When to plant in Hoffman Estates, IL
USDA Zone 5bHere are the average frost dates, USDA hardiness zone, and a month-by-month planting calendar for Hoffman Estates, Illinois — all computed from Hoffman Estates's nearest NOAA weather station.
In zone 5b, Hoffman Estates gardeners can grow many hardy perennials, while the last and first frost still dictate the annual vegetable calendar.
The average last spring frost in Hoffman Estates is now 11 days earlier than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →
Frost probability
STREAMWOOD · 1991–2020The 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 Hoffman Estates’s own odds, recorded at STREAMWOOD.
| Threshold | SPRING 10% | SPRING 50% | SPRING 90% | FALL 10% | FALL 50% | FALL 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | May 29 | May 12 | Apr 28 | Sep 21 | Oct 4 | Oct 16 |
| 32°F | May 16 | Apr 30 | Apr 17 | Sep 29 | Oct 13 | Oct 25 |
| 28°F | May 3 | Apr 20 | Apr 6 | Oct 8 | Oct 24 | Nov 5 |
Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.
What to plant now
TODAY · JULY 19Full-year planting calendar
Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Hoffman Estates, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.
Nearby weather stations
3 within 12 km · complete 32°F normalsWhen 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.
Hoffman Estates planting FAQ
When is the last spring frost in Hoffman Estates, IL?
On average, the last spring frost in Hoffman Estates is around April 30 (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 Hoffman Estates, IL?
In Hoffman Estates, the first 32°F freeze of fall lands around October 13 on average. Time your last harvests and any season-extension cover before it.
What hardiness zone is Hoffman Estates in?
Hoffman Estates 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 Hoffman Estates?
Hoffman Estates 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 Hoffman Estates?
For Hoffman Estates, sow tomatoes indoors about March 5–March 19 and move the seedlings out around May 7, after the last spring frost.
Never miss a window in Hoffman Estates
An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Hoffman Estates’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.
Nearby cities
8 within reach- Streamwood · 6 km
- Schaumburg · 6 km
- Hanover Park · 9 km
- Barrington · 10 km
- Rolling Meadows · 10 km
- Palatine · 10 km
- Roselle · 11 km
- Bartlett · 12 km
Frost dates recorded at STREAMWOOD, 5 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in Hoffman Estates, IL — Frost Dates & Zone 5b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00118324. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/illinois/hoffman-estates.