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

Planting zone for 62853 — Kell, IL

ZIP code 62853 (Kell, Marion County) is in USDA zone 6b: the coldest winter night averages −5 to 0 °F. The median last spring frost is April 9 and the first fall frost October 24.

Where ZIP 62853 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 9
First frostOct 24
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 Kell, 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 Kell, IL

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 9median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsApril 25only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 24median — 10% chance by Oct 10
Growing season196 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around March 30 and returns around November 2.

From the NOAA station Iuka 12 Sw, IL — 4 miles away, elevation 591 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 62853

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Feb 26 – Mar 12
SpinachSow outdoors · Feb 26 – Mar 19
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Jan 29 – Feb 12
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 19 – Apr 2
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 12 – Mar 26
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 19 – Apr 2
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 12 – Mar 26
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 19 – Apr 2
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 12 – Feb 26
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 16 – Apr 30
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Jan 29 – Feb 12
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Apr 23 – May 7
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 16 – Apr 30
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 16 – Apr 30
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 16 – Apr 30
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 9) 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 62853 came on Mar 6 — 12 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 18).

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 Kell, IL.

Soil in Kell, IL

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 62853 is Cisne — silt loam, poorly drained.

TextureSilt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH5.8moderately acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainagePoorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter1.75%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupC/Dslow when drained; wet otherwise
Farmland classPrime farmland if drainedUSDA classification

Map unit: Cisne silt 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 62853; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Kell, IL

Summer high88 °Faverage high, July
Winter low21 °Faverage low, January
Hot days33days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights109nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,921base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 51 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 28 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation44.7 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall12 inper year; 16 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 21 °F 39°21° JanFebruary: average high 44 °F, low 24 °F 44°24° FebMarch: average high 54 °F, low 33 °F 54°33° MarApril: average high 66 °F, low 44 °F 66°44° AprMay: average high 75 °F, low 54 °F 75°54° MayJune: average high 84 °F, low 62 °F 84°62° JunJuly: average high 88 °F, low 66 °F 88°66° JulAugust: average high 87 °F, low 64 °F 87°64° AugSeptember: average high 81 °F, low 56 °F 81°56° SepOctober: average high 69 °F, low 45 °F 69°45° OctNovember: average high 55 °F, low 34 °F 55°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: 2.87 in precipitation, 3.4 in snowfall 2.9❄3 JanFebruary: 2.58 in precipitation, 4.5 in snowfall 2.6❄5 FebMarch: 3.90 in precipitation, 0.5 in snowfall 3.9❄1 MarApril: 4.81 in precipitation 4.8 AprMay: 5.20 in precipitation 5.2 MayJune: 4.08 in precipitation 4.1 JunJuly: 3.85 in precipitation 3.9 JulAugust: 3.54 in precipitation 3.5 AugSeptember: 3.29 in precipitation 3.3 SepOctober: 3.45 in precipitation 3.5 OctNovember: 4.09 in precipitation, 0.4 in snowfall 4.1 NovDecember: 3.02 in precipitation, 3.2 in snowfall 3.0❄3 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Iuka 12 Sw, IL (4 mi away); precipitation: Iuka 12 Sw, IL (4 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 6b.

628306b
Dix, IL · 6 mi
628896b
Texico, IL · 6 mi
628936b
Walnut Hill, IL · 7 mi
628816b
Salem, IL · 9 mi
628496b
Iuka, IL · 9 mi
628706b
Odin, IL · 11 mi
628016b
Centralia, IL · 12 mi
628646b
Mount Vernon, IL · 13 mi

Illinois planting zones →

Questions about 62853

What planting zone is ZIP code 62853?

ZIP code 62853 (Kell, 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 Kell, IL?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 62853 is April 9; after April 25 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Iuka 12 Sw station.

When is the first frost in Kell, IL?

The median first fall frost near 62853 is October 24, giving a median frost-free growing season of 196 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 62853?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Feb 12 – Feb 26 and set transplants outside around Apr 16 – Apr 30, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 62853 get?

About 44.7 inches of precipitation a year and 12 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Iuka 12 Sw station).

How hot do summers get in Kell, IL?

The average high peaks at 88 °F in July, with about 33 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 62853 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Cisne at the center of ZIP 62853: silt loam, poorly drained, pH about 5.8 (moderately acidic).

Did spring come early in Kell, IL in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 62853 came on Mar 6 in 2026, 12 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 18), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Kell, IL?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 62853 is 14 h 51 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.

Did the zone for 62853 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 62853 in zone 6a; the 2023 map puts it in zone 6b. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.