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

Planting zone for 62814 — Bluford, IL

ZIP code 62814 (Bluford, Jefferson County) is in USDA zone 6b: the coldest winter night averages −5 to 0 °F. The median last spring frost is April 11 and the first fall frost October 22.

Where ZIP 62814 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.

Zone6b−5 to 0 °F
Coldest night−20.6 to −17.8 °C
Last frostApr 11
First frostOct 22
2012 zone6a

Was 6a on the 2012 map — half a zone warmer now. The zone is the one at the center of the ZIP code; hilly ZIPs can span two zones. What zone 6b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Bluford, 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 Bluford, IL

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 11median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsApril 26only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 22median — 10% chance by Oct 9
Growing season193 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 1 and returns around November 1.

From the NOAA station Mt Vernon 3 Ne, IL — 7 miles away, elevation 489 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 62814

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Feb 28 – Mar 14
SpinachSow outdoors · Feb 28 – Mar 21
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Jan 31 – Feb 14
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 21 – Apr 4
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 14 – Mar 28
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 21 – Apr 4
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 14 – Mar 28
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 21 – Apr 4
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 14 – Feb 28
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 18 – May 2
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Jan 31 – Feb 14
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Apr 25 – May 9
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 18 – May 2
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 18 – May 2
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 18 – May 2
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 27 – Sep 10
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 8 – Nov 12
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 11) and first fall frost (Oct 22) 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 62814 came on Mar 6 — 11 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 17).

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 6b in Illinois

620 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Illinois, and rated by the USDA to survive −5 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 6b. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 80

American basswood100 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican beech80 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −44 °FAmerican chestnut115 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican elm120 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican sycamore100 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −34 °Farborvitae50 ft · blooms mid spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °F

Shrubs 108

alderleaf buckthorn3 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FAllegheny serviceberry35 ft · blooms early spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Falternateleaf dogwood25 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −47 °FAmerican black currant3 ft · blooms early spring · to −46 °FAmerican hazelnut10 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican holly40 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −20 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 222

alkali buttercup1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican bur-reed3 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican eelgrass1 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican licorice4 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican lotus3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −36 °FAmerican pokeweed7 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °F

Grasses 182

American beachgrass2.5 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °Farctic brome3 ft · blooms early summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °Fautumn bluegrass1.5 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °Fawlfruit sedge4 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FBailey's sedge2.1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −33 °Fbeaked sedge4 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Vines 11

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fcatbird grape30 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −13 °Fdevil's darning needles15 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Ffrost grape83 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −23 °Fgraybark grape50 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °Fheartleaf peppervine2 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −8 °F

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 Bluford, IL.

Soil in Bluford, IL

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 62814 is Ava — silt loam, moderately well drained.

TextureSilt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH6.3slightly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageModerately well drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter2%moderate
Hydrologic groupCwater soaks in slowly
Farmland classprime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Ava silt loam, 2 to 5 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 62814; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Bluford, IL

Summer high86 °Faverage high, July
Winter low22 °Faverage low, January
Hot days21days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights108nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,832base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 51 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 29 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation45 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall10 inper year; 11 days with snow on the ground

Average high and low, by month

10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 39 °F, low 22 °F 39°22° JanFebruary: average high 44 °F, low 25 °F 44°25° FebMarch: average high 54 °F, low 34 °F 54°34° MarApril: average high 65 °F, low 44 °F 65°44° AprMay: average high 74 °F, low 55 °F 74°55° MayJune: average high 82 °F, low 64 °F 82°64° JunJuly: average high 86 °F, low 67 °F 86°67° JulAugust: average high 85 °F, low 65 °F 85°65° AugSeptember: average high 79 °F, low 57 °F 79°57° SepOctober: average high 68 °F, low 45 °F 68°45° OctNovember: average high 54 °F, low 34 °F 54°34° NovDecember: average high 43 °F, low 26 °F 43°26° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 2.60 in precipitation, 3.2 in snowfall 2.6❄3 JanFebruary: 2.62 in precipitation, 3.1 in snowfall 2.6❄3 FebMarch: 4.00 in precipitation, 1 in snowfall 4.0❄1 MarApril: 4.96 in precipitation 5.0 AprMay: 5.06 in precipitation 5.1 MayJune: 4.84 in precipitation 4.8 JunJuly: 3.78 in precipitation 3.8 JulAugust: 3.33 in precipitation 3.3 AugSeptember: 3.37 in precipitation 3.4 SepOctober: 3.53 in precipitation, 0.2 in snowfall 3.5 OctNovember: 3.99 in precipitation, 0.4 in snowfall 4.0 NovDecember: 2.89 in precipitation, 2.5 in snowfall 2.9❄3 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Mt Vernon 3 Ne, IL (7 mi away); precipitation: Mt Vernon 3 Ne, IL (7 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 6b.

628516b
Keenes, IL · 5 mi
628896b
Texico, IL · 7 mi
628726b
Opdyke, IL · 8 mi
628646b
Mount Vernon, IL · 10 mi
628866b
Sims, IL · 11 mi
628956b
Wayne City, IL · 11 mi
628506b
Johnsonville, IL · 11 mi
628106b
Belle Rive, IL · 12 mi

Illinois planting zones →

Questions about 62814

What planting zone is ZIP code 62814?

ZIP code 62814 (Bluford, IL) is in USDA hardiness zone 6b on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches −5 to 0 °F (−20.6 to −17.8 °C).

When is the last frost in Bluford, IL?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 62814 is April 11; after April 26 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Mt Vernon 3 Ne station.

When is the first frost in Bluford, IL?

The median first fall frost near 62814 is October 22, giving a median frost-free growing season of 193 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 62814?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Feb 14 – Feb 28 and set transplants outside around Apr 18 – May 2, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 62814 get?

About 45 inches of precipitation a year and 10 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Mt Vernon 3 Ne station).

How hot do summers get in Bluford, IL?

The average high peaks at 86 °F in July, with about 21 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 62814 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Ava at the center of ZIP 62814: silt loam, moderately well drained, pH about 6.3 (slightly acidic).

Did spring come early in Bluford, IL in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 62814 came on Mar 6 in 2026, 11 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 17), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Bluford, IL?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 62814 is 14 h 51 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.

Did the zone for 62814 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 62814 in zone 6a; the 2023 map puts it in zone 6b. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.