Frost dates for McHenry, 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
May 1
typical year
Safe to plant
May 19
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 11
typical year
Growing season
162 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 | – | Apr 3 – 17 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | Aug 16 – 30 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 3 – 24 | Aug 16 – 30 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 3 – May 15 | Aug 30 – Sep 13 |
| Onions | – | Apr 3 – 17 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 10 – 24 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 10 – May 1 | Jul 19 – Aug 2 |
| Beets | – | Apr 3 – 17 | Aug 2 – 16 |
| Kale | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Apr 3 – 17 | Aug 2 – 16 |
| Broccoli | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Apr 17 – May 1 | Aug 2 – 16 |
| Cabbage | Feb 6 – 20 | Apr 3 – 17 | Aug 2 – 16 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 30 – Sep 20 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 24 – Apr 7 | May 19 – Jun 2 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 17 – 31 | May 26 – Jun 9 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 19 – Jun 9 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 19 – Jun 16 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 19 – Jun 9 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 19 – Aug 2 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 19 – Jun 16 | – |
| Basil | Apr 14 – 28 | May 26 – Jun 2 | – |
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 | May 19 | May 1 | April 16 |
| Fall frost before | September 27 | October 11 | October 24 |
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 April 19 (May 6 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 22.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 14 towns.
McHenry, Cary, Island Lake, Volo, Lakemoor, Johnsburg, Wonder Lake, Oakwood Hills, Prairie Grove, Port Barrington, McCullom Lake, Ringwood, Holiday Hills, Greenwood
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station MC HENRY -WG STRATTON L&D, IL US (USC00115493), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 7 zip codes, all within 9 miles:
60012, 60013, 60042, 60050, 60051, 60072, 60097
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.