Frost dates for Des Moines, Iowa
In a typical year, Des Moines’s last spring frost lands around Apr 23 and the first fall frost around Oct 15, a growing season of about 175 days. These are odds drawn from 30-year NOAA climate normals, not a promise. USDA zone 5b.
| Odds | Last spring frost | First fall frost |
|---|---|---|
| 10 percent | Apr 8 | Sep 30 |
| 50 percent | Apr 23 | Oct 15 |
| 90 percent | May 6 | Oct 28 |
A 10 percent year is an early year, a 90 percent year a late one. Frost-sensitive planting usually waits for the 90 percent side of the last-frost band.
Soil in Des Moines is typically around 73°F at 4 inches this time of year, estimated from the last two weeks of normal air temperatures.
Plantable now in Des Moines
- Chinese cabbage (Bilko)
- Radish (Cherry Belle)
- Lettuce (Buttercrunch)
- Mustard greens (Red Giant)
- Arugula (Astro)
- Tatsoi (Tatsoi)
- Dill (Bouquet)
- Cilantro (Santo)
Timing comes from the same temperature engine the app uses, run against Des Moines’s normals for today.
Nearby cities
- Cedar Rapids, IA (around Apr 28 to Oct 12)
- Bellevue, NE (around Apr 17 to Oct 19)
- Omaha, NE (around Apr 18 to Oct 21)
- Davenport, IA (around Apr 23 to Oct 15)
- Sioux City, IA (around Apr 29 to Oct 7)
Row & Bed is a plant reference built around your garden: your zone, your frost dates, your forecast, and a cited page for every variety in your beds.
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