Rockford, Illinois planting calendar and frost dates

Frost dates in Rockford

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Rockford Gtr Rockford Airport, 5.4 miles S of the city center. Low-lying and rural spots often frost later in spring and earlier in fall than airports and city centers.

What to plant each month in Rockford

1. January

   Start indoors: collard greens, leeks, onions, petunias, ranunculus

2. February

   Start indoors: black-eyed susans, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, chives, collard greens, ginger, kale, leeks, lettuce, marigolds, onions, oregano, parsley, peppers, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, sage, snapdragons

3. March

   Start indoors: basil, black-eyed susans, cabbages, cauliflower, celery, chives, cilantro, collard greens, eggplants, ginger, lettuce, marigolds, nasturtiums, peppers, ranunculus, sage, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, tomatoes

   Plant or sow outdoors: beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, collard greens, figs, garlic, gladioli, grapes, grass seed, hollyhocks, kale, leeks, onions, peas, poppies, radishes, ranunculus, raspberries, rhubarb, roses, spinach, strawberries, swiss chard, turnips, wildflowers

4. April

   Start indoors: basil, cantaloupes, cosmos, cucumbers, okra, pumpkins, ranunculus, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, collard greens, dahlias, dill, figs, garden mums, gladioli, grapes, green onions, lavenders, leeks, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, onions, oregano, parsley, petunias, potatoes, radishes, ranunculus, rosemary, roses, sage, snapdragons, spinach, sunflowers, sweet corn, swiss chard, thyme, turnips

5. May

   Start indoors: cosmos, cucumbers, okra, pumpkins, winter squash, zinnias, zucchini

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, basil, bermudagrass, cantaloupes, celery, centipedegrass, chives, cilantro, cosmos, cucumbers, dahlias, dill, eggplants, garden mums, ginger, gladioli, grapes, green beans, green onions, kentucky bluegrass, lavenders, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, okra, oregano, parsley, peanuts, peppers, perennial ryegrass, petunias, pumpkins, ranunculus, rosemary, sage, spinach, st. augustinegrass, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet peas, sweet potatoes, swiss chard, tall fescue, thyme, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zoysiagrass, zucchini

6. June

   Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, green onions, okra, peanuts, st. augustinegrass, sweet potatoes, zinnias, zoysiagrass

7. July

   Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, centipedegrass, st. augustinegrass, zoysiagrass

   Plant for fall: bearded irises, brussels sprouts, carrots, collard greens, lettuce, peas, snapdragons, swiss chard

8. August

   Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, clematis, collard greens, coneflowers, daylilies, hostas, hydrangeas, kale, lettuce, peas, radishes, roses, saffron, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, turnips

9. September

   Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, cabbages, cauliflower, clematis, coneflowers, crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hyacinths, hydrangeas, kale, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, radishes, roses, saffron, spinach, tulips

10. October

    Plant for fall: crocuses, daffodils, garlic, hyacinths, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, tulips

Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Rockford

All 9 of Rockford's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Rockford Gtr Rockford Airport, so the dates on this page apply across the city. Every one of them is in zone 5b.

Planting dates for popular crops in Rockford

Nearby cities

• Janesville, WI zone 5b, last frost Apr 26
• Elgin, IL zone 5b, last frost Apr 26
• Hoffman Estates, IL zone 5b, last frost Apr 26
• Aurora, IL zone 5b, last frost Apr 19
• Schaumburg, IL zone 5b, last frost Apr 16
• Palatine, IL zone 5b, last frost Apr 16