Frost dates for Indianola, IA
When the last spring frost and first fall frost usually come, and when to plant, from 30 years of NOAA weather records.
Last spring frost
April 24
typical year
Safe to plant
May 8
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 12
typical year
Growing season
168 days
frost-free, typical year
Frost watch this week
Tonight's and the next six nights' lows from the National Weather Service forecast for the station's location. Frost: 32°F or colder. Possible frost: 33–36°F, mostly in low spots on clear, still nights.
When to plant
Counted from this page's frost dates. Warm-season crops wait for the safe-to-plant date.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cool-season crops | |||
| Peas | – | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 13 – Apr 3 | Aug 17 – 31 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | Aug 17 – 31 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 27 – May 8 | Aug 31 – Sep 14 |
| Onions | – | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 3 – 17 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 3 – 24 | Jul 20 – Aug 3 |
| Beets | – | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Aug 3 – 17 |
| Kale | Feb 13 – 27 | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Aug 3 – 17 |
| Broccoli | Feb 13 – 27 | Apr 10 – 24 | Aug 3 – 17 |
| Cabbage | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Aug 3 – 17 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 31 – Sep 21 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 13 – 27 | May 8 – 22 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 6 – 20 | May 15 – 29 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 8 – 29 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 8 – Jun 5 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 8 – 29 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 8 – Aug 3 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 8 – Jun 5 | – |
| Basil | Apr 3 – 17 | May 15 – 22 | – |
Onions: from sets. Green beans: until 10 weeks before the first fall frost. Garlic: harvest next summer.
The year at a glance
Start indoors Plant outside Fall planting
The chance of frost, by date
| 1 year in 10 | Half of years | 9 years in 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring frost after | May 8 | April 24 | April 11 |
| Fall frost before | September 27 | October 12 | October 26 |
Frost here means 32°F or colder. Read across: in 1 year in 10, spring frost carries on past the first date, which is why that date is the safe-to-plant date.
Hard freeze (28°F)
A hard freeze kills most garden plants, even hardy ones. The last one in spring usually comes around April 14 (April 29 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 21.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 9 towns.
Indianola, Milo, St. Charles, Martensdale, St. Marys, Ackworth, Spring Hill, Sandyville, Bevington
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station INDIANOLA 2W, IA US (USC00134063), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 10 zip codes, all within 14 miles:
50001, 50033, 50125, 50145, 50160, 50166, 50210, 50229, 50240, 50241
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.