Last Frost Date

Planting planner: Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Typical last spring frost April 27 (1 spring in 10 later than May 11). Typical first fall frost October 11 (1 fall in 10 earlier than September 25). Growing season about 165 days.

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Frost likely Frost possible Frost unlikely Frost is likely until April 13 and fades out by May 11. It is unlikely from then until September 25, and likely again after October 23. The dashed lines are the typical dates, April 27 and October 11.

Your season is too short for a separate fall planting of cabbage: sown late enough to be a fall crop, it wouldn't be ready before the typical first frost. Your spring planting is your harvest.

January

Nothing to start this month.

February

  • February 9 to March 9: Broccoli and cabbage (start seeds indoors)
  • February 23 to March 23: Cauliflower (start seeds indoors)

March

  • March 9 to 30: Eggplant (start seeds indoors)
  • March 16 to 30: Peppers (start seeds indoors)
  • March 23 to April 6: Tomatoes (start seeds indoors)
  • March 30 to April 13: Peas, spinach, lettuce, radishes, onion sets, turnips (sow outdoors)
  • March 30 to April 13: Broccoli and cabbage (plant out)

April

  • April 13 to 27: Beets, carrots, potatoes, Swiss chard (plant outdoors)
  • April 13 to 27: Cauliflower (plant out)
  • April 27: Snap beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, summer squash (sow outdoors)

May

  • May 11: Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant (plant out)
  • May 11: Melons, winter squash, pumpkins, lima beans (sow outdoors)

June

  • June 5 to 19: Broccoli for fall (start seeds)

July

  • July 15: Snap beans for fall (last date to sow)
  • July 19: Carrots for fall (last date to sow)
  • July 20: Cucumbers for fall (last date to sow)
  • July 24: Peas for fall (last date to sow)
  • July 25: Summer squash for fall (last date to sow)
  • July 29: Leaf lettuce and beets for fall (last date to sow)

August

  • August 8: Turnips and kohlrabi for fall (last date to sow)
  • August 18: Spinach for fall (last date to sow)
  • August 28: Radishes for fall (last date to sow)

September

  • September 25: Tomatoes, peppers, squash, melons, cucumbers (watch the forecast)

October

  • October 28 to November 4: Garlic (plant cloves)

November

Nothing to start this month.

December

Nothing to start this month.

Dates from NOAA's 1991 to 2020 climate normals for Cedar Rapids Municipal Airport (station USW00014990), 6 miles from the center of Cedar Rapids. Planting rules: Colorado State University Extension GardenNotes #720 (spring), Virginia Cooperative Extension 426-334 (fall crops), University of Minnesota Extension (garlic). Spring bulbs: plant when the soil has cooled to about 50 to 55°F, until a couple of weeks before the ground freezes (University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension). Full details: https://lastfrostdate.com/frost-dates/iowa/cedar-rapids/

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