Frost dates for Madrid, 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 23
typical year
Safe to plant
May 5
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 14
typical year
Growing season
173 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 26 – Apr 9 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 26 – Apr 16 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 26 – May 7 | Sep 2 – 16 |
| Onions | – | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 2 – 16 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 2 – 23 | Jul 22 – Aug 5 |
| Beets | – | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | Aug 5 – 19 |
| Kale | Feb 12 – 26 | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | Aug 5 – 19 |
| Broccoli | Feb 12 – 26 | Apr 9 – 23 | Aug 5 – 19 |
| Cabbage | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | Aug 5 – 19 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 2 – 23 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 10 – 24 | May 5 – 19 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 3 – 17 | May 12 – 26 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 5 – 26 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 5 – Jun 2 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 5 – 26 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 5 – Aug 5 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 5 – Jun 2 | – |
| Basil | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | May 12 – 19 | – |
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 5 | April 23 | April 7 |
| Fall frost before | September 29 | October 14 | October 27 |
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 11 (April 27 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 24.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 2 towns.
Madrid, Luther
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station AMES 8 WSW, IA US (USC00130200), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 3 zip codes, all within 9 miles:
50014, 50152, 50156
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.