Planting windows for Des Moines Wsfo-Johnston
Computed from Des Moines Wsfo-Johnston's own frost dates. Click any crop for the full zone-5 growing guide — varieties, spacing, fall plantings, and more.
| Crop | Start seeds indoors | Transplant | Direct sow |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🍅 Tomatoes | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | Apr 26 – May 3 | — |
| 🫑 Peppers | Feb 8 – Feb 22 | May 3 – May 10 | — |
| 🥬 Lettuce | Mar 8 – Mar 22 | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | Mar 22 – Apr 19 |
| 🫛 Peas | — | — | Mar 8 – Mar 22 |
| 🥕 Carrots | — | — | Mar 29 – Apr 19 |
| 🥦 Broccoli | Mar 1 – Mar 15 | Mar 29 – Apr 12 | — |
| 🥬 Kale | Mar 8 – Mar 22 | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | Mar 22 – Apr 5 |
| 🥒 Cucumbers | Mar 22 – Mar 29 | Apr 26 – May 3 | Apr 26 – May 3 |
| 🥒 Zucchini | Mar 22 – Mar 29 | Apr 26 – May 3 | Apr 26 – May 3 |
| 🫘 Green Beans (Bush) | — | — | Apr 26 – May 3 |
| 🌽 Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 26 – May 3 |
| 🌿 Basil | Mar 8 – Mar 22 | Apr 26 – May 3 | May 3 – May 10 |
| 🧄 Garlic | — | — | Fall: Sep 6 – Oct 4 |
Want this for all 50 crops, or as a printable seed-shelf schedule? Use the planting calendar and the seed starting scheduler — both can use Des Moines Wsfo-Johnston's dates automatically after a lookup.
Reading the season in Des Moines Wsfo-Johnston
Roughly 182 frost-free days gives Des Moines Wsfo-Johnston gardeners room for nearly every common vegetable. Warm-season crops go out after Apr 19; a fall garden sown in late summer matures comfortably before the Oct 18 frost.