What to plant this week in Springfield, IL
With your last frost still averaging April 21, Springfield gardeners are officially in the transition phase where late spring cold snaps can still kill tender crops. This week marks a critical window to harden off transplants for warm-season veggies and begin harvesting those summer favorites that have just started ripening.
The next 7 days
Springfield, ILGrowing in Springfield right now
- Watch for sudden temperature dips below 50°F at night, which is common in our flat terrain before the heat fully sets in; cover sensitive seedlings with row covers immediately.
- Our local clay-loam soil gets sticky when wet from our spring rains, so avoid heavy tilling or foot traffic on garden beds right now to prevent compaction.
- Since we are past the peak frost risk but not yet in full summer humidity, this is the ideal time to plant garlic cloves for next fall's harvest before they go dormant.
- Start thinning your pole beans and bush beans if you planted them early last week, as the rapid growth spurt will quickly outpace available space.
Sow this week
No direct sowing windows open this week.
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
45 crops- Basil
- Borage
- Bush Bean
- Cantaloupe
- Celery
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Dahlia
- Edamame
- Fennel
- Flour Corn
- French Marigold
- Garden Verbena
- Garlic
- Ghost Pepper (Bhut Jolokia)
- Gourd (Ornamental/Bottle)
- Honeydew Melon
- Leek
- Lima Bean
- Lisianthus (Prairie Gentian)
- Loofah (Luffa)
- Malabar Spinach
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine
- Parsnip
- Pole Bean
- Potato
- Pumpkin
- Roselle (Cranberry Hibiscus)
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Summer Savory
- Sunflower
- Sweet Corn
- Sweet Potato
- Thai Basil
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Watermelon
- Winter Squash
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Seasonal tips
- Succession sow bush beans and sweet corn every two weeks for continuous harvests through summer.
- Pinch back the tips of basil and okra to encourage bushier growth rather than flowering too early.
- Add a thin layer of straw or shredded leaves around heavy feeders like pumpkins and squash to retain moisture.
Pest & disease watch
- Aphid colonies are forming on young bean leaves and cucumber vines; spray with strong water or introduce ladybugs to keep populations down before they bloom.
- Slugs thrive in our damp basements and crawl into gardens at night, so place beer traps around your zucchini and squash plants this week.
- Powdery mildew can hit early if the weather stays cool and humid; ensure good airflow between rows by pruning lower leaves on trellised cucumbers.
Watering this week
Provide about 1 to 2 inches of water per week, applying it deeply in the morning to reduce evaporation and disease risk.
Harvest zucchini and summer squash early in the day when they are most tender and flavorful for your table.
Springfield gardening questions
3Can I plant tomatoes now in Springfield?
No, wait until after May 10 when the soil warms above 60°F to avoid stunted growth from our lingering cool springs. Focus this week on starting indoors or buying hardened starts instead.
What should I do with my late blight on potatoes?
Remove and bag any infected leaves immediately to prevent spores from spreading through your hillside drainage patterns, then spray the remaining plants with copper fungicide every 7-10 days.
Is it too early to harvest zucchini?
Zucchini can be picked now if you see small fruits forming, but they will taste best when harvested between 6 and 8 inches long before the weather gets hot enough to trigger bitter compounds.
Other cities in zone 6a
12See the full zone 6a guide → · Plan your Springfield garden in SproutGuide →