Frost dates for Moravia, 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 18
typical year
Safe to plant
May 2
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 23
typical year
Growing season
187 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 21 – Apr 4 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 7 – 28 | Aug 28 – Sep 11 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 21 – Apr 11 | Aug 28 – Sep 11 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 21 – May 2 | Sep 11 – 25 |
| Onions | – | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 28 – Apr 18 | Jul 31 – Aug 14 |
| Beets | – | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | Aug 14 – 28 |
| Kale | Feb 7 – 21 | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | Aug 14 – 28 |
| Broccoli | Feb 7 – 21 | Apr 4 – 18 | Aug 14 – 28 |
| Cabbage | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | Aug 14 – 28 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 11 – Oct 2 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 7 – 21 | May 2 – 16 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | May 9 – 23 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 2 – 23 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 2 – 30 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 2 – 23 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 2 – Aug 14 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 2 – 30 | – |
| Basil | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | May 9 – 16 | – |
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 2 | April 18 | April 4 |
| Fall frost before | October 10 | October 23 | November 1 |
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 7 (April 21 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 31.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 4 towns.
Moravia, Mystic, Unionville, Rathbun
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station RATHBUN DAM, IA US (USC00136910), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 5 zip codes, all within 13 miles:
52571, 52574, 52581, 52583, 52594
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.