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When to plant in Hickory Hills, IL

USDA Zone 6a

Everything below — frost dates, hardiness zone, and what to plant when in Hickory Hills, Illinois — is derived from the closest NOAA station with complete climate normals.

Zone 6a means Hickory Hills sees real winter cold, but a good range of perennials survive; the frost dates above govern when annual vegetables go out.

Station · LITTLE RED SCHOOL HSE · 4.4 km
Last spring frost
April 19
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 22
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
186 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for Hickory HillsA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Hickory Hills: last spring frost around April 19, first fall frost around October 22, about 186 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

LITTLE RED SCHOOL HSE · 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 Hickory Hills’s own odds, recorded at LITTLE RED SCHOOL HSE.

Frost-probability curves for Hickory HillsProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around April 19 and the first fall frost around October 22, giving about 186 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 18Apr 30Apr 16Sep 28Oct 12Oct 24
32°FMay 5Apr 19Apr 6Oct 8Oct 22Nov 3
28°FApr 22Apr 7Mar 26Oct 19Nov 1Nov 16

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 16July 30
Fall sowin 11 days
Broccoli
July 30August 13
Fall sowin 11 days
Cabbage
July 30August 13
Fall sowin 11 days
Carrot
July 30August 13
Fall sowin 11 days
Cauliflower
July 30August 13
Fall sowin 11 days
Napa Cabbage
July 30August 27
Fall sowin 25 days
Beet
August 13August 27
Fall sowin 25 days
Collards
August 13September 10
Fall sowin 25 days
Endive
August 13August 27
Fall sowin 25 days
Escarole
August 13August 27
Fall sowin 25 days
Fennel (Bulb)
August 13August 27
Fall sowin 25 days
Kale
August 13September 10
Fall sowin 25 days
Kohlrabi
August 13September 10
Fall sowin 25 days
Peas
August 13August 27
Fall sowin 25 days
Radicchio
August 13August 27
Fall sowin 25 days
Swiss Chard
August 13August 27
Fall sowin 25 days
Turnip
August 13September 10

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 Hickory Hills, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 9 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.

LITTLE RED SCHOOL HSE
Primary
4 km · 218 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 19
FALL
Oct 22
CHICAGO MIDWAY AP 3SW
4 km · 189 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 10
FALL
Nov 1
CHICAGO MIDWAY AP
9 km · 187 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 11
FALL
Oct 31

Hickory Hills planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Hickory Hills, IL?

On average, the last spring frost in Hickory Hills is around April 19 (50% probability at 32°F, from 1991–2020 NOAA normals). Wait until after this date to set out tender plants like tomatoes and peppers.

When is the first fall frost in Hickory Hills, IL?

Expect Hickory Hills's first fall frost near October 22 — a 50% chance of 32°F by that date. Bring in or cover tender crops ahead of it.

What hardiness zone is Hickory Hills in?

Hickory Hills is in USDA hardiness zone 6a. In zone 6a, winters are moderate — most common vegetables grow well in season.

How long is the growing season in Hickory Hills?

There are roughly 186 frost-free days in Hickory Hills (a moderate growing season), running from the average last frost around April 19 to the first fall frost near October 22.

When should I plant tomatoes in Hickory Hills?

In Hickory Hills, start tomato seeds indoors around February 22–March 8, then transplant seedlings outdoors around April 26 once the danger of frost has passed.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Hickory Hills

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at LITTLE RED SCHOOL HSE, 4 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 Hickory Hills, IL — Frost Dates & Zone 6a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00115110. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/illinois/hickory-hills.
When to Plant in Hickory Hills, IL — Frost Dates & Zone 6a — BlissGarden