Local planting guide · Midwest
zip 60693
Chicago is in USDA hardiness zone 6b, with average winter lows of -5°F to 0°F. The local growing season runs roughly 04/11 through 10/31 (~201 days). This zip falls within the Midwest growing region.
- USDA zone
- 6b -5°F to 0°F
- Last spring frost
- 04/11
- First fall frost
- 10/31
- Growing season
- 201 days
- Compatible crops
- 87
- Growing region
- Midwest
Right now in Chicago
Week 18 priorities
On the docket: transplant out after last frost · direct sow after last frost. See the full calendar →
Gardening in Chicago
Chicago sits in zone 6b, where winter lows typically reach -5 to 0°F. The 201-day growing season from late April through October allows a diverse range of hardy fruit trees to establish and produce. The last spring frost arrives around April 11, later than some northern zones but early enough to catch tender seedlings if planted too hastily. The first fall frost typically returns on October 31, giving summer crops a reliable window for maturity.
The city's dominant constraint is winter cold and the wind that sweeps across Lake Michigan and down the lakefront corridors. This extends the effective chill hours that fruit trees accumulate, which is actually an advantage for high-chill cultivars of apples, pears, and cherries. Hardy stone fruits and pome fruits thrive here in ways they cannot in warmer zones. Peaches remain marginal; Japanese plums are risky. European plums, sour cherries, apples, pears, and American persimmons are reliably productive. Summer brings humidity and occasional heat that can drive fungal issues in late July and August, particularly in urban areas where air circulation is limited.
Regional context · Midwest
What the Midwest brings to Chicago
Continental humid. Cold winters, hot humid summers. Heart of the country's vegetable, sweet corn, and cool-climate fruit production. Michigan and Wisconsin are major fruit states.
Common challenges
Issues that most often defeat home gardeners in zone 6b, drawn from the broader USDA zone profile.
- ▸ Cedar-apple rust
- ▸ Fire blight
- ▸ Stink bugs
What defeats new gardeners in Chicago
Late spring freezes pose the first risk. April 11 is late enough that new growth on fruit trees and tender vegetable seedlings often break dormancy prematurely, especially after a warm March spell. A hard frost in late April can strip newly leafed buds and set trees back weeks or kill that year's fruit crop. The second challenge is winter damage from temperature swings. Trees can experience sunscald on south-facing trunks when winter sunshine followed by subzero nights causes bark cracking. Young, thinly-barked trees can suffer significant dieback in harsh years. The third issue is fungal disease pressure in humid summers. Fire blight on pears can explode after warm, wet springs; apple scab thrives in high-humidity years; and powdery mildew becomes common on crowded trees in mid-summer heat.
Crops that grow in Chicago
87 crops from our catalog match zone 6b, grouped by type.
Tree fruit
12 crops
zone 6b Apple
Malus domestica
zones 3a–9a
zone 6b Pear
Pyrus communis
zones 4a–8b
zone 6b Peach
Prunus persica
zones 5a–9a
zone 6b European Plum
Prunus domestica
zones 4a–8a
zone 6b Japanese Plum
Prunus salicina
zones 5b–9a
zone 6b Sweet Cherry
Prunus avium
zones 5a–8a
zone 6b Sour Cherry
Prunus cerasus
zones 4a–7b
zone 6b American Persimmon
Diospyros virginiana
zones 4b–9a
Berries
20 crops
zone 6b Highbush Blueberry
Vaccinium corymbosum
zones 4a–7b
zone 6b Lowbush Blueberry
Vaccinium angustifolium
zones 3a–6b
zone 6b Red Raspberry
Rubus idaeus
zones 3b–8a
zone 6b Black Raspberry
Rubus occidentalis
zones 4a–8a
zone 6b Yellow Raspberry
Rubus idaeus
zones 3b–8a
zone 6b Blackberry
Rubus subgenus Rubus
zones 5a–9a
zone 6b June-Bearing Strawberry
Fragaria x ananassa
zones 3a–8b
zone 6b Everbearing Strawberry
Fragaria x ananassa
zones 3b–9a
Nuts
6 crops
Vegetables
40 crops
zone 6b Tomato
Solanum lycopersicum
zones 3a–10b
zone 6b Sweet Pepper
