Calendars by city / IA
Des Moines, Iowa vegetable planting calendar
Planting windows for Des Moines, Iowa built from the NOAA 1991–2020 freeze normals at DES MOINES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, IA US (station USW00014933), not from a hardiness zone.
Des Moines, Iowa planting dates for 27 vegetables
The same windows as a table
Each row applies a published extension rule to the frost dates above. Hardy crops go out 2–4 weeks before the last frost; semi-hardy crops 0–2 weeks before; tender crops around the frost date; very tender crops 2 or more weeks after. The last fall planting date counts the crop's days to harvest back from the first fall frost. The rules and their sources are on the methodology page.
| Crop | Frost class | Start seeds indoors | Plant outdoors | Last fall planting | Days to harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beets | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 3 – Apr 17 | Aug 25 | 60 |
| Broccoli | Hardy | Jan 30 – Feb 27 | Transplant: Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Aug 27 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Cabbage | Hardy | Jan 30 – Feb 27 | Transplant: Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Aug 7 | 85 (from transplant) |
| Carrots | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 3 – Apr 17 | Aug 15 | 70 |
| Cauliflower | Semi-hardy | Feb 13 – Mar 13 | Transplant: Apr 3 – Apr 17 | Aug 20 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Sep 11 | 50 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Sep 1 | 60 |
| Onions (green) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Sep 1 | 60 |
| Onions (dry, from seed) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Jul 13 | 110 |
| Onions (dry, from sets) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Plant sets: Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Jul 13 | 110 |
| Parsnips | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 3 – Apr 17 | Aug 15 | 70 |
| Peas | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Aug 27 | 65 |
| Potatoes | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Plant seed potatoes: Apr 3 – Apr 17 | Jun 21 | 125 |
| Radishes | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Oct 1 | 30 |
| Spinach | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Sep 21 | 40 |
| Swiss chard | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 3 – Apr 17 | Aug 25 | 60 |
| Turnips | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Sep 11 | 50 |
| Snap beans | Tender | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 17 – Apr 24 | Aug 18 | 60 |
| Cantaloupe | Very tender | Apr 10 – May 1 | Direct sow (or transplant): May 1 – May 15 | Jul 24 | 85 |
| Sweet corn | Tender | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 17 – Apr 24 | Jul 19 | 60–90 |
| Cucumbers | Tender | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 17 – Apr 24 | Aug 23 | 55 |
| Eggplant | Very tender | Feb 27 – Apr 3 | Transplant: May 1 – May 15 | Aug 18 | 60 (from transplant) |
| Peppers | Very tender | Mar 6 – Apr 3 | Transplant: May 1 – May 15 | Aug 8 | 70 (from transplant) |
| Tomatoes | Very tender | Mar 13 – Apr 10 | Transplant: May 1 – May 15 | Aug 13 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Summer squash | Tender | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 17 – Apr 24 | Aug 28 | 50 |
| Winter squash | Very tender | Apr 10 – May 1 | Direct sow (or transplant): May 1 – May 15 | Jul 9 | 100 |
| Watermelon | Very tender | Apr 10 – May 1 | Direct sow (or transplant): May 1 – May 15 | Jul 24 | 85 |
What the Des Moines, Iowa frost-free season means for your choices
At 183 frost-free days, Des Moines, Iowa gardeners should compare that number to the days-to-harvest column before buying seed. A crop whose days to harvest plus its transplant age is close to the season length needs either an early start indoors or a short-season variety.
- Hardy crops (peas, spinach, radishes, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage) can go in from about Mar 20 – Apr 3 and again for fall.
- Very tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, melons, winter squash) should wait until May 1 – May 15; start tomato seeds indoors Mar 13 – Apr 10.
- Fall sowing is worthwhile only for the rows that show a separate fall date; for the others the spring window already covers the season.
Des Moines, IA planting questions
When is the last frost in Des Moines, Iowa?
The 50% probability date for the last spring 32°F reading at DES MOINES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, IA US is Apr 17, from the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals. In half the years on that record the last frost came later than that date, so tender crops are safer a week or two after it. The last 28°F hard freeze averages Apr 8.
When can I plant tomatoes in Des Moines, Iowa?
Tomatoes are a very tender crop, so the Colorado State Extension rule puts them out 2 or more weeks after the last spring frost: May 1 – May 15 in Des Moines, Iowa. Start the seeds indoors Mar 13 – Apr 10, which is 5 to 7 weeks before that transplant window.
How long is the growing season in Des Moines, Iowa?
Des Moines, Iowa averages 183 frost-free days, between the 50% last spring frost on Apr 17 and the 50% first fall frost on Oct 17 at DES MOINES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, IA US. Check a variety's days to harvest against that number before buying seed.
When should I start seeds indoors in Des Moines, Iowa?
The earliest indoor sowing on this calendar is broccoli and cabbage at Jan 30 – Feb 27. Hardy crops are transplanted out Mar 20 – Apr 3 here, and each crop's indoor window is simply its outdoor window minus the transplant age published by Colorado State Extension, so nothing starts earlier than that.
What can I plant in fall in Des Moines, Iowa?
The crops with a separate fall sowing here, latest first, are radishes, spinach, kohlrabi, turnips, lettuce (leaf) and onions (green), plus 21 more on the chart above. Each fall date counts the crop's days to harvest back from the first fall frost on Oct 17, plus an allowance for frost-tolerant crops that is our own assumption, not the source's.
Station data and limitations
| NOAA station | DES MOINES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, IA US (USW00014933) |
|---|---|
| Location | 41.5338, -93.653 · elevation 291.7 m |
| Last spring 32°F / 28°F (50%) | Apr 17 / Apr 8 |
| First fall 32°F / 28°F (50%) | Oct 17 / Oct 28 |
| Dataset | NOAA/NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, annual/seasonal product, data types ANN-TMIN-PRBLST/PRBFST-T32FP50 and T28FP50 |
| Retrieved | 2026-10-16 |
The normals describe the airport station, not your yard. They are averages of a 30-year record and say nothing about this year's weather. Watch the local forecast around the dates shown, and use soil temperature for warm-season crops, which the Colorado State guide treats as the better signal.
Nearby calendars
- Omaha, Nebraska — last spring frost Apr 21
- Kansas City, Missouri — last spring frost Apr 12
- Minneapolis–St. Paul, Minnesota — last spring frost Apr 25
- Madison, Wisconsin — last spring frost May 2
Read the method behind these dates: last frost date vs hardiness zone.