Fall in zone 5bPhoto: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 60073 (Round Lake, 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, Lake Villa 2NE, IL (6 miles away).
- Average last spring frostApr 2450% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostOct 2350% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)180 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 (52 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 (52 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 60073 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.
Your average first frost is Oct 23: 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) | Apr 11 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Apr 24 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | May 9 |
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 8 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Oct 23 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Nov 4 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | May 5 | Oct 11 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Apr 24 | Oct 23 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Apr 13 | Nov 3 |
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 60073
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Apr 24) and first fall frost (Oct 23). 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 27–Mar 13 | May 1–15 (transplant) | – |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Feb 13–27 | May 8–22 (transplant) | – |
| Eggplant | Feb 13–27 | May 8–22 (transplant) | – |
| Tomatillo | Feb 27–Mar 13 | May 1–15 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Feb 27–Mar 13 | Apr 3–24 (transplant) Mar 27–May 8 (sow outdoors) | Aug 28–Sep 18 (transplant) Aug 14–Sep 11 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Mar 13–Apr 3 (sow outdoors) | Aug 28–Sep 18 (sowing) |
| Kale | Feb 27–Mar 13 | Mar 27–Apr 10 (transplant) Mar 27–Apr 10 (sow outdoors) | Jul 31–Aug 28 (transplant) Jul 17–Aug 14 (sowing) |
| Collards | Feb 27–Mar 13 | Mar 27–Apr 24 (transplant) Mar 27–Apr 24 (sow outdoors) | Jul 31–Aug 28 (transplant) Jul 17–Aug 14 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Feb 13–27 | Mar 27–Apr 10 (transplant) | Jul 17–Aug 14 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Feb 13–27 | Mar 27–Apr 10 (transplant) | Jul 17–Aug 14 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Feb 13–27 | Apr 10–24 (transplant) | Jul 17–Aug 14 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Jan 30–Feb 13 | Mar 27–Apr 10 (transplant) | Jul 3–24 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Feb 27–Mar 13 | Mar 27–Apr 10 (transplant) Mar 27–Apr 10 (sow outdoors) | Aug 14–28 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Mar 27–Apr 10 (sow outdoors) | Aug 28–Sep 11 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Mar 27–Apr 24 (sow outdoors) | Aug 28–Sep 25 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Mar 27–Apr 17 (sow outdoors) | Aug 28–Sep 11 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Mar 13–27 | Apr 10–May 1 (transplant) Apr 10–May 8 (sow outdoors) | Aug 14–28 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Mar 27–Apr 24 (sow outdoors) | Aug 14–28 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Apr 3–May 1 (sow outdoors) | Jul 31–Aug 14 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Mar 20–May 1 (sow outdoors) | Sep 11–25 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Mar 27–Apr 17 (sow outdoors) | Aug 14–28 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Apr 3–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Feb 27–Mar 27 (sow outdoors) | Jul 31–Aug 14 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Jan 30–Feb 13 | Mar 13–27 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Mar 13–Apr 10 (sow outdoors) | Aug 14–28 (sowing) |
| Leek | Jan 30–Feb 13 | Mar 27–Apr 10 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 11–Oct 9 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Mar 13–27 (transplant) | Sep 11–Oct 9 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Mar 27–Apr 10 (transplant) | Jul 3–17 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | May 15–29 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 1–15 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | May 1–15 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, pole | – | May 1–15 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | May 8–22 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | May 15–Jun 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Mar 27–Apr 3 | May 1–15 (transplant) May 1–15 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Mar 27–Apr 3 | May 1–15 (transplant) May 1–15 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Winter squash | Mar 27–Apr 3 | May 1–15 (transplant) May 1–15 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | May 1–15 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Mar 27–Apr 3 | May 8–22 (transplant) May 8–22 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Mar 27–Apr 3 | May 8–22 (transplant) May 8–22 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Mar 13–27 | May 8–22 (transplant) May 8–22 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Jan 30–Feb 13 | May 1–8 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Mar 13–27 | May 1–15 (transplant) May 1–15 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Apr 10–May 8 (sow outdoors) | Aug 28–Sep 11 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Feb 13–27 | Apr 10–24 (transplant) Apr 3–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Apr 24–May 8 (sow outdoors) | Aug 28–Sep 11 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Apr 24–May 8 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Mar 27–Apr 10 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Mar 27–Apr 10 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Mar 27–Apr 10 (transplant) | Aug 14–Sep 11 (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: Lake Villa 2NE, IL (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00114837), elevation 840 ft, 5.7 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mundelein 4 WSW, IL | 7 mi | Apr 29 | Oct 20 |
| Mc Henry -wg Stratton L&d, IL | 8 mi | May 1 | Oct 11 |
| Antioch, IL | 9 mi | Apr 23 | Oct 21 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 9 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 60073
When is the last frost in 60073?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 60073 is April 24. For a more cautious planting date, use May 9, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 60073?
The average first fall freeze is October 23. In 1 year in 10 it comes by October 8.
What hardiness zone is 60073?
ZIP 60073 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 60073 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
60041 Fox Lake 60030 Grayslake 60020 Fox Lake 60046 Lake Villa 60051 Johnsburg 60084 Wauconda 60060 Mundelein 60042 Island Lake
Other ZIP codes in Lake County
60002 60015 60020 60030 60031 60035 60040 60041 60042 60044 60045 60046 60047 60048 60060 60061 60064 60069 60075 60083 60084 60085 60087 60088 All Lake 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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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.