Most gardeners in the Chicago area are now considered Zone 6a, due in part to the warming effects of Lake Michigan and long-term climate change.

It’s important to understand how average temperatures shift through the seasons and the preferred temperature range for specific crops in your climate zone.This post is mostly about the Chicago area (climate zones 5b and 6a). Use a planting calendar for your climate zone.

Many first-time kitchen gardeners think that spring is THE planting season - but there is still a lot of time left to plant throughout the summer.