Fall in zone 6bPhoto: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 62829 (Hamilton County, 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, Mcleansboro, IL (6 miles away).
- Average last spring frostApr 1150% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostOct 2150% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)190 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone6b-5 to 0°F avg. coldest night
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Frost and freeze alerts from the NWS forecast for 62829, the spring soil-temperature heads-up for pre-emergent, and a short weekly yard-timing email.
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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
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
4-inch depth
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
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 62829 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
No soil reading near this ZIP. Typical extension timing for your region: spring 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.
Your average first frost is Oct 21: skip heavy pruning in the 6–8 weeks before it, because new growth may not harden off in time.
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) | Mar 27 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Apr 11 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Apr 26 |
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) | Oct 6 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Oct 21 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Nov 1 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Apr 22 | Oct 11 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Apr 11 | Oct 21 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Apr 1 | Oct 30 |
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 62829
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Apr 11) and first fall frost (Oct 21). 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 | Feb 14–28 | Apr 18–May 2 (transplant) | – |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Jan 31–Feb 14 | Apr 25–May 9 (transplant) | – |
| Eggplant | Jan 31–Feb 14 | Apr 25–May 9 (transplant) | – |
| Tomatillo | Feb 14–28 | Apr 18–May 2 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Feb 14–28 | Mar 21–Apr 11 (transplant) Mar 14–Apr 25 (sow outdoors) | Aug 26–Sep 16 (transplant) Aug 12–Sep 9 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Feb 28–Mar 21 (sow outdoors) | Aug 26–Sep 16 (sowing) |
| Kale | Feb 14–28 | Mar 14–28 (transplant) Mar 14–28 (sow outdoors) | Jul 29–Aug 26 (transplant) Jul 15–Aug 12 (sowing) |
| Collards | Feb 14–28 | Mar 14–Apr 11 (transplant) Mar 14–Apr 11 (sow outdoors) | Jul 29–Aug 26 (transplant) Jul 15–Aug 12 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Jan 31–Feb 14 | Mar 14–28 (transplant) | Jul 15–Aug 12 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Jan 31–Feb 14 | Mar 14–28 (transplant) | Jul 15–Aug 12 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Jan 31–Feb 14 | Mar 28–Apr 11 (transplant) | Jul 15–Aug 12 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Jan 17–31 | Mar 14–28 (transplant) | Jul 1–22 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Feb 14–28 | Mar 14–28 (transplant) Mar 14–28 (sow outdoors) | Aug 12–26 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Mar 14–28 (sow outdoors) | Aug 26–Sep 9 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Mar 14–Apr 11 (sow outdoors) | Aug 26–Sep 23 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Mar 14–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | Aug 26–Sep 9 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Feb 28–Mar 14 | Mar 28–Apr 18 (transplant) Mar 28–Apr 25 (sow outdoors) | Aug 12–26 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Mar 14–Apr 11 (sow outdoors) | Aug 12–26 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Mar 21–Apr 18 (sow outdoors) | Jul 29–Aug 12 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Mar 7–Apr 18 (sow outdoors) | Sep 9–23 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Mar 14–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | Aug 12–26 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Mar 21–Apr 11 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Feb 14–Mar 14 (sow outdoors) | Jul 29–Aug 12 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Jan 17–31 | Feb 28–Mar 14 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Feb 28–Mar 28 (sow outdoors) | Aug 12–26 (sowing) |
| Leek | Jan 17–31 | Mar 14–28 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 9–Oct 7 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Feb 28–Mar 14 (transplant) | Sep 9–Oct 7 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Mar 14–28 (transplant) | Jul 1–15 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | May 2–16 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 18–May 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Apr 18–May 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, pole | – | Apr 18–May 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | May 2–23 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Mar 14–21 | Apr 18–May 2 (transplant) Apr 18–May 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Mar 14–21 | Apr 18–May 2 (transplant) Apr 18–May 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Winter squash | Mar 14–21 | Apr 18–May 2 (transplant) Apr 18–May 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Apr 18–May 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Mar 14–21 | Apr 25–May 9 (transplant) Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Mar 14–21 | Apr 25–May 9 (transplant) Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Feb 28–Mar 14 | Apr 25–May 9 (transplant) Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Jan 17–31 | Apr 18–25 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Feb 28–Mar 14 | Apr 18–May 2 (transplant) Apr 18–May 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Mar 28–Apr 25 (sow outdoors) | Aug 26–Sep 9 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Jan 31–Feb 14 | Mar 28–Apr 11 (transplant) Mar 21–Apr 11 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Apr 11–25 (sow outdoors) | Aug 26–Sep 9 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Apr 11–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Mar 14–28 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Mar 14–28 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Mar 14–28 (transplant) | Aug 12–Sep 9 (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: Mcleansboro, IL (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00115515), elevation 446 ft, 6.3 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carmi 3, IL | 18 mi | Apr 15 | Oct 19 |
| Harrisburg, IL | 18 mi | Apr 7 | Oct 26 |
| Benton 2 N, IL | 23 mi | Apr 4 | Oct 28 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 11 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 62829
When is the last frost in 62829?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 62829 is April 11. For a more cautious planting date, use April 26, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 62829?
The average first fall freeze is October 21. In 1 year in 10 it comes by October 6.
What hardiness zone is 62829?
ZIP 62829 is in USDA zone 6b (-5 to 0°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 62829 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
62817 Broughton 62859 McLeansboro 62977 Raleigh 62930 Eldorado 62835 Enfield 62869 Norris City 62860 Macedonia 62935 Galatia
Other ZIP codes in Hamilton County
62817 62828 62859 All Hamilton County frost dates · Illinois frost dates
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Weekly yard timing, plus frost and soil-temperature alerts for your ZIP code.
- Freeze alerts
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- Weekly yard to-dos
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.