Will Sweet Corn Ripen in Illinois?
Yes, sweet corn ripens reliably in Illinois. The state’s frost-free stretch runs long enough for even a slow-maturing variety, provided the soil has…
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 Sow Sweet Corn in Illinois
Soil above 60°F is the real trigger for sweet corn in Illinois, and that mark shows up well after the last spring frost, not on the same calendar page.
When to Sow Autumn Spinach in Illinois
Illinois gardeners get one real shot at fall spinach: seed goes in from mid-August through mid-September, timed to soil that has finally cooled below the…
Will Spinach Bolt Early in Illinois?
Yes, spinach bolts early almost everywhere in Illinois, and the driving force is day length, not heat.
Will Illinois Soil Hold an Asparagus Bed for Fifteen Years?
Yes, mostly. Asparagus can stay in the same Illinois bed for the full 10 to 15 years the crop expects, but the answer turns on one soil trait: drainage…
When to Plant Asparagus Crowns in Illinois
Plant asparagus crowns in Illinois in early spring, timed to the thaw rather than a fixed date, since the reference frost window for the region runs from…
Growing Sweet Corn in Illinois: Will It Ripen?
Yes, sweet corn ripens across nearly all of Illinois in a normal year. The math works in the gardener’s favor here: the frost-free season stretches close…
Growing Asparagus in Illinois: Fifteen Years in One Spot
A one-time decision that follows you for over a decade: that’s what planting asparagus in Illinois really means.
When to Sow Pumpkins in Illinois
In Illinois, pumpkin seeds go into the ground once soil temperature holds steady at 65°F, which for most of the state falls somewhere in May.
Will Pumpkins Ripen Before Frost in Illinois?
Yes, most years, if the flowers open by early September. Illinois’ first fall frost typically lands between October 24 and November 3, and a pumpkin…