When to Dig Up Dahlias, Cannas and Gladiolus in Illinois
In most of Illinois, dahlias, cannas and gladiolus have to come out of the ground every fall.
Illinois
Home and garden guidance for Illinois: planting dates for its climate zones, the codes that apply locally, and the rebates residents can actually claim.
Gardening in Illinois
Everything we have worked out for Illinois: what to plant and when, which varieties finish in time, the pests that actually turn up here, and the jobs that pay off month by month. We also cover the rest of the property, from lawns and soil to home care and energy, because a garden rarely stops at the vegetable bed.
The numbers first, because everything else follows from them. Measured at the weather station in Chicago, the last spring freeze runs April 11 to April 22 and the first fall freeze runs October 24 to November 3, USDA zones 5a-7b, 3,274 growing degree days in the year.
Garlic does well: 26.1 weeks below 40 °F, comfortably past the six it needs to form a proper head.
Elsewhere on the property in Illinois: the pests that turn up here.
Figures from NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals. A state is not one climate: elevation, a large lake or the coast can move these dates by two weeks either way, so check your own county with the extension service before you spend money.
When to Winterize Sprinklers and Outdoor Faucets in Illinois
In Illinois, sprinklers and outdoor faucets get shut down in October, before the first frost of the fall and well ahead of the first deep freeze.
Heat Pump or Gas Furnace in Illinois: Which Costs Less to Run?
In Illinois, a natural gas furnace costs less to run than a heat pump, and the gap is wide enough to matter.
When to Mulch Strawberries and Perennials for Winter in Illinois
In Illinois, winter mulch for strawberries and perennials goes on after the ground begins to freeze, not before.
How High to Mow a Lawn in Illinois
Most Illinois lawns do best cut between 2 and 3.5 inches, and the right number depends on the grass. Tall fescue wants 3 to 3.5 inches.
When Sweet Corn Is Ready in Illinois, and How Fast It Fades
Sweet corn in Illinois is ready roughly 60 to 90 days after planting, and the seed belongs in the ground only once the soil has reached 60 F.
When to Stop Cutting Asparagus in Illinois, and How to Keep the Spears
Stop cutting when most of the spears coming up are thinner than a pencil. That signal matters more than any calendar date, in Illinois or anywhere else.
When to Plant Grass Seed in Illinois
Early fall is the best time to sow grass seed in Illinois, with spring as the backup.
When to Dethatch a Lawn in Illinois
Most Illinois lawns never need dethatching. If yours does, the best window is early fall, while cool-season grass is growing hard and the first frost is…
When to Aerate a Lawn in Illinois
For a cool-season Illinois lawn, the best time to aerate is fall, while the grass is still growing and before the first freeze.