When to plant turnips in Illinois

Sow outdoors in Chicago

Mar 13–Mar 27

Across Illinois the window opens between March 7 and April 3. Find your city below; the dates follow each town's own average last frost.

Sow outdoors, Chicago: Mar 13–Mar 27
Fall planting, Chicago: Aug 27–Sep 10
Last frost, Chicago: Apr 10

Sow outdoors 2–4 weeks before the last frost; sow again for fall 8–10 weeks before the first frost. Fall turnips are sweeter. Pull them at 2–3 inches across.

Turnips planting dates by city

Start indoorsPlant outSow outdoorsFall plantingAverage last and first frost

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

ChicagoMar 13–Mar 27

AuroraMar 22–Apr 5

NapervilleMar 31–Apr 14

JolietMar 22–Apr 5

RockfordMar 27–Apr 10

ElginMar 29–Apr 12

SpringfieldMar 18–Apr 1

PeoriaMar 19–Apr 2

ChampaignMar 18–Apr 1

WaukeganApr 2–Apr 16

CiceroMar 14–Mar 28

BloomingtonMar 28–Apr 11

SchaumburgApr 2–Apr 16

EvanstonMar 29–Apr 12

Arlington HeightsMar 22–Apr 5

BolingbrookMar 23–Apr 6

DecaturMar 17–Mar 31

SkokieMar 29–Apr 12

PalatineMar 28–Apr 11

Des PlainesMar 19–Apr 2

Orland ParkMar 22–Apr 5

Oak LawnMar 13–Mar 27

Mount ProspectMar 22–Apr 5

Tinley ParkMar 26–Apr 9

BerwynMar 14–Mar 28

WheatonMar 31–Apr 14

NormalMar 28–Apr 11

Oak ParkMar 14–Mar 28

Hoffman EstatesApr 2–Apr 16

Downers GroveMar 31–Apr 14

All 121 cities

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

Questions

When should I plant turnips in Illinois?

In Chicago, sow outdoors from March 13 to March 27. Across Illinois the window opens between March 7 and April 3, depending on the local last frost.

How is this date worked out?

Sow outdoors 2–4 weeks before the last frost; sow again for fall 8–10 weeks before the first frost. Frost dates are NOAA 1991–2020 averages for the weather station nearest each city.

More for Illinois

Turnips in other states

Frost dates for every city in Illinois