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When to plant in Huntley, IL

USDA Zone 5b

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

Zone 5b means Huntley sees real winter cold, but a good range of perennials survive; the frost dates above govern when annual vegetables go out.

Station · CRYSTAL LAKE 4NW · 11.6 km
Last spring frost
April 25
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 22
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
180 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for HuntleyA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Huntley: last spring frost around April 25, first fall frost around October 22, about 180 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

CRYSTAL LAKE 4NW · 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 Huntley’s own odds, recorded at CRYSTAL LAKE 4NW.

Frost-probability curves for HuntleyProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around April 25 and the first fall frost around October 22, giving about 180 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 21May 5Apr 23Sep 25Oct 11Oct 24
32°FMay 9Apr 25Apr 11Oct 7Oct 22Nov 4
28°FApr 27Apr 12Mar 31Oct 20Nov 1Nov 15

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

Nearby weather stations

3 within 18 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.

CRYSTAL LAKE 4NW
Primary
12 km · 287 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 25
FALL
Oct 22
ELGIN
16 km · 233 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 26
FALL
Oct 18
MARENGO
18 km · 248 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 28
FALL
Oct 12

Huntley planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Huntley, IL?

Huntley's average last spring frost falls near April 25 — the 50% mark at 32°F in the 1991–2020 normals. Hold tender transplants until the risk has passed, then plant out.

When is the first fall frost in Huntley, IL?

In Huntley, the first 32°F freeze of fall lands around October 22 on average. Time your last harvests and any season-extension cover before it.

What hardiness zone is Huntley in?

Huntley 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 Huntley?

There are roughly 180 frost-free days in Huntley (a moderate growing season), running from the average last frost around April 25 to the first fall frost near October 22.

When should I plant tomatoes in Huntley?

In Huntley, start tomato seeds indoors around February 28–March 14, then transplant seedlings outdoors around May 2 once the danger of frost has passed.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Huntley

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at CRYSTAL LAKE 4NW, 12 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 Huntley, IL — Frost Dates & Zone 5b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00112048. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/illinois/huntley.
When to Plant in Huntley, IL — Frost Dates & Zone 5b — BlissGarden