Fall in zone 5bPhoto: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 60173 (Schaumburg, IL)
Average last spring and first fall frost dates with 10%, 50% and 90% odds, from NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the nearest weather station, Streamwood, IL (7 miles away).
- Average last spring frostApr 3050% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostOct 1350% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)163 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone5b-15 to -10°F avg. coldest night
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This week in your yard
As of Oct 18, 2026, from your frost dates, zone and soil temperature. Lawn timing · Vegetables · Pruning · Plants
Soil temperature now
2-inch depth
54°F 50–55°F
24-hour average · latest 53°F, as of Oct 18, 1:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Shabbona 5 NNE (43 mi).
4-inch depth
55°F 50–55°F
24-hour average · latest 54°F, as of Oct 18, 1:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Shabbona 5 NNE (43 mi).
Fall: Texas A&M AgriLife times fall pre-emergent (for winter weeds such as annual bluegrass) to soil cooling to about 70°F for several days. The 50–55°F band is the spring trigger. Always read and follow the product label.
7-day forecast and frost risk
The latest National Weather Service 7-day forecast and any Frost Advisory or Freeze Warning for 60173 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
Soil is 55°F at 4 inches (estimated soil temperature, not a station reading). Fall pre-emergent window is mostly past. Next: spring, when soil reaches 50°F (typically mid-April to early May).
Fertilizer window
Lawn region: North (cool-season). Timing only; always follow the product label.
- Kentucky bluegrass (cool-season): Early fall: Around Labor Day (late August–September); Late fall: Late October–November, before the ground freezes; Late spring: Optional around Memorial Day. Avoid: Early-spring and midsummer feeding (pushes top growth, favors crabgrass).
Plant now
No vegetable planting windows are open this week.
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Spring-flowering shrubs are pruned right after their flowers fade, not by date. See the pruning guide.
Last spring frost odds
| Chance of a 32°F freeze after this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 90% (early: most years still freeze after this) | Apr 17 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Apr 30 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | May 16 |
Most gardeners plant frost-tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil) after the 50% date, and closer to the 10% date for less risk.
First fall frost odds
| Chance the first 32°F freeze has happened by this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 10% (early: 1 year in 10 freezes this soon) | Sep 29 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Oct 13 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Oct 25 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | May 12 | Oct 4 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Apr 30 | Oct 13 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Apr 20 | Oct 24 |
n/a means NOAA did not publish a date at that threshold for this station (usually because it rarely gets that cold).
Vegetable planting calendar for 60173
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Apr 30) and first fall frost (Oct 13). Half of years have a frost after the spring date, so give tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash) some slack.
| Crop | Start indoors | Spring planting | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 5–19 | May 7–21 (transplant) | – |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Feb 19–Mar 5 | May 14–28 (transplant) | – |
| Eggplant | Feb 19–Mar 5 | May 14–28 (transplant) | – |
| Tomatillo | Mar 5–19 | May 7–21 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Mar 5–19 | Apr 9–30 (transplant) Apr 2–May 14 (sow outdoors) | Aug 18–Sep 8 (transplant) Aug 4–Sep 1 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Mar 19–Apr 9 (sow outdoors) | Aug 18–Sep 8 (sowing) |
| Kale | Mar 5–19 | Apr 2–16 (transplant) Apr 2–16 (sow outdoors) | Jul 21–Aug 18 (transplant) Jul 7–Aug 4 (sowing) |
| Collards | Mar 5–19 | Apr 2–30 (transplant) Apr 2–30 (sow outdoors) | Jul 21–Aug 18 (transplant) Jul 7–Aug 4 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Feb 19–Mar 5 | Apr 2–16 (transplant) | Jul 7–Aug 4 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Feb 19–Mar 5 | Apr 2–16 (transplant) | Jul 7–Aug 4 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Feb 19–Mar 5 | Apr 16–30 (transplant) | Jul 7–Aug 4 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Feb 5–19 | Apr 2–16 (transplant) | Jun 23–Jul 14 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Mar 5–19 | Apr 2–16 (transplant) Apr 2–16 (sow outdoors) | Aug 4–18 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Apr 2–16 (sow outdoors) | Aug 18–Sep 1 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Apr 2–30 (sow outdoors) | Aug 18–Sep 15 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Apr 