Planting windows for Des Moines
Computed from Des Moines'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 21 – Mar 7 | Apr 25 – May 2 | — |
| 🫑 Peppers | Feb 7 – Feb 21 | May 2 – May 9 | — |
| 🥬 Lettuce | Mar 7 – Mar 21 | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | Mar 21 – Apr 18 |
| 🫛 Peas | — | — | Mar 7 – Mar 21 |
| 🥕 Carrots | — | — | Mar 28 – Apr 18 |
| 🥦 Broccoli | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | — |
| 🥬 Kale | Mar 7 – Mar 21 | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | Mar 21 – Apr 4 |
| 🥒 Cucumbers | Mar 21 – Mar 28 | Apr 25 – May 2 | Apr 25 – May 2 |
| 🥒 Zucchini | Mar 21 – Mar 28 | Apr 25 – May 2 | Apr 25 – May 2 |
| 🫘 Green Beans (Bush) | — | — | Apr 25 – May 2 |
| 🌽 Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 25 – May 2 |
| 🌿 Basil | Mar 7 – Mar 21 | Apr 25 – May 2 | May 2 – May 9 |
| 🧄 Garlic | — | — | Fall: Sep 8 – Oct 6 |
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's dates automatically after a lookup.
Reading the season in Des Moines
Roughly 185 frost-free days gives Des Moines gardeners room for nearly every common vegetable. Warm-season crops go out after Apr 18; a fall garden sown in late summer matures comfortably before the Oct 20 frost.