Frost dates for ZIP 61864 (Philo, 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, Champaign Willard AP, IL (8 miles away).
- Average last spring frostApr 1950% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostOct 1750% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)180 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone6a-10 to -5°F avg. coldest night
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This week in your yard
As of Oct 17, 2026, from your frost dates, zone and soil temperature. Lawn timing · Vegetables · Pruning · Plants
Soil temperature now
2-inch depth
56°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 56°F, as of Oct 17, 9:00 PM CDT
Measured at NOAA USCRN station Champaign 9 SW, 13 mi away. Daily averages: Wed 69°, Thu 67°, Fri 59°.
4-inch depth
58°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 59°F, as of Oct 17, 9:00 PM CDT
Measured at NOAA USCRN station Champaign 9 SW, 13 mi away. Daily averages: Wed 68°, Thu 67°, Fri 63°.
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 61864 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
Soil is 58°F at 4 inches. Fall pre-emergent (annual bluegrass, winter weeds): window open as soil cools through the 70s and 60s.
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 17: 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 6 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Apr 19 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | May 5 |
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 3 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Oct 17 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Oct 31 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Apr 30 | Oct 8 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Apr 19 | Oct 17 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Apr 8 | Oct 28 |
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 61864
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Apr 19) and first fall frost (Oct 17). 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 22–Mar 8 | Apr 26–May 10 (transplant) | – |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Feb 8–22 | May 3–17 (transplant) | – |
| Eggplant | Feb 8–22 | May 3–17 (transplant) | – |
| Tomatillo | Feb 22–Mar 8 | Apr 26–May 10 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Feb 22–Mar 8 | Mar 29–Apr 19 (transplant) Mar 22–May 3 (sow outdoors) | Aug 22–Sep 12 (transplant) Aug 8–Sep 5 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Mar 8–29 (sow outdoors) | Aug 22–Sep 12 (sowing) |
| Kale | Feb 22–Mar 8 | Mar 22–Apr 5 (transplant) Mar 22–Apr 5 (sow outdoors) | Jul 25–Aug 22 (transplant) Jul 11–Aug 8 (sowing) |
| Collards | Feb 22–Mar 8 | Mar 22–Apr 19 (transplant) Mar 22–Apr 19 (sow outdoors) | Jul 25–Aug 22 (transplant) Jul 11–Aug 8 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Feb 8–22 | Mar 22–Apr 5 (transplant) | Jul 11–Aug 8 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Feb 8–22 | Mar 22–Apr 5 (transplant) | Jul 11–Aug 8 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Feb 8–22 | Apr 5–19 (transplant) | Jul 11–Aug 8 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Jan 25–Feb 8 | Mar 22–Apr 5 (transplant) | Jun 27–Jul 18 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Feb 22–Mar 8 | Mar 22–Apr 5 (transplant) Mar 22–Apr 5 (sow outdoors) | Aug 8–22 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Mar 22–Apr 5 (sow outdoors) | Aug 22–Sep 5 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Mar 22–Apr 19 (sow outdoors) | Aug 22–Sep 19 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Mar 22–Apr 12 (sow outdoors) | Aug 22–Sep 5 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Mar 8–22 | Apr 5–26 (transplant) Apr 5–May 3 (sow outdoors) | Aug 8–22 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Mar 22–Apr 19 (sow outdoors) | Aug 8–22 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Mar 29–Apr 26 (sow outdoors) | Jul 25–Aug 8 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Mar 15–Apr 26 (sow outdoors) | Sep 5–19 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Mar 22–Apr 12 (sow outdoors) | Aug 8–22 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Mar 29–Apr 19 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Feb 22–Mar 22 (sow outdoors) | Jul 25–Aug 8 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Jan 25–Feb 8 | Mar 8–22 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Mar 8–Apr 5 (sow outdoors) | Aug 8–22 (sowing) |
| Leek | Jan 25–Feb 8 | Mar 22–Apr 5 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 5–Oct 3 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Mar 8–22 (transplant) | Sep 5–Oct 3 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Mar 22–Apr 5 (transplant) | Jun 27–Jul 11 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | May 10–24 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 26–May 10 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Apr 26–May 10 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, pole | – | Apr 26–May 10 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | May 3–17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | May 10–31 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Mar 22–29 | Apr 26–May 10 (transplant) Apr 26–May 10 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Mar 22–29 | Apr 26–May 10 (transplant) Apr 26–May 10 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Winter squash | Mar 22–29 | Apr 26–May 10 (transplant) Apr 26–May 10 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Apr 26–May 10 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Mar 22–29 | May 3–17 (transplant) May 3–17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Mar 22–29 | May 3–17 (transplant) May 3–17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Mar 8–22 | May 3–17 (transplant) May 3–17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Jan 25–Feb 8 | Apr 26–May 3 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Mar 8–22 | Apr 26–May 10 (transplant) Apr 26–May 10 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Apr 5–May 3 (sow outdoors) | Aug 22–Sep 5 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Feb 8–22 | Apr 5–19 (transplant) Mar 29–Apr 19 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Apr 19–May 3 (sow outdoors) | Aug 22–Sep 5 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Apr 19–May 3 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Mar 22–Apr 5 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Mar 22–Apr 5 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Mar 22–Apr 5 (transplant) | Aug 8–Sep 5 (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: Champaign Willard AP, IL (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USW00094870), elevation 754 ft, 8.0 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Champaign 3S, IL | 9 mi | Apr 15 | Oct 24 |
| Champaign 9 SW, IL | 13 mi | Apr 23 | Oct 13 |
| Ogden, IL | 14 mi | Apr 20 | Oct 21 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 8 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 61864
When is the last frost in 61864?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 61864 is April 19. For a more cautious planting date, use May 5, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 61864?
The average first fall freeze is October 17. In 1 year in 10 it comes by October 3.
What hardiness zone is 61864?
ZIP 61864 is in USDA zone 6a (-10 to -5°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 61864 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
61877 Sidney 61880 Tolono 61852 Longview 61956 Villa Grove 61874 Savoy 61863 Pesotum 61816 Broadlands 61801 Urbana
Other ZIP codes in Champaign County
60949 61801 61802 61815 61816 61820 61821 61822 61840 61843 61845 61847 61849 61851 61852 61853 61859 61862 61863 61866 61871 61872 61873 61874 All Champaign County frost dates · Illinois frost dates
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