.

More for Illinois

Leeks in other states

Frost dates for every city in Illinois