USDA hardiness zone lookup
Des Moines, IA — USDA Zone 5b
Des Moines, Iowa · 168-day growing season
Frost dates and growing season in Des Moines
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 5b |
|---|---|
| Average last spring frost | April 25 |
| Average first fall frost | October 10 |
| Growing season length | ~168 days |
| Temperature range (F) | -20 to -10°F |
| Temperature range (C) | -29 to -23°C |
All of Des Moines's mapped ZIP codes fall in the same hardiness band, Zone 5b.
These are 50%-probability averages modeled from Des Moines's USDA hardiness zone and regional climate normals — not a single-station reading. In a typical year the last spring frost will have passed by April 25, but a colder-than-average year can run 1-2 weeks later. Plant tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil) once both soil and night temperatures are consistently warm — a thermometer beats the calendar.
Growing season in Des Moines
Des Moines, Iowa sits in USDA Zone 5b, with roughly 168 frost-free days between an average last spring frost around April 25 and a first fall frost around October 10. That is a standard temperate season — most common vegetables finish comfortably, and a single main planting plus one succession round works well. Des Moines lies near 41.6°N; higher-latitude gardens get longer midsummer days but a tighter shoulder season at this zone.
What grows in Des Moines
Des Moines falls in USDA Zone 5b, so the same hardiness constraints apply as the full Zone 5 guide. Vegetables, herbs, and fruit trees rated to Zone 5b (or hardier) will overwinter here in a typical year.
- Tomatoes (full range of varieties)
- Peppers
- Eggplant
- Squash, melons, cucumbers
- Beans (bush + pole)
- Sweet corn
- Apples, pears, plums
- Cherries (sweet + sour)
- Blueberries, raspberries
- Garlic
What to plant in Des Moines this week
Des Moines is in high summer — most spring plantings are in. Keep an eye on watering and start planning your fall crop. Cool-season seedlings (broccoli, cabbage, lettuce) can be started indoors for a fall transplant.
- When to plant tomatoes in zone 5
- When to plant peppers in zone 5
- When to plant bush beans in zone 5
- When to plant cucumbers in zone 5
- When to plant basil in zone 5
Full planting calendar for Des Moines
Crop-by-crop sowing, transplant, and harvest dates calibrated to zone 5 averages:
- When to plant tomatoes in zone 5
- When to plant peppers in zone 5
- When to plant basil in zone 5
- When to plant garlic in zone 5
- When to plant lettuce in zone 5
- When to plant bush beans in zone 5
- When to plant cucumbers in zone 5
- When to plant summer squash in zone 5
- When to plant peas in zone 5
- When to plant carrots in zone 5
ZIP codes in Des Moines
Drill down to the precise frost window and planting calendar for a specific ZIP in Des Moines:
Local microclimate notes
Zone tables give you the average — but Des Moinesgardens vary. South-facing walls and paved areas can run a full half-zone warmer than the published rating. Low-lying spots, frost pockets, and shaded north sides can run colder. If you've gardened here a few seasons, your own frost record — the last time you actually got frost damage — beats any national average.
Source and methodology
Hardiness zone from the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023 revision). Frost-date and growing-season figures are modeled from Des Moines's USDA hardiness zone and regional NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals — zone-level estimates, not a per-station record, so treat them as planning guidance and confirm against your own local frost history. Crop recommendations draw on US Cooperative Extension references, curated by the Growli editorial team. Last reviewed June 2026.
Other cities in Iowa
- Ames, IA — USDA Zone 5a
- Cedar Falls, IA — USDA Zone 5a
- Cedar Rapids, IA — USDA Zone 5a
- Davenport, IA — USDA Zone 5b
- Dubuque, IA — USDA Zone 5a
- Iowa City, IA — USDA Zone 5b
- Sioux City, IA — USDA Zone 5a
- Waterloo, IA — USDA Zone 5a
- West Des Moines, IA — USDA Zone 5b
- All of Iowa by zone