When to plant in Iowa
Most of Iowa sees its last spring frost between Apr 20 and May 3, and its first fall frost between Oct 3 and Oct 19. The middle of the state is around April 27 and October 10: that's what the dates below use.
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Harvest | Plant for fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 23 | May 11 – May 25 | Jul 20 – Oct 10 | — |
| Pepper | Mar 9 | May 11 – May 25 | Jul 25 – Oct 10 | — |
| Cucumber | — | May 11 – May 25 | Jul 5 – Aug 23 | — |
| Zucchini / Summer squash | — | May 11 – May 25 | Jun 30 – Sep 8 | — |
| Winter squash | — | May 11 – May 25 | Aug 14 – Sep 18 | — |
| Green beans (bush) | — | May 10 – May 24 | Jul 4 – Aug 15 | — |
| Peas | — | Mar 16 – Mar 30 | May 15 – Jun 19 | Jul 21 – Aug 4 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 10 – May 24 | Jul 24 – Aug 21 | — |
| Lettuce | — | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | May 14 – Jun 25 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Spinach | — | Mar 16 – Mar 30 | Apr 25 – Jun 6 | Aug 31 – Sep 14 |
| Kale | Feb 16 | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | May 24 – Aug 16 | Aug 30 – Sep 13 |
| Broccoli | Feb 23 | Apr 6 – Apr 20 | Jun 5 – Jul 10 | Aug 4 – Aug 18 |
| Cabbage | Feb 16 | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | Jun 8 – Jul 13 | Aug 1 – Aug 15 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 6 – Apr 20 | Jun 15 – Jul 27 | Aug 1 – Aug 15 |
| Beet | — | Apr 6 – Apr 20 | May 31 – Jul 12 | Aug 9 – Aug 23 |
| Radish | — | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | Apr 17 – May 15 | Sep 1 – Sep 15 |
| Onion (sets) | — | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | Jul 1 – Aug 5 | — |
| Garlic | — | Oct 3 – Oct 24 (fall) | Jun 22 – Jul 13 next year | — |
| Potato | — | Apr 6 – Apr 20 | Jul 5 – Aug 9 | — |
| Sweet potato | Apr 6 | May 18 – Jun 1 | Aug 26 – Sep 23 | — |
| Watermelon | — | May 18 – Jun 1 | Aug 11 – Sep 15 | — |
| Basil | Mar 30 | May 11 – May 25 | Jun 10 – Sep 16 | — |
| Strawberry (June-bearing) | — | Apr 6 – Apr 20 | May 25 – Jun 22 (once established) | — |
| Sunflower | — | May 10 – May 24 | Jul 29 – Sep 2 | — |
Dates for a typical spot in Iowa. Colder and higher places plant later, warmer ones earlier: enter your ZIP code for yours, or see the calendar for your zone.
Frost dates around Iowa
| Place | Zone | Last frost | First frost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines | 5b | Apr 23 | Oct 15 |
| Cedar Rapids | 5a | Apr 28 | Oct 12 |
| Davenport | 5b | Apr 19 | Oct 22 |
| Sioux City | 5a | Apr 29 | Oct 7 |
| Iowa City | 5b | Apr 21 | Oct 18 |
| Dubuque | 5a | Apr 28 | Oct 11 |
| Ames | 5b | Apr 26 | Oct 8 |
| Waterloo | 5a | Apr 27 | Oct 10 |
| Clinton | 5b | Apr 22 | Oct 16 |
| Council Bluffs | 6a | Apr 18 | Oct 21 |
Average dates from the nearest NOAA weather stations (1991–2020). Click a place for its full planting calendar.