When to plant tomatoes in Illinois

Plant out in Chicago

Apr 17–May 1

Across Illinois the window opens between April 11 and May 8. Find your city below; the dates follow each town's own average last frost.

Start indoors, Chicago: Feb 13–Feb 27
Plant out, Chicago: Apr 17–May 1
Last sowing for a harvest: Jul 29
Last frost, Chicago: Apr 10

Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost; plant out 1–3 weeks after the last frost. Wait for nights that stay above 50°F. A cold snap after transplanting stalls tomatoes for weeks.

Tomatoes planting dates by city

Start indoorsPlant outSow outdoorsFall plantingAverage last and first frost

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

ChicagoApr 17–May 1

AuroraApr 26–May 10

NapervilleMay 5–May 19

JolietApr 26–May 10

RockfordMay 1–May 15

ElginMay 3–May 17

SpringfieldApr 22–May 6

PeoriaApr 23–May 7

ChampaignApr 22–May 6

WaukeganMay 7–May 21

CiceroApr 18–May 2

BloomingtonMay 2–May 16

SchaumburgMay 7–May 21

EvanstonMay 3–May 17

Arlington HeightsApr 26–May 10

BolingbrookApr 27–May 11

DecaturApr 21–May 5

SkokieMay 3–May 17

PalatineMay 2–May 16

Des PlainesApr 23–May 7

Orland ParkApr 26–May 10

Oak LawnApr 17–May 1

Mount ProspectApr 26–May 10

Tinley ParkApr 30–May 14

BerwynApr 18–May 2

WheatonMay 5–May 19

NormalMay 2–May 16

Oak ParkApr 18–May 2

Hoffman EstatesMay 7–May 21

Downers GroveMay 5–May 19

All 121 cities

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

Questions

When should I plant tomatoes in Illinois?

In Chicago, plant out from April 17 to May 1. Across Illinois the window opens between April 11 and May 8, depending on the local last frost.

How is this date worked out?

Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost; plant out 1–3 weeks after the last frost. Frost dates are NOAA 1991–2020 averages for the weather station nearest each city.

More for Illinois

Tomatoes in other states

Frost dates for every city in Illinois