In the garden now (2 November 2026)
Des Moines planting calendar
Bars show when each crop can go in and when a planting from that window is ready. The blue band is the frost season, from the average first autumn frost to the average last spring frost. Hover or tap a crop for details.
Sow indoorsSow or plant outdoorsHarvestFrost seasonToday
Swipe sideways to see the whole year →
Dates by crop
| Crop | Sow indoors | Sow / plant outdoors | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 14 – Apr 18 | May 9 – Aug 4 plant out | Jul 8 – Oct 16 |
| Pepper | Mar 10 – Apr 14 | May 19 – Jul 31 plant out | Jul 16 – Oct 16 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Mar 15 – Apr 19 | May 24 – Jul 28 plant out | Jul 23 – Oct 16 |
| Cucumber | Apr 16 – May 13 | May 14 – Aug 14 sow | Jun 30 – Oct 16 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | Apr 11 – May 8 | May 9 – Aug 18 sow | Jun 24 – Oct 16 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | Apr 11 – May 8 | May 9 – Jul 17 sow | Jul 28 – Oct 19 |
| Watermelon | Apr 26 – May 23 | May 24 – Jul 27 sow | Jul 26 – Oct 16 |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 29 – Jul 30 sow | Jul 11 – Oct 16 |
| Green beans | – | May 9 – Aug 14 sow | Jun 27 – Oct 16 |
| Peas | – | Mar 27 – Apr 12, Aug 23 – Aug 27 sow | Jun 6 – Jul 8, Oct 17 – Oct 27 |
| Lettuce | Feb 16 – Mar 16 | Mar 23 – May 3, Aug 8 – Sep 8 sow | May 26 – Jul 9, Sep 14 – Oct 30 |
| Spinach | – | Mar 19 – Apr 29, Sep 9 – Sep 14 sow | May 22 – Jul 3, Oct 22 – Nov 19 |
| Kale | Feb 9 – Mar 16 | Mar 23 – Sep 3 sow | Jun 2 – Dec 4 |
| Cabbage | Feb 10 – Mar 17, May 20 – Jun 24 | Mar 31 – May 1, Jul 8 – Aug 22 plant out | Jun 15 – Jul 26, Sep 1 – Nov 10 |
| Broccoli | Feb 10 – Mar 17, May 26 – Jun 30 | Mar 31 – May 9, Jul 14 – Aug 29 plant out | Jun 7 – Jul 25, Aug 31 – Nov 3 |
| Carrots | – | Mar 31 – Aug 26 sow | Jun 11 – Dec 4 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Mar 31 – Sep 2 sow | Jun 4 – Nov 10 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 23 – May 19, Aug 23 – Sep 26 sow | May 7 – Jun 22, Sep 13 – Nov 3 |
| Onions | Jan 16 – Feb 20 | Mar 27 – Jul 29 plant out | Jul 2 – Oct 20 |
| Garlic | – | Oct 9 – Nov 3 sow | May 27 – Jun 16 |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 5 – Jun 30 sow | Jul 1 – Oct 19 |
| Swiss chard | – | Apr 5 – Sep 6 sow | Jun 1 – Nov 10 |
| Basil | Apr 7 – May 5 | May 19 – Sep 1 plant out | Jun 15 – Oct 16 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Mar 31 – May 11, Aug 23 – Sep 16 sow | May 20 – Jul 8, Sep 22 – Nov 3 |
| Parsley | Feb 8 – Mar 15 | Apr 5 – Aug 23 sow | Jun 16 – Nov 19 |
Dates are for a typical year and the middle of the window is the safest. Sow a little at a time across a window rather than all at once. Cold snaps, heat waves, frost pockets and city warmth all shift the real dates; watch the forecast.
Frost dates in Des Moines
- Average last spring frost
- April 18
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- May 2
- Average first autumn frost
- October 20
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- October 4
- Frost-free growing season
- 184 days
“Average” is the date with an even chance of a later (spring) or earlier (autumn) frost: a night at or below 0 °C (32 °F) at screen height. Tender crops go out a week or two after the spring date, which brings the risk down to about one year in ten.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Des Moines Intl Ap (6 km from the city centre).
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 5b from station records
- Average coldest winter night
- -24°C-11°F
- Warmest month
- July, highs 31°C87°F
- Coldest month
- January, lows -10°C13°F
- Crops with an outdoor window
- 25 of 25
The zone follows the USDA scheme: bands of the average lowest temperature of the year, 10 °F wide, split into a and b halves. Worked out from the coldest night of each year 1991–2020 at the NOAA station. It tells you which perennials survive winter, not when to sow.
Temperature and rain by month
Average highAverage lowRainFreezing point
| Month | High | Low | Mean | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0°C32°F | -10°C13°F | -5°C23°F | 25 mm1.0 in |
| February | 3°C37°F | -8°C17°F | -3°C27°F | 33 mm1.3 in |
| March | 10°C50°F | -2°C29°F | 4°C40°F | 53 mm2.1 in |
| April | 17°C63°F | 5°C40°F | 11°C52°F | 96 mm3.8 in |
| May | 23°C74°F | 11°C51°F | 17°C63°F | 119 mm4.7 in |
| June | 28°C83°F | 16°C62°F | 22°C72°F | 128 mm5.0 in |
| July | 31°C87°F | 19°C66°F | 25°C77°F | 91 mm3.6 in |
| August | 30°C85°F | 17°C63°F | 23°C74°F | 98 mm3.8 in |
| September | 26°C78°F | 12°C54°F | 19°C66°F | 83 mm3.3 in |
| October | 18°C65°F | 6°C42°F | 12°C54°F | 69 mm2.7 in |
| November | 9°C49°F | -1°C29°F | 4°C39°F | 44 mm1.7 in |
| December | 2°C36°F | -8°C18°F | -3°C27°F | 37 mm1.5 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).