Frost dates for Carbondale, IL
When the last spring frost and first fall frost usually come, and when to plant, from 30 years of NOAA weather records.
Last spring frost
April 9
typical year
Safe to plant
April 25
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 22
typical year
Growing season
195 days
frost-free, typical year
Frost watch this week
Tonight's and the next six nights' lows from the National Weather Service forecast for the station's location. Frost: 32°F or colder. Possible frost: 33–36°F, mostly in low spots on clear, still nights.
When to plant
Counted from this page's frost dates. Warm-season crops wait for the safe-to-plant date.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cool-season crops | |||
| Peas | – | Mar 12 – 26 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 26 – Mar 19 | Aug 27 – Sep 10 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | Aug 27 – Sep 10 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 12 – Apr 23 | Sep 10 – 24 |
| Onions | – | Mar 12 – 26 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Beets | – | Mar 12 – 26 | Aug 13 – 27 |
| Kale | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Mar 12 – 26 | Aug 13 – 27 |
| Broccoli | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | Aug 13 – 27 |
| Cabbage | Jan 15 – 29 | Mar 12 – 26 | Aug 13 – 27 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 10 – Oct 1 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | Apr 25 – May 9 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 21 – Mar 7 | May 2 – 16 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 25 – May 16 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 25 – May 23 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 25 – May 16 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 25 – Aug 13 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 25 – May 23 | – |
| Basil | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | May 2 – 9 | – |
Onions: from sets. Green beans: until 10 weeks before the first fall frost. Garlic: harvest next summer.
The year at a glance
Start indoors Plant outside Fall planting
The chance of frost, by date
| 1 year in 10 | Half of years | 9 years in 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring frost after | April 25 | April 9 | March 25 |
| Fall frost before | October 10 | October 22 | November 2 |
Frost here means 32°F or colder. Read across: in 1 year in 10, spring frost carries on past the first date, which is why that date is the safe-to-plant date.
Hard freeze (28°F)
A hard freeze kills most garden plants, even hardy ones. The last one in spring usually comes around March 29 (April 14 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 1.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 12 towns.
Carbondale, Marion, Herrin, Carterville, Johnston City, Cambria, Crainville, Energy, Pittsburg, Makanda, Spillertown, Colp
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station CARBONDALE SEWAGE PLT, IL US (USC00111265), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 10 zip codes, all within 14 miles:
62901, 62902, 62903, 62915, 62918, 62921, 62933, 62948, 62958, 62959
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.