Milton, IL 62352 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Milton, IL?
Around 04/14 is the usual last spring frost, about 229 days away. The first fall frost typically arrives around 10/21, about 189 frost-free days later.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts Milton in Zone 6a (-10 to -5°F average annual minimum); frost dates are NOAA's 1991-2020 station normal, not this year's forecast.
What to do before the first frost
About 8 weeks of growing season left in Milton before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
Why 04/14 isn't a guarantee
04/14 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 03/31 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 04/30 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Milton compares
Milton's growing season runs about 189 days, ranking 21,745 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within IL, it ranks 651 of 1,548.
Learn more
local microclimates covers what one yard in Milton can differ from the 62352 normal. zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 6a and Milton's frost date answer different questions.