Capsicum annuum
zones 4a–10b
zone 6b Hot Pepper
Capsicum species
zones 4a–10b
zone 6b Eggplant
Solanum melongena
zones 5a–10b
zone 6b Potato
Solanum tuberosum
zones 3a–9a
zone 6b Cabbage
Brassica oleracea var. capitata
zones 3a–9b
zone 6b Broccoli
Brassica oleracea var. italica
zones 3a–9a
zone 6b Cauliflower
Brassica oleracea var. botrytis
zones 3b–9a
Herbs
9 crops
zone 6b Basil
Ocimum basilicum
zones 4a–10b
zone 6b Parsley
Petroselinum crispum
zones 3b–9b
zone 6b Cilantro / Coriander
Coriandrum sativum
zones 3b–9b
zone 6b Dill
Anethum graveolens
zones 3b–9a
zone 6b Oregano
Origanum vulgare
zones 4a–9b
zone 6b Thyme
Thymus vulgaris
zones 4a–9a
zone 6b Sage
Salvia officinalis
zones 4a–9a
zone 6b Mint
Mentha species
zones 3b–9b
Plan the year
Planting calendar for Chicago
Year-view of seed starting, transplanting, planting, pruning, fertilizing, harvest, and pest-watch windows tuned to Chicago's local frost dates.
Week ? · loading
This week in Chicago, IL (zone 6b)
Quiet week in Chicago, IL (zone 6b). this week is a good time to step back and plan ahead.
Nothing critical on the calendar this week.
434 bars · 87 crops
Calendar logic combines NOAA frost normals with crop-specific timing data. Local microclimate and weather always overrules the calendar; use this as a starting point.
Top pests for zone 6b
Ranked by how many crops in your zone they affect. Click through for IPM controls and signs to watch for.
Multiple species (Aphididae)
Small soft-bodied sap-sucking insects that reproduce explosively in spring. Excrete honeydew that supports sooty mold and attracts ants. Transmit viral diseases.
Odocoileus species
Whitetail and mule deer browse can devastate orchards and gardens, particularly in winter when food is scarce. Antler rub on young trunks kills saplings outright.
Multiple species
Robins, catbirds, mockingbirds, starlings, cedar waxwings and other songbirds can strip ripening berry and fruit crops in days. Crows and blackbirds also damage fresh sweet corn ears in milk stage. The single biggest yield-loss factor in unprotected home plantings.
Sylvilagus and Lepus species
Cottontails and jackrabbits strip bark from young fruit trees in winter and graze tender garden vegetables year-round, especially seedlings.
Popillia japonica
Defoliating beetle introduced to North America in 1916. Skeletonizes leaves of many fruit trees, berry canes, and pecan.
Multiple species (Chrysomelidae)
Tiny black or bronze jumping beetles that put hundreds of small holes in seedling leaves. Most damaging on direct-seeded brassicas and young eggplant.
Tetranychus urticae
Tiny mite that feeds on leaf undersides, causing stippling and webbing during hot dry weather.
Microtus species
Field voles and meadow voles girdle young fruit-tree trunks under snow cover during winter and chew root crops. The leading cause of mysterious orchard losses.
Top diseases for zone 6b
Ranked by how many crops in your zone they affect. Click through for symptoms, controls, and resistant varieties.
Botrytis cinerea
Ubiquitous fungal disease that causes fruit rot during cool wet weather, often the dominant berry disease in humid regions.
Pseudoperonospora cubensis (cucurbits) and others
Water mold (oomycete, not a true fungus) that thrives in cool damp conditions. Spreads rapidly through cucurbit and brassica plantings on wind-borne spores.
Pythium and Rhizoctonia species
Soil-borne complex of water molds and fungi that kill seedlings before or shortly after emergence. The single most common cause of seed-starting failures.
Cucumber mosaic virus, Tobacco mosaic virus, and others
Family of plant viruses producing mottled yellow-and-green leaf patterns. Vectored primarily by aphids; some are seed-transmitted or spread by handling tools and tobacco products.
Agrobacterium tumefaciens
Soil-borne bacterium that enters plants through wounds and induces tumor-like galls on roots, crown, and lower stems. Galls reduce vigor and shorten plant lifespan; on Rubus the disease is often fatal.
