The USDA Zone info is a great tool for gardeners to help us estimate 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.

The best time to plant brussels sprouts in Chicago can be estimated by reviewing the USDA zone info.

Planting Calendar for Brussels Sprouts

Frost tolerance for brussels sprouts:	Tolerant of some frost.
When to plant:	Up to 5 weeks before last frost.

Brussels Sprouts do well in moderate cold which tells us that you can plant them just a bit earlier in the year than plants that are more sensitive to the cold.

The earliest that you can plant brussels sprouts in Chicago 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 brussels sprouts and expect a good harvest is probably September. Any later than that and your brussels sprouts may not have a chance to really do well. You can get started a little bit earlier by starting your brussels sprouts indoors.

Last Frost Date

On average the last frost is on April 15 in Chicago. You should expect an average low temperature of -10°F in the coldest months of winter.

Since the USDA zone info for Chicago is just an average the actual date of last frost can change quite a bit from year to year. Half of the time in Chicago you get a frost after April 15 so just be sure to be ready to cover your brussels sprouts in the event of a late frost.

USDA Zone Info for Chicago

Here is the info for USDA Zone 6a.

Average Date of Last Frost (spring)	April 15
Average Date of First Frost (fall)	October 15
Lowest Expected Low	-10°F
Highest Expected Low	-5°F

This means that on a really cold year, the coldest it will get is -10°F. On most years you should be prepared to experience lows near -5°F.

Plants to Grow in Chicago

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