2–23 (sow outdoors) | Aug 18–Sep 1 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Mar 19–Apr 2 | Apr 16–May 7 (transplant) Apr 16–May 14 (sow outdoors) | Aug 4–18 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Apr 2–30 (sow outdoors) | Aug 4–18 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Apr 9–May 7 (sow outdoors) | Jul 21–Aug 4 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Mar 26–May 7 (sow outdoors) | Sep 1–15 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Apr 2–23 (sow outdoors) | Aug 4–18 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Apr 9–30 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Mar 5–Apr 2 (sow outdoors) | Jul 21–Aug 4 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Feb 5–19 | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Mar 19–Apr 16 (sow outdoors) | Aug 4–18 (sowing) |
| Leek | Feb 5–19 | Apr 2–16 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 1–29 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) | Sep 1–29 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Apr 2–16 (transplant) | Jun 23–Jul 7 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | May 21–Jun 4 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 7–21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | May 7–21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, pole | – | May 7–21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | May 14–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | May 21–Jun 11 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Apr 2–9 | May 7–21 (transplant) May 7–21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Apr 2–9 | May 7–21 (transplant) May 7–21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Winter squash | Apr 2–9 | May 7–21 (transplant) May 7–21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | May 7–21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Apr 2–9 | May 14–28 (transplant) May 14–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Apr 2–9 | May 14–28 (transplant) May 14–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Mar 19–Apr 2 | May 14–28 (transplant) May 14–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Feb 5–19 | May 7–14 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Mar 19–Apr 2 | May 7–21 (transplant) May 7–21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Apr 16–May 14 (sow outdoors) | Aug 18–Sep 1 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Feb 19–Mar 5 | Apr 16–30 (transplant) Apr 9–30 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Apr 30–May 14 (sow outdoors) | Aug 18–Sep 1 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Apr 30–May 14 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Apr 2–16 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Apr 2–16 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Apr 2–16 (transplant) | Aug 4–Sep 1 (transplant) |
Typical ranges from university extension planting calendars, adjusted to your frost dates. Probabilities, not guarantees. Fall windows that would overlap spring planting are left out, as are fall crops of frost-tender plants where the frost-free season is under 210 days.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Streamwood, IL (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00118324), elevation 819 ft, 6.5 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barrington 3SW, IL | 7 mi | Apr 25 | Oct 19 |
| Chicago Ohare Intl AP, IL | 7 mi | Apr 16 | Oct 28 |
| Chicago Palwaukee AP, IL | 9 mi | Apr 19 | Oct 26 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 14 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 60173
When is the last frost in 60173?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 60173 is April 30. For a more cautious planting date, use May 16, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 60173?
The average first fall freeze is October 13. In 1 year in 10 it comes by September 29.
What hardiness zone is 60173?
ZIP 60173 is in USDA zone 5b (-15 to -10°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 60173 right now?
This page shows the latest 2-inch and 4-inch soil temperature from the nearest public soil station (USDA SCAN, NOAA USCRN or TexMesonet), or a labeled estimate when no station is close, against the 50–55°F spring pre-emergent band.
Nearby ZIP codes
60195 Schaumburg 60008 Rolling Meadows 60169 Hoffman Estates 60194 Schaumburg 60007 Elk Grove Village 60193 Schaumburg 60005 Arlington Heights 60067 Palatine
Other ZIP codes in Cook County
60004 60005 60007 60008 60010 60016 60018 60022 60025 60026 60029 60043 60053 60056 60062 60067 60068 60070 60074 60076 60077 60090 60091 60093 All Cook County frost dates · Illinois frost dates
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Free. One weekly email plus alerts when your ZIP has a frost or a soil-temperature change worth acting on. After you submit, Kit (our email provider) sends a confirmation email: check your email and click the link to confirm. You aren't subscribed until you do. We collect only your email address and ZIP, sent to Kit to deliver The Dial. Unsubscribe anytime.