When to plant in Rolling Meadows, IL
USDA Zone 6aEverything below — frost dates, hardiness zone, and what to plant when in Rolling Meadows, Illinois — is derived from the closest NOAA station with complete climate normals.
Zone 6a means Rolling Meadows sees real winter cold, but a good range of perennials survive; the frost dates above govern when annual vegetables go out.
The average last spring frost in Rolling Meadows is now 6 days earlier than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →
Frost probability
CHICAGO PALWAUKEE AP · 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 Rolling Meadows’s own odds, recorded at CHICAGO PALWAUKEE AP.
| Threshold | SPRING 10% | SPRING 50% | SPRING 90% | FALL 10% | FALL 50% | FALL 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | May 15 | Apr 30 | Apr 16 | Oct 1 | Oct 16 | Oct 27 |
| 32°F | May 3 | Apr 19 | Apr 4 | Oct 13 | Oct 26 | Nov 9 |
| 28°F | Apr 20 | Apr 5 | Mar 22 | Oct 26 | Nov 7 | Nov 21 |
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 Rolling Meadows, 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.
Rolling Meadows planting FAQ
When is the last spring frost in Rolling Meadows, IL?
Plan for the last spring frost in Rolling Meadows around April 19 (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 Rolling Meadows, IL?
The first fall frost in Rolling Meadows typically arrives around October 26 (50% probability at 32°F). Harvest or protect frost-sensitive crops before then.
What hardiness zone is Rolling Meadows in?
Rolling Meadows 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 Rolling Meadows?
There are roughly 190 frost-free days in Rolling Meadows (a moderate growing season), running from the average last frost around April 19 to the first fall frost near October 26.
When should I plant tomatoes in Rolling Meadows?
In Rolling Meadows, start tomato seeds indoors around February 22–March 8, then transplant seedlings outdoors around April 26 once the danger of frost has passed.
Never miss a window in Rolling Meadows
An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Rolling Meadows’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.
Nearby cities
8 within reach- Arlington Heights · 4 km
- Palatine · 5 km
- Schaumburg · 7 km
- Mount Prospect · 7 km
- Elk Grove Village · 8 km
- Prospect Heights · 9 km
- Hoffman Estates · 10 km
- Wheeling · 11 km
Frost dates recorded at CHICAGO PALWAUKEE AP, 11 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 Rolling Meadows, IL — Frost Dates & Zone 6a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USW00004838. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/illinois/rolling-meadows.