GreenlyFrost dates and when to plant in Iowa
United States
In Iowa the last spring frost comes between 19 April (Des Moines) and 22 April (Cedar Rapids) — the median of 2016–2025 in 3 cities. The first autumn frost comes between 25 October (Cedar Rapids) and 30 October (Davenport). The frost-free season lasts 186–193 days. Tomato: plant out into open ground 30 April – 10 July, earliest in Des Moines, latest in Davenport.
Frost dates by city in Iowa
| City | Last spring frost | First autumn frost | Frost-free days | Climate zone | Tomato: window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines | 19 April | 27 October | 191 | 150–209 frost-free days | 30 April – 7 July |
| Davenport | 20 April | 30 October | 193 | 150–209 frost-free days | 2 May – 10 July |
| Cedar Rapids | 22 April | 25 October | 186 | 150–209 frost-free days | 11 May – 5 July |
Median of 2016–2025 for the 25 km grid cell of the city: the last day at or below 0 °C in spring and the first in autumn (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo). In a cold year a frost can come a week or two later — Greenly warns 48 hours ahead.
When to plant in Iowa: windows by crop
The earliest start and the latest end among the cities here, each with its city; every city’s own window is on its page. Each window starts on the Greenly calendar date and ends on the last day that still leaves the crop’s days to harvest (from its card) before the average first autumn frost, plus six weeks of picking for crops harvested over weeks (tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, cucumbers, courgettes, pumpkins, watermelons, beans) — our rule; earlier in the window is safer.
| Crop | Planting out or sowing |
|---|---|
| Tomato | 30 April (Des Moines) – 10 July (Davenport) |
| Cucumber | 17 May (Des Moines) – 15 August (Davenport) |
| Bell Pepper, Eggplant | 17 May (Des Moines) – 10 July (Davenport) |
| Zucchini | 17 May (Des Moines) – 13 August (Davenport) |
| Pumpkin | 17 May (Des Moines) – 5 July (Davenport) |
| Watermelon | 17 May (Des Moines) – 21 July (Davenport) |
| Peas | 29 March (Des Moines) – 17 August (Davenport) |
| Garlic, Tulip, Daffodil, Crocus, Hyacinth | Autumn planting: 25 September (Cedar Rapids) – 30 November (Davenport) |
Weather by month in Iowa
Across the 3 cities the warmest month is July (average days 28.6 … 30 °C) and the coldest January (average nights -10 … -8.3 °C). Every city averages below 0 °C at night in December–February.
| Month | Day, °C | Night, °C | Rain, mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | -1.5 … 0.1 °C | -10 … -8.3 °C | 47 |
| February | 1.8 … 3.5 °C | -8.3 … -6.3 °C | 38 |
| March | 9.9 … 11.2 °C | -0.5 … 0.6 °C | 80 |
| April | 15.4 … 16.6 °C | 4.4 … 5.3 °C | 92 |
| May | 21.9 … 22.6 °C | 11.1 … 12 °C | 115 |
| June | 28 … 29 °C | 17.5 … 18.3 °C | 114 |
| July | 28.6 … 30 °C | 19.2 … 20 °C | 84 |
| August | 27.6 … 28.9 °C | 18.1 … 19 °C | 86 |
| September | 25.2 … 26.4 °C | 15.2 … 16.1 °C | 81 |
| October | 17.6 … 18.5 °C | 8.1 … 9.2 °C | 94 |
| November | 9.1 … 10.3 °C | 0.4 … 1.6 °C | 49 |
| December | 2.7 … 3.9 °C | -5.5 … -4.2 °C | 45 |
Day and night: the lowest … highest monthly average among the cities; rain: the middle city (ERA5 via Open-Meteo).
What to plant month by month: the Northeast and Midwest
Other regions: United States
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More about the United States
- Gardening in the United States: climate zones and crops by region
- United States: frost dates by city
- When to plant tomatoes in the United States
- When to plant cucumbers in the United States
- When to plant bell peppers in the United States
- When to plant peas in the United States
- When to plant garlic in the United States
- Gardening by country
