Planting windows for Joliet
Computed from Joliet's own frost dates. Click any crop for the full zone-5 growing guide — varieties, spacing, fall plantings, and more.
| Crop | Start seeds indoors | Transplant | Direct sow |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🍅 Tomatoes | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | Jun 5 – Jun 12 | — |
| 🫑 Peppers | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Jun 12 – Jun 19 | — |
| 🥬 Lettuce | Apr 17 – May 1 | May 1 – May 15 | May 1 – May 29 |
| 🫛 Peas | — | — | Apr 17 – May 1 |
| 🥕 Carrots | — | — | May 8 – May 29 |
| 🥦 Broccoli | Apr 10 – Apr 24 | May 8 – May 22 | — |
| 🥬 Kale | Apr 17 – May 1 | May 1 – May 15 | May 1 – May 15 |
| 🥒 Cucumbers | May 1 – May 8 | Jun 5 – Jun 12 | Jun 5 – Jun 12 |
| 🥒 Zucchini | May 1 – May 8 | Jun 5 – Jun 12 | Jun 5 – Jun 12 |
| 🫘 Green Beans (Bush) | — | — | Jun 5 – Jun 12 |
| 🌽 Sweet Corn | — | — | Jun 5 – Jun 12 |
| 🌿 Basil | Apr 17 – May 1 | Jun 5 – Jun 12 | Jun 12 – Jun 19 |
| 🧄 Garlic | — | — | Fall: Aug 4 – Sep 1 |
Want this for all 50 crops, or as a printable seed-shelf schedule? Use the planting calendar and the seed starting scheduler — both can use Joliet's dates automatically after a lookup.
Reading the season in Joliet
At about 109 frost-free days, Joliet rewards efficiency: start warm-season crops indoors, favor short-season varieties, and lean on cold-tolerant crops — peas, kale, roots — that shrug off the shoulder-season frosts on either end.