When to plant beet in Chicago
Beet is cold-hardy, so every date keys off Chicago's frost dates of Apr 10.
Step 1 · Sow
Direct sow outdoors
Apr 8 – Apr 29
Sow straight into warm, workable soil.
Step 2 · Harvest
Harvest window
May 28 – Jun 17
Picking runs until conditions turn against the crop.
Step 3 · Second sowing
Autumn / second sowing
Jul 10 – Jul 24
A second window for a fall crop, timed to mature before the first frost.
Step 4 · Second harvest
Autumn crop harvest
Sep 5 – Sep 25
Maturity window for the second sowing.
Window
Days to maturity
50 – 70 d
Chicago's 206-day season leaves this much room.
Beet on Chicago's growing year
Frost-bounded season with crops mapped onto the 12-month axis.
Frost risk Growing Harvest
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
FROST
FROST
APR 10
OCT 31
Common questions
When can I sow beet outdoors in Chicago?
Direct-sow around early April (Apr 8–Apr 29) in Chicago, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 81%.
When will beet be ready to harvest in Chicago?
Expect to harvest from around late May (May 28–Jun 17) in Chicago, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 76%.
Can I plant beet in autumn in Chicago?
Yes — Chicago supports a second, autumn sowing of beet around early July (Jul 10–Jul 24), timed to mature before the first fall frost.
How long is the growing season in Chicago?
Chicago has roughly 206 frost-free days, which is enough time to grow beet to maturity outdoors.
The rule of thumb
Sow beet as soon as the soil is workable — it tolerates cool weather and light frost. Every date on this page is derived from that rule and Chicago's frost dates.
Confidence 84/100 · Curated · based on NOAA GHCN-Daily 1991–2020 normal · frost dates are probabilities, not guarantees.