The USDA Zone info is a great tool for gardeners to help us determine your gardening schedule. The most important data that the zone info tells us is average last frost and the lowest expected temperature for your area.

In Champaign you can determine when to plant leeks by checking out the USDA zone info.

Planting Calendar for Leeks

Frost tolerance for leeks:	Very tolerant of frost.
When to plant:	Up to 7 weeks before last frost.

You can plant leeks earlier in the year because they do well in cold.

The earliest that you can plant leeks in Champaign is February. However, you really should wait until March if you don't want to take any chances.

The last month that you can plant leeks and expect a good harvest is probably September. You probably don't want to wait any later than that or else your leeks may not have a chance to fully mature. Starting your leeks indoors is a great way to get them started a few weeks earlier.

Last Frost Date

The average date of last frost is April 15 in Champaign. In the coldest months of winter you should expect an average low temperature of -15°F.

Since the USDA zone info for Champaign is an average the actual date of last frost changes from year to year. Half of the time in Champaign you get a frost after April 15 so always be ready to cover your leeks in the event of one of those late frosts.

USDA Zone Info for Champaign

Here is the info for USDA Zone 5b.

Average Date of Last Frost (spring)	April 15
Average Date of First Frost (fall)	October 15
Lowest Expected Low	-15°F
Highest Expected Low	-10°F

This means that on a really cold year, the coldest it will get is -15°F. On most years you should be prepared to experience lows near -10°F.

Plants to Grow in Champaign

You may be interested in your other planting guides for Champaign.