Iowa Planting Calendar
Iowa spans USDA hardiness zones 4b, 5a, 5b. Planting dates vary significantly across the state depending on your zone. Find your county on the map below for exact frost dates and planting windows.
Find Your County
Click any county to see your local planting calendar with exact frost dates and planting windows.
Hover over a county to see details. Click to view planting guide.
Zones in Iowa
Zone 4b
Winter low: -25 to -20°F
155
Growing Days
May 1
Last Frost
Oct 3
First Frost
1
Counties
Zone 5a
Winter low: -20 to -15°F
166
Growing Days
Apr 25
Last Frost
Oct 8
First Frost
57
Counties
Zone 5b
Winter low: -15 to -10°F
178
Growing Days
Apr 18
Last Frost
Oct 13
First Frost
39
Counties
Zone 6a
Winter low: -10 to -5°F
193
Growing Days
Apr 10
Last Frost
Oct 20
First Frost
2
Counties
Growing Season Comparison
Growing Season by Zone
Zone 1a
Jun 15 – Aug 15
Zone 1b
Jun 7 – Aug 25
Zone 2a
May 30 – Sep 1
Zone 2b
May 22 – Sep 10
Zone 3a
May 15 – Sep 15
Zone 4a
May 6 – Sep 28
Zone 5a
Apr 25 – Oct 8
Zone 5b
Apr 18 – Oct 13
Zone 6a
Apr 10 – Oct 20
Zone 6b
Apr 3 – Oct 25
Zone 7a
Mar 25 – Nov 1
Zone 7b
Mar 18 – Nov 8
Zone 8a
Mar 8 – Nov 18
Zone 8b
Feb 25 – Nov 28
Zone 9a
Feb 10 – Dec 10
Zone 10a
Jan 1 – Dec 31
0
90
180
270
365 days
Frost Dates & Growing Season by County
View all 99 Iowa counties with frost dates
| County | Zone | Last Frost | First Frost | Growing Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adair County | 5b | Apr 24 | Oct 9 | 168 |
| Adams County | 5b | Apr 24 | Oct 11 | 170 |
| Allamakee County | 5a | May 2 | Oct 7 | 158 |
| Appanoose County | 5b | Apr 20 | Oct 16 | 179 |
| Audubon County | 5a | Apr 28 | Oct 3 | 158 |
| Benton County | 5a | Apr 28 | Oct 9 | 164 |
| Black Hawk County | 5a | Apr 29 | Oct 7 | 161 |
| Boone County | 5a | Apr 28 | Oct 6 | 161 |
| Bremer County | 5a | Apr 30 | Oct 7 | 160 |
| Buchanan County | 5a | May 2 | Oct 7 | 158 |
| Buena Vista County | 5a | Apr 25 | Oct 10 | 168 |
| Butler County | 5a | Apr 30 | Oct 7 | 160 |
| Calhoun County | 5a | Apr 25 | Oct 6 | 164 |
| Carroll County | 5a | Apr 27 | Oct 5 | 161 |
| Cass County | 5b | Apr 25 | Oct 9 | 167 |
| Cedar County | 5a | Apr 17 | Oct 16 | 182 |
| Cerro Gordo County | 5a | May 1 | Oct 7 | 159 |
| Cherokee County | 5a | Apr 28 | Oct 6 | 161 |
| Chickasaw County | 5a | May 3 | Oct 5 | 155 |
| Clarke County | 5b | Apr 24 | Oct 11 | 170 |
| Clay County | 5a | Apr 24 | Oct 11 | 170 |
| Clayton County | 5a | Apr 30 | Oct 7 | 160 |
| Clinton County | 5a | Apr 17 | Oct 16 | 182 |
| Crawford County | 5a | Apr 27 | Oct 5 | 161 |
| Dallas County | 5b | Apr 24 | Oct 9 | 168 |
| Davis County | 5b | Apr 19 | Oct 16 | 180 |
| Decatur County | 5b | Apr 23 | Oct 12 | 172 |
| Delaware County | 5a | May 2 | Oct 7 | 158 |
| Des Moines County | 6a | Apr 17 | Oct 16 | 182 |
| Dickinson County | 5a | Apr 30 | Oct 6 | 159 |
| Dubuque County | 5a | Apr 29 | Oct 9 | 163 |
| Emmet County | 5a | Apr 27 | Oct 8 | 164 |
| Fayette County | 5a | May 5 | Oct 5 | 153 |