Fusarium oxysporum
Soil-borne fungal disease that plugs vascular tissue and kills affected plants. Persists in soil for many years; impossible to eliminate once established.
Sclerotium rolfsii
Soil-borne fungal disease most damaging in warm humid Southern conditions. White mycelial fans and small mustard-seed-sized sclerotia at the soil line are diagnostic.
Plasmodiophora brassicae
Soil-borne disease causing characteristic distorted club-shaped roots on brassicas. Persists in soil for 10-20 years; the dominant brassica pathogen in acidic poorly-drained soils.
Companion planting suggestions
Beneficial pairings drawn from companion data, filtered to crops that grow in zone 6b.
- Peach + Garlic
Garlic planted around peach trees suppresses peach borer and provides general fungal-pressure reduction.
- European Plum + Garlic
Garlic discourages plum curculio and provides general antifungal benefit beneath stone fruit.
- American Persimmon + Pawpaw
Both natives thrive in similar soils and contribute to a polyculture that supports native pollinators and fauna.
- Jujube + Thyme
Thyme groundcover suits jujube's low-water profile and deters cabbage moth and aphid populations.
- Apricot + Basil
Basil's volatile oils discourage stone-fruit pests and support pollinator visits.
- Highbush Blueberry + Thyme
Creeping thyme thrives in the acidic mulched conditions blueberries require and attracts pollinators during bloom.
Soil types reference
Soil texture and pH decide what grows easily on your specific lot. Find the closest match below for crop recommendations and amendment guidance.
Practical tips for Chicago
First, prioritize winter-hardy cultivars specifically rated for zone 6b rather than marginal varieties. Cold hardiness is the limiting factor in Chicago, and variety selection directly controls the risk of winter damage and tree loss. Second, time vegetable and tender plant outplanting for mid-to-late April, just after the April 11 frost date, but establish seedlings early enough that they grow before July heat. Third, maximize air drainage and site selection. Plant frost-sensitive crops on north-facing slopes where spring growth emerges later and avoids warm-up cycles. Avoid low pockets where cold air settles; choose higher ground with air movement to reduce both late-frost damage and summer fungal disease pressure.
Frequently asked questions
- What fruit trees grow most reliably in Chicago?
Apples, pears, sour cherries, European plums, and American persimmons thrive in zone 6b winters. Sweet cherries and peaches are possible but more marginal. Japanese plums often get winter-killed. The key is selecting cold-hardy cultivars specifically rated for zone 6b.
- When should I plant vegetable seedlings outdoors after the last frost?
Chicago's last frost typically arrives around April 11. Plant tender annuals like tomatoes, peppers, and squash in mid-to-late April once soil has warmed slightly. Waiting a week or two after April 11 reduces frost risk. Earlier sowings of cool-season crops like lettuce and peas can go in late March.
- How do I protect fruit trees from late spring frost damage?
Select cold-hardy, zone-rated varieties that resist budbreak in warm spells. Site trees on north-facing slopes where growth emerges later. For sensitive plantings, overhead sprinklers or row covers during frost alerts can protect flowers and new leaves. Avoid pruning in late winter, which stimulates tender growth.
- What's the biggest weather risk for gardeners in Chicago?
Winter damage from subzero lows and temperature swings is the binding constraint. The -5 to 0°F zone minimum tests the hardiness of marginal cultivars. Sunscald on young tree trunks and winter desiccation of evergreens are common. Select zone-rated varieties and site plantings carefully.
- How can I prevent fungal diseases on fruit trees in summer?
Chicago's humid summers favor fire blight, scab, and powdery mildew. Maximize air circulation by thinning crowded growth and planting in open sites. Avoid overhead watering; irrigate at soil level in early morning. Prune out diseased branches immediately. Disease-resistant cultivars like Liberty and Priscilla reduce fungicide needs.
- Is my 201-day growing season long enough for all crops?
Yes for temperate fruits and most vegetables. Late tomato, pepper, and squash varieties mature reliably before October 31. Melons and heat-loving cucurbits can be tight; choose short-season types. Frost dates allow a full cycle for root crops, brassicas, and leafy greens with succession planting.
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Frost data: NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020, station USW00014819. Local microclimates can shift these dates by a week or more.
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