Livingston County, in Illinois, sits in USDA hardiness zone 6a — enough range to grow cool-season vegetables, hardy fruit, and warm-season crops that mature before the first hard frost.
Growers here do well with sweet corn, tomato, pumpkin, and apple — with the usual caveat that any single yard's soil, sun, and drainage cast the deciding vote.
Grounded in USDA PHZM 2023 · Growable Ground suitability scoring · NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals
Livingston County holds more than one microclimate.
Soils and elevations shift across Livingston County, so your frost dates and drainage aren't the county average. Enter your address and we'll score 1,112 plants against your land's actual soil, sun, and frost.
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Quick Facts
USDA Zones
6a
Last Hard Freeze (28°F)
Mar 26
County normal — light frosts run a few weeks later
First Hard Freeze (28°F)
Nov 16
County normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier
County Area
668K acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Zone maps are averages across Livingston County. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.
Soil in Livingston County
Across Livingston County, the ground is predominantly Mollisols, where Ashkum, Bryce, and Chenoa are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally poorly drained with a silty clay loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 6.2–7.0, neutral. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group C/D soils.
Soil order
Mollisols
Drainage
Poorly drained
Prime farmland
40%
Hydric soils
52%
Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.
What Grows in Livingston County
Plants matched to Livingston County's USDA zones 6a — each links to its full growing profile.
Is it too late to plant in Livingston County?
Rarely: the season closes in stages, not all at once, and each stage has its crops. Cool-season crops can go in from around Feb 26; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Mar 26 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 16 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. A long window like this one runs successions deep into fall — and even its last weeks take quick greens and garlic.
Growing Challenges in Illinois
What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.
Heavy clay soils in northern IL drain poorly
A raised bed solves the standing-water problem in a weekend; fall compost keeps improving the clay beneath it.
Extreme temperature swings between summer and winter
Wide swings reward truly hardy varieties and a deep mulch blanket — insulation smooths what the weather won't.
Japanese beetles are a major garden pest
Hand-pick into soapy water early and often, and skip the traps (they attract more than they catch) — extension IPM guides have the rest.
For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Illinois, the University of Illinois Extension is the authoritative local source.
Safe to Grow Here?
What the federal record shows across Livingston County — and how to grow with it.
We checked the federal record across Livingston County — 335 documented sites across 7 of the 9 source types we track.
The most significant on record: 1 Superfund site. Sites tracked in EPA's Superfund program — from assessment-stage CERCLIS entries to confirmed National Priorities List cleanup sites.
There's a meaningful federal record across Livingston County — worth a look before you plant food, not a reason to hold back from growing. Proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis of any one yard. A soil test before new food beds is the sensible precaution here, and the map shows exactly which sites sit where, so you can see what's actually near you.
Sources: EPA, USGS — 1.8M documented sites tracked nationwide across 9 federal source types.
Environmental Intelligence
Understanding what's nearby helps you make informed decisions about where and how to grow.
Sources Checked
across Livingston County
Severity Distribution
across Livingston County
Highest-Severity Sites
A note from Gnorman
What an experienced grower watches for around here
In and around Livingston County, two things run higher than the national average — CAFO (13 sites) and PFAS (4 sites). It's not cause for alarm — it's worth knowing, and there's a sensible way to grow around it.
CAFO: CAFOs pose a different contamination profile than chemical sources.
PFAS: PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are called "forever chemicals" because they do not biodegrade.
Wash all produce consumed raw thoroughly, especially leafy greens grown near CAFOs.
Test irrigation water source — this is the primary pathway for PFAS to reach garden crops.
Check your specific parcel in Livingston County
Get exact proximity distances to contamination sources for your specific parcel — plus soil, sun, drainage, and 1,112 plant recommendations.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources analyzed in seconds
Your Specific Parcel Matters
Livingston County Average
- ●USDA Zones 6a
- ●Generic soil type for the area
- ●State-average frost dates
YOUR Parcel
- ✓Your exact hardiness zone
- ✓Your SSURGO soil type & pH
- ✓Your sun exposure, cast in 3D
See MY Growing Report
Read your parcel in Livingston County
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Livingston County, Illinois — soil, sun, drainage, frost risk, and scored plant recommendations.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources analyzed in seconds
Key Growing Facts for Livingston County, Illinois
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 6a (USDA PHZM 2023)
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Mar 26 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 16 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
- Days Between Hard Freezes: ~235 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
- County Land Area: 668K acres (US Census TIGER 2025)
Zone data: USDA ARS Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Climate data: NOAA NCEI. County boundaries: US Census TIGER/Line 2025.
Frost dates here are the Livingston County average. Low spots and tree cover move them by days on any one yard — see your exact frost windows.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zone is Livingston County, Illinois?
Livingston County sits in USDA hardiness zone 6a, per the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Zones reflect average annual extreme minimum temperatures from 1991–2020 weather data.
Is it too late to plant in Livingston County?
Rarely: the season closes in stages, not all at once, and each stage has its crops. Cool-season crops can go in from around Feb 26; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Mar 26 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 16 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. A long window like this one runs successions deep into fall — and even its last weeks take quick greens and garlic.
When does frost risk typically end in Livingston County?
The last hard freeze (28°F) in Livingston County typically lands around Mar 26, per NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals — an earlier marker than the light-frost dates many planting charts quote. That marks the hard freeze, not the last light frost — light frosts can still bite for a few more weeks, so tender transplants usually wait another 2–3 weeks.
How long is the growing season in Livingston County?
Measured between 28°F hard freezes, Livingston County sees about 235 frost-free days — roughly Mar 26 through Nov 16, per NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals. Tender crops get a somewhat shorter practical window, since lighter frosts reach a few weeks past the hard-freeze dates on both ends.
What vegetables grow in Livingston County?
Livingston County's zone 6a supports a wide range — strong performers include Sweet Corn, Tomato, Pumpkin, Apple, and Coneflower. What actually takes on any one site comes down to its soil, sun, and drainage, and we score each plant against the real conditions at your address.
Which hardiness zone is Livingston County, really?
Officially, Livingston County sits in USDA zone 6a (USDA PHZM 2023) — but a zone is a 30-year average of winter's coldest night across an area, and it can't see any one yard. A south-facing slope, a tree line, or a low frost pocket can shift a single site by half a zone either way, which is why neighboring gardeners often quote different numbers. We read the conditions at your exact address — soil, sun, slope, and frost — and score 1,112 plants against what's actually there.
Is the soil safe to grow vegetables in Livingston County?
The federal record around Livingston County is a meaningful one — 335 documented sites — so a soil test before new food beds is a sensible precaution here, not a reason to hold back from growing. Remember that proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis of any one yard; the contamination map shows exactly what sits where.
Just moved to Livingston County — what should I know before planting?
Start with three facts. Livingston County sits in USDA zone 6a, which sets what survives winter; the last 28°F hard freeze typically clears around Mar 26, with about 235 frost-free days to work with (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and 335 documented sites sit on the federal record here, so a soil test before food beds is the smart first step. From there, matching plants to your actual soil and sun is the fun part.
Everything on this page is a Livingston County average. Your yard writes its own version — we read soil, sun, drainage, and frost at your exact address. Try it for 14 days — no card required.
Will It Grow Here?
Zone fit is the first question — each answer below reads Illinois's frost window, season length, and soil profile against the plant's real requirements.