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When to plant in Bloomingdale, IL

USDA Zone 5b

Here are the average frost dates, USDA hardiness zone, and a month-by-month planting calendar for Bloomingdale, Illinois — all computed from Bloomingdale's nearest NOAA weather station.

In zone 5b, Bloomingdale gardeners can grow many hardy perennials, while the last and first frost still dictate the annual vegetable calendar.

Station · STREAMWOOD · 11.1 km
Last spring frost
April 30
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 13
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
166 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for BloomingdaleA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Bloomingdale: last spring frost around April 30, first fall frost around October 13, about 166 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

The average last spring frost in Bloomingdale is now 11 days earlier than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →

Frost probability

STREAMWOOD · 1991–2020

The date the last spring and first fall frost occur, by threshold and probability. A 90% date is later in spring — and earlier in fall — than a 10% date; the 50% · 32°F row is what most gardeners plan around. These are Bloomingdale’s own odds, recorded at STREAMWOOD.

Frost-probability curves for BloomingdaleProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around April 30 and the first fall frost around October 13, giving about 166 frost-free days.
Last spring frostFirst fall frostbold = 32°F · thin = 28°F / 36°F · dot = 50% date · band = 10–90% window
ThresholdSPRING 10%SPRING 50%SPRING 90%FALL 10%FALL 50%FALL 90%
36°FMay 29May 12Apr 28Sep 21Oct 4Oct 16
32°FMay 16Apr 30Apr 17Sep 29Oct 13Oct 25
28°FMay 3Apr 20Apr 6Oct 8Oct 24Nov 5

Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.

What to plant now

TODAY · JULY 19
Fall sowopen now
Rutabaga
July 7July 21
Fall sowin 2 days
Broccoli
July 21August 4
Fall sowin 2 days
Cabbage
July 21August 4
Fall sowin 2 days
Carrot
July 21August 4
Fall sowin 2 days
Cauliflower
July 21August 4
Fall sowin 2 days
Napa Cabbage
July 21August 18
Fall sowin 16 days
Beet
August 4August 18
Fall sowin 16 days
Collards
August 4September 1
Fall sowin 16 days
Endive
August 4August 18
Fall sowin 16 days
Escarole
August 4August 18
Fall sowin 16 days
Fennel (Bulb)
August 4August 18
Fall sowin 16 days
Kale
August 4September 1
Fall sowin 16 days
Kohlrabi
August 4September 1
Fall sowin 16 days
Peas
August 4August 18
Fall sowin 16 days
Radicchio
August 4August 18
Fall sowin 16 days
Swiss Chard
August 4August 18
Fall sowin 16 days
Turnip
August 4September 1

Add these crops to your calendar (.ics) ↓

Full-year planting calendar

Start indoorsTransplantDirect sowFall sow

Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Bloomingdale, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 14 km · complete 32°F normals

When stations disagree by more than a few days, that spread is real microclimate variation — elevation, water, urban heat. Judge which station best matches your own yard.

STREAMWOOD
Primary
11 km · 250 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 30
FALL
Oct 13
WEST CHICAGO DUPAGE AP
14 km · 230 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 25
FALL
Oct 19
CHICAGO OHARE INTL AP
14 km · 201 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 16
FALL
Oct 28

Bloomingdale planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Bloomingdale, IL?

Plan for the last spring frost in Bloomingdale around April 30 (the date it has a 50% chance of a 32°F freeze). Anything frost-sensitive should go out after it.

When is the first fall frost in Bloomingdale, IL?

Expect Bloomingdale's first fall frost near October 13 — a 50% chance of 32°F by that date. Bring in or cover tender crops ahead of it.

What hardiness zone is Bloomingdale in?

Bloomingdale is in USDA hardiness zone 5b. In zone 5b, winters are cold — pick cold-hardy varieties and protect tender crops.

How long is the growing season in Bloomingdale?

Bloomingdale has about 166 frost-free days — a moderate growing season — between the average last spring frost (April 30) and first fall frost (October 13).

When should I plant tomatoes in Bloomingdale?

For Bloomingdale, sow tomatoes indoors about March 5–March 19 and move the seedlings out around May 7, after the last spring frost.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Bloomingdale

An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Bloomingdale’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at STREAMWOOD, 11 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.

Cite this page
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in Bloomingdale, IL — Frost Dates & Zone 5b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00118324. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/illinois/bloomingdale.
When to Plant in Bloomingdale, IL — Frost Dates & Zone 5b — BlissGarden