Data: 2023 USDA zones (PRISM/OSU) · NOAA 1991–2020 normals · updated Oct 29, 2026

Planting zone for 60901 — Kankakee, IL

ZIP code 60901 (Kankakee, Kankakee County) is in USDA zone 5b: the coldest winter night averages −15 to −10 °F. The median last spring frost is April 19 and the first fall frost October 24.

Where ZIP 60901 is

Outlined: the ZIP code area · tap the map for the zone at any spot · scroll or pinch to zoom

Not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zones come from the 2023 USDA hardiness-zone data by the PRISM Group, Oregon State University; we re-mapped and recolored them. The official map is at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.

Zone5b−15 to −10 °F

Coldest night−26.1 to −23.3 °C

Last frostApr 19

First frostOct 24

2012 zone5b

Same zone as on the 2012 map. The zone is the one at the center of the ZIP code; hilly ZIPs can span two zones. What zone 5b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Kankakee, IL…

Forecast data: National Weather Service (api.weather.gov), public domain. This is not a warning service — for official frost and freeze warnings see weather.gov.

Frost dates in Kankakee, IL

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free

Last spring frostApril 19median — 50% chance of a later frost

Safe for tender plantsMay 3only 10% chance of frost after

First fall frostOctober 24median — 10% chance by Oct 12

Growing season188 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 6 and returns around November 4.

From the NOAA station Kankakee Metro Wastewater, IL — 2 miles away, elevation 600 ft. NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, 32 °F threshold. Low spots and valleys can freeze later in spring than the station.

When to plant vegetables in 60901

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

PeasSow outdoors · Mar 8 – Mar 22

SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 8 – Mar 29

Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 8 – Feb 22

Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 29 – Apr 12

Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 22 – Apr 5

PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 29 – Apr 12

LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 22 – Apr 5

Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 29 – Apr 12

TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 22 – Mar 8

TomatoesTransplant · Apr 26 – May 10

Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 8 – Feb 22

Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 3 – May 17

BeansSow outdoors · Apr 26 – May 10

Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 26 – May 10

Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 26 – May 10

Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 29 – Sep 12

GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 10 – Nov 14

Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 19) and first fall frost (Oct 24) with the rules of thumb U.S. extension services publish. Cool-season crops take a light frost; warm-season crops do best once the soil is above about 60 °F.

When spring arrived in 2026

In 2026, spring leaf-out near 60901 came on Mar 19 — 15 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 3).

average
Apr 32026
Mar 19

JanFebMarAprMayJun

The Spring Index marks the day when accumulated warmth is enough for lilac and honeysuckle to leaf out — a widely used signal that the growing season has started. Source: USA National Phenology Network, www.usanpn.org — Spring Indices, first leaf, 2026 (data as of 2026-09-08) and 30-year average 1991–2020 (CC BY 4.0).

Native plants for zone 5b in Illinois

584 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Illinois, and rated by the USDA to survive −15 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 5b. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Source: USDA, NRCS. 2026. The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov), National Plant Data Team — state distribution, native status and the “Temperature, Minimum” characteristic. Check light, moisture and soil needs before buying; local nurseries and your state native plant society can confirm what thrives in Kankakee, IL.

Soil in Kankakee, IL

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 60901 is Peotone — silty clay loam, very poorly drained.

TextureSilty clay loamholds water and nutrients; slow to drain and warm up

pH7.0neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0

DrainageVery poorly drainedconsider raised beds

Organic matter6.2%high

Hydrologic groupC/Dslow when drained; wet otherwise

Farmland classPrime farmland if drainedUSDA classification

Map unit: Peotone silty clay loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes.

Soil Survey Staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA. Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database, via Soil Data Access, accessed 2026-10-29. The soil at the center point of ZIP 60901; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Kankakee, IL

Summer high85 °Faverage high, July

Winter low16 °Faverage low, January

Hot days21days a year at 90 °F or more

Freezing nights129nights a year at 32 °F or less

Growing degree days3,373base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat

Longest day15 h 08 mindaylight on June 21

Shortest day9 h 13 mindaylight on December 21

Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)

Precipitation41.7 inper year, rain and melted snow

Snowfall21 inper year; 35 days with snow on the ground

Average high and low, by month

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Kankakee Metro Wastewater, IL (2 mi away); precipitation: Kankakee Metro Wastewater, IL (2 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 5b.

609155b

Bradley, IL · 3 mi

609145b

Bourbonnais, IL · 6 mi

609105b

Aroma Park, IL · 6 mi

Saint Anne, IL · 10 mi

609415b

Herscher, IL · 11 mi

Illinois planting zones →

Questions about 60901

What planting zone is ZIP code 60901?

ZIP code 60901 (Kankakee, IL) is in USDA hardiness zone 5b on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches −15 to −10 °F (−26.1 to −23.3 °C).

When is the last frost in Kankakee, IL?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 60901 is April 19; after May 3 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Kankakee Metro Wastewater station.

When is the first frost in Kankakee, IL?

The median first fall frost near 60901 is October 24, giving a median frost-free growing season of 188 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 60901?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Feb 22 – Mar 8 and set transplants outside around Apr 26 – May 10, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 60901 get?

About 41.7 inches of precipitation a year and 21 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Kankakee Metro Wastewater station).

How hot do summers get in Kankakee, IL?

The average high peaks at 85 °F in July, with about 21 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 60901 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Peotone at the center of ZIP 60901: silty clay loam, very poorly drained, pH about 7.0 (neutral).

Did spring come early in Kankakee, IL in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 60901 came on Mar 19 in 2026, 15 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 3), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Kankakee, IL?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 60901 is 15 h 08 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).