When to plant cilantro / coriander in Chicago
Cilantro / Coriander 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 23 – 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
Aug 31 – Sep 25
Maturity window for the second sowing.
Window
Days to maturity
45 – 70 d
Chicago's 206-day season leaves this much room.
Cilantro / Coriander 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 cilantro / coriander outdoors in Chicago?
Direct-sow around early April (Apr 8–Apr 29) in Chicago, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 81%.
When will cilantro / coriander be ready to harvest in Chicago?
Expect to harvest from around late May (May 23–Jun 17) in Chicago, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 76%.
Can I plant cilantro / coriander in autumn in Chicago?
Yes — Chicago supports a second, autumn sowing of cilantro / coriander 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 cilantro / coriander to maturity outdoors.
The rule of thumb
Sow cilantro / coriander 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.