| Floyd County | 5a | May 1 | Oct 7 | 159 |
| Franklin County | 5a | Apr 30 | Oct 7 | 160 |
| Fremont County | 5b | Apr 24 | Oct 10 | 169 |
| Greene County | 5a | Apr 27 | Oct 5 | 161 |
| Grundy County | 5a | Apr 28 | Oct 9 | 164 |
| Guthrie County | 5a | Apr 26 | Oct 6 | 163 |
| Hamilton County | 5a | May 1 | Oct 7 | 159 |
| Hancock County | 5a | Apr 29 | Oct 7 | 161 |
| Hardin County | 5a | Apr 28 | Oct 9 | 164 |
| Harrison County | 5b | Apr 24 | Oct 10 | 169 |
| Henry County | 5b | Apr 21 | Oct 14 | 176 |
| Howard County | 4b | May 4 | Oct 5 | 154 |
| Humboldt County | 5a | Apr 29 | Oct 6 | 160 |
| Ida County | 5a | Apr 25 | Oct 8 | 166 |
| Iowa County | 5b | Apr 25 | Oct 11 | 169 |
| Jackson County | 5a | Apr 17 | Oct 16 | 182 |
| Jasper County | 5b | May 2 | Oct 7 | 158 |
| Jefferson County | 5b | Apr 21 | Oct 14 | 176 |
| Johnson County | 5b | Apr 24 | Oct 11 | 170 |
| Jones County | 5a | Apr 25 | Oct 11 | 169 |
| Keokuk County | 5b | Apr 23 | Oct 12 | 172 |
| Kossuth County | 5a | Apr 27 | Oct 6 | 162 |
| Lee County | 6a | Apr 16 | Oct 18 | 185 |
| Linn County | 5a | Apr 25 | Oct 11 | 169 |
| Louisa County | 5b | Apr 16 | Oct 16 | 183 |
| Lucas County | 5b | Apr 21 | Oct 13 | 175 |
| Lyon County | 5a | May 2 | Oct 2 | 153 |
| Madison County | 5b | Apr 24 | Oct 11 | 170 |
| Mahaska County | 5b | Apr 27 | Oct 9 | 165 |
| Marion County | 5b | May 1 | Oct 7 | 159 |
| Marshall County | 5a | May 2 | Oct 7 | 158 |
| Mills County | 5b | Apr 26 | Oct 7 | 164 |
| Mitchell County | 5a | May 3 | Oct 7 | 157 |
| Monona County | 5a | Apr 26 | Oct 10 | 167 |
| Monroe County | 5b | Apr 26 | Oct 13 | 170 |
| Montgomery County | 5b | Apr 26 | Oct 7 | 164 |
| Muscatine County | 5b | Apr 17 | Oct 16 | 182 |
| O'Brien County | 5a | May 1 | Oct 5 | 157 |
| Osceola County | 5a | May 1 | Oct 5 | 157 |
| Page County | 5b | Apr 21 | Oct 13 | 175 |
| Palo Alto County | 5a | Apr 27 | Oct 8 | 164 |
| Plymouth County | 5a | Apr 30 | Oct 6 | 159 |
| Pocahontas County | 5a | Apr 25 | Oct 10 | 168 |
| Polk County | 5b | May 2 | Oct 7 | 158 |
| Pottawattamie County | 5b | Apr 30 | Oct 3 | 156 |
| Poweshiek County | 5b | May 2 | Oct 7 | 158 |
| Ringgold County | 5b | Apr 23 | Oct 11 | 171 |
| Sac County | 5a | Apr 25 | Oct 8 | 166 |
| Scott County | 5b | Apr 15 | Oct 17 | 185 |
| Shelby County | 5a | Apr 30 | Oct 3 | 156 |
| Sioux County | 5a | May 1 | Oct 3 | 155 |
| Story County | 5b | Apr 30 | Oct 7 | 160 |
| Tama County | 5a | Apr 28 | Oct 8 | 163 |
| Taylor County | 5b | Apr 24 | Oct 11 | 170 |
| Union County | 5b | Apr 23 | Oct 11 | 171 |
| Van Buren County | 5b | Apr 16 | Oct 18 | 185 |
| Wapello County | 5b | Apr 21 | Oct 14 | 176 |
| Warren County | 5b | Apr 26 | Oct 9 | 166 |
| Washington County | 5b | Apr 21 | Oct 14 | 176 |
| Wayne County | 5b | Apr 26 | Oct 13 | 170 |
| Webster County | 5a | Apr 28 | Oct 6 | 161 |
| Winnebago County | 5a | Apr 28 | Oct 6 | 161 |
| Winneshiek County | 5a | May 3 | Oct 6 | 156 |
| Woodbury County | 5a | Apr 26 | Oct 6 | 163 |
