When to plant garlic chives in Illinois
Illinois spans USDA zones 5a–7a, so the right time to plant garlic chives shifts by weeks across the state. The window to transplant seedlings outdoors runs from about March 21 in Granite City to April 17 in McHenry — below are local dates for 226 cities, each computed from its own frost dates.
| City | Zone | Last frost | First frost | Transplant out |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | 6a | April 10 | November 5 | March 27 – April 10 |
| Aurora | 5b | April 19 | October 23 | April 5 – April 19 |
| Naperville | 5b | April 28 | October 16 | April 14 – April 28 |
| Joliet | 5b | April 19 | October 25 | April 5 – April 19 |
| Rockford | 5b | April 24 | October 17 | April 10 – April 24 |
| Elgin | 5b | April 26 | October 18 | April 12 – April 26 |
| Springfield | 6a | April 15 | October 22 | April 1 – April 15 |
| Peoria | 6a | April 16 | October 23 | April 2 – April 16 |
Garlic Chives in Illinois: FAQ
When can I plant garlic chives in Illinois?
Across Illinois, the time to transplant garlic chives spans roughly March 21 in Granite City to April 17 in McHenry, each following that city's local frost dates.
Does the garlic chives planting date vary across Illinois?
Yes. Illinois publishes 226 cities with their own frost dates, so the right garlic chives planting window shifts by weeks between the warmest and coldest parts of the state — use your city's page for the exact dates.
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