Frost dates for Mount Carmel, 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 2
typical year
Safe to plant
April 17
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 31
typical year
Growing season
209 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 5 – 19 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 19 – Mar 12 | Sep 5 – 19 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 5 – 26 | Sep 5 – 19 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 5 – Apr 16 | Sep 19 – Oct 3 |
| Onions | – | Mar 5 – 19 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 12 – 26 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | Aug 8 – 22 |
| Beets | – | Mar 5 – 19 | Aug 22 – Sep 5 |
| Kale | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Mar 5 – 19 | Aug 22 – Sep 5 |
| Broccoli | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | Aug 22 – Sep 5 |
| Cabbage | Jan 8 – 22 | Mar 5 – 19 | Aug 22 – Sep 5 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 19 – Oct 10 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Apr 17 – May 1 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 13 – 27 | Apr 24 – May 8 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 17 – May 8 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 17 – May 15 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 17 – May 8 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 17 – Aug 22 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 17 – May 15 | – |
| Basil | Mar 13 – 27 | Apr 24 – May 1 | – |
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 17 | April 2 | March 19 |
| Fall frost before | October 18 | October 31 | November 14 |
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 22 (April 5 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 11.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 3 towns.
Mount Carmel, Allendale, Keensburg
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station MT CARMEL, IL US (USC00115888), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 5 zip codes, all within 9 miles:
47665, 62410, 62811, 62852, 62863
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.