| Worth County | 5a | Apr 30 | Oct 7 | 160 |
| Wright County | 5a | May 1 | Oct 7 | 159 |
🥬 Vegetables
Browse all 116 vegetables you can grow in Iowa
- Acorn Squash
- Amaranth
- Artichoke
- Arugula
- Asparagus
- Beets
- Belgian Endive
- Bitter Melon
- Black Beans
- Bok Choy
- Broccoli
- Broccoli Rabe
- Brussels Sprouts
- Butternut Squash
- Cabbage
- Calabash
- Cardoon
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Celeriac
- Celery
- Celtuce
- Chard
- Chayote
- Chickpeas
- Chicory
- Chinese Cabbage
- Christmas Lima Beans
- Collard Greens
- Corn
- Cowpeas
- Cress
- Crookneck Squash
- Crosne
- Cucumber
- Daikon
- Delicata Squash
- Edamame
- Eggplant
- Endive
- Escarole
- Fava Beans
- Fennel
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Green Beans
- Horseradish
- Hot Peppers
- Hubbard Squash
- Jicama
- Kabocha
- Kai Lan
- Kale
- Kidney Beans
- Kohlrabi
- Komatsuna
- Leeks
- Lentils
- Lettuce
- Lima Beans
- Loofah
- Luffa
- Mache
- Malabar Spinach
- Melon
- Microgreens
- Mitsuba
- Mizuna
- Mustard Greens
- Napa Cabbage
- New Zealand Spinach
- Okra
- Onion
- Pac Choi
- Parsnip
- Patty Pan Squash
- Peas
- Peppers
- Pole Beans
- Potatoes
- Pumpkin
- Purslane
- Radicchio
- Radish
- Rhubarb
- Romanesco
- Rutabaga
- Salsify
- Savoy Cabbage
- Scallions
- Scarlet Runner Beans
- Shallot
- Shiso
- Snap Peas
- Snow Peas
- Soybeans
- Spaghetti Squash
- Spinach
- Squash (Summer)
- Squash (Winter)
- Sunchoke
- Sunflower
- Sweet Corn
- Sweet Potatoes
- Tatsoi
- Tomatillo
- Tomatoes
- Turmeric
- Turnip
- Watercress
- Watermelon
- Wax Beans
- Winter Melon
- Yam
- Yard Long Beans
- Zucchini
🍓 Fruits
Browse all 34 fruits you can grow in Iowa
- Alpine Strawberries
- Aronia
- Blackberries
- Blueberries
- Boysenberries
- Cantaloupe
- Che Fruit
- Cranberries
- Currants
- Dragon Fruit
- Elderberries
- Figs
- Goji Berries
- Gooseberries
- Grapes
- Ground Cherry
- Guava
- Hardy Kiwi
- Haskaps
- Honeydew
- Jostaberry
- Kiwi
- Lingonberries
- Loquat
- Medlar
- Mulberries
- Passion Fruit
- Pawpaw
- Persimmon
- Pomegranate
- Quince
- Raspberries
- Serviceberries
- Strawberries
🌿 Herbs
Browse all 42 herbs you can grow in Iowa
- Angelica
- Anise
- Basil
- Bee Balm
- Borage
- Caraway
- Catnip
- Chamomile
- Chervil
- Chives
- Cilantro
- Comfrey
- Cumin
- Dill
- Echinacea
- Epazote
- Fennel (herb)
- Feverfew
- Garlic Chives
- Horehound
- Hyssop
- Lavender
- Lemon Balm
- Lemon Thyme
- Lemon Verbena
- Lemongrass
- Lovage
- Marjoram
- Mint
- Oregano
- Parsley
- Rosemary
- Rue
- Sage
- Savory
- Sorrel
- Stevia
- Tarragon
- Thai Basil
- Thyme
- Valerian
- Yarrow
Monthly Planting Guide for Iowa
The Gardener's Encyclopedia to Companion Planting
$27
$293 value
The pairings that make vegetables, herbs, and flowers grow better — and the ones that quietly wreck a bed.
- Proven pairings for 200+ vegetables, herbs, flowers, and fruits
- Full seed-starting + planting schedule with timing and spacing
- Bonus: square-foot gardening guide + printable seasonal planners