Hasnt hit here yet either (Chicago suburbs). I still have all me cannas impatiens and bannas!

No frost expected in the forecast here at least til november! Yay!

I shouldn't say this too loud, but I can remember years here in Kansas City when our first frost didn't come until the first week of November. Guess that's pretty soon now, but every day my impatiens are still there seems like a blessing.

The Botanical Garden says October 15-20 for a hard freeze? As in below 26 F or so? That seems a bit early to me. I usually rush to pick the last of my green tomatoes sometime in November. My chrysanthemums are in full bloom now and it is not usually frost that does them in but cold rains.

Hard to believe there hasn't been one in Chicago. We had one about 100 miles south. Totally hit all of our tomatoes and peppers.

Cheryl

I thought 10/15 was our average frost date, not hard freeze date. Though I can't seem to find the calendar on MOBOT's website....

You're right, Daisy Me. It's average first frost date of 10/15, although the last several years have been much delayed relative to the average.

Yeah I saw the low temperature maps and the cold blast seemed to go right through central illinois and into indiana so the southern areas got a frost. Keep in mind we are living amung an urban sprawl whether it be in the city or suburns in our case, the temps are usually maintained above freezing as oppose to the outlying areas. Not only vehicle related heat factors, but the cement surfaces and buildings release heat at night to keep the temps a few degrees higher, buildings and houses also block winds and the lake moderates our temps some what as well. Cities are big microclimates. Chicago is warmer than Peoria IL, and Urbana, and even Indianapolis even though it is much further north. When those cold fronts blow through they will go very far south, and just about everything behind the cold front will experience the same temps.

Sorry, I thought by first frost they meant the first hard freeze. I guess I was wrong. I am all new to this gardening thing so before this year, I didn't really pay attention to things like this...So I shouldn't expect one in St. Louis until early Nov.? Hey, the longer I can enjoy my flowers, the better!!

Say, I live 27 miles SW of St. Louis between Eureka and Pacific; our winter temperatures average 3 - 10 degrees colder than St. Louis. Last night, November 12, our thermometer hit a low of 25--coldest yet. My tommytoe tomatoe, a late summer volunteer survived it in my cold frame. Good luck to all you winter gardeners--Bun Bun

The lowest we've hit so far in SW IL (20 miles east of STL) is around 30. The tomatoes and peppers survived it just fine without protection (though I got ahead of myself and pulled the plants this weekend). I even still have Gaillardia and Daylilies blooming. :-)

Still mostly okay here just blocks north of Chicago, thanks to some combo of heat island and lake effect. A couple of the low-lying dahlias have been lightly nipped, but the tomatoes, castor bean, tender salvia etc. still look fine. The Austin rose looks downright happy. And with this warm, moist, cloudy weather, we're probably good for the rest of the week.