Urbandale Vegetable Planting Calendar | Urban Farmer

Grow with confidence

Urbandale Vegetable Planting Calendar

Use Urbandale climate patterns to see this month’s garden tasks and crop-by-crop planting windows for central Iowa.

See What to Plant NowView Planting Dates
Official 2023 USDA Iowa Plant Hardiness Zone Map
USDA Zones 5b–6aMost Urbandale neighborhoods fall in USDA Zones 5b–6a
Last spring frostTypical date: May 5
First fall frostTypical date: October 5
Cool season

Plant through winter

Broccoli, lettuce, peas, carrots, radishes and leafy greens perform best from fall through early spring.

Warm season

Use spring warmth

Use the short warm season efficiently: start tender crops indoors, wait for warm soil before planting outside, and sow hardy roots and greens again for fall harvests.

Late summer

Restart the cool garden

Begin fall brassicas indoors and prepare beds for direct-sown roots and greens as temperatures moderate.

Local dates, crop by crop

Urbandale Planting Dates

Choose a season and search for a crop to see when to start seeds indoors, move plants outside, direct sow and finish planting in the Urbandale area.

Urbandale–Polk and Dallas CountiesUSDA Zones 5b–6a · typical last frost May 5 · typical first frost October 5

Spring planting

Planting Dates for Spring

Dates use Urbandale climate timing. Cold winters, humid summers, spring storms, and varied suburban soils make frost timing and workable soil especially important. Always check soil temperature and the 10-day forecast before planting.

Crop Start seeds indoors Transplant or plant outdoors Direct sow outdoors Last recommended planting Shop

Use the dates with confidence

How to Read This Calendar

1

Start indoors

Sow in trays under strong light. The window is timed so seedlings reach transplant size without becoming root-bound.

2

Transplant or plant

Harden seedlings off for about a week. Perennial crowns, sets and seed potatoes are included in this column.

3

Direct sow

Plant seed directly into prepared soil. Cool-season crops can begin before frost; heat-loving crops need warm soil.

4

Last planting

This is the practical end of the selected window—not a guarantee. Variety maturity and unusual weather can move it.

Keep soil working after harvest

Fall Cover Crop Planting Calendar

These windows are calculated from this city’s approximate first fall frost. Sow into an open bed after harvesting vegetables, then follow the selected crop’s product directions.

Cover crop Best for Approx. planting window Winter behavior
Buckwheat Quick biomass · pollinators Aug 11–Aug 25 Frost-killed
Oats Biomass · nutrient capture Aug 11–Sep 8 Usually winter-killed
Field Peas Nitrogen · cool-season growth Aug 11–Sep 8 Often winter-killed
Daikon Radish Compaction · nutrient capture Aug 11–Sep 8 Usually winter-killed
Crimson Clover Nitrogen · pollinators Aug 25–Sep 8 Overwinters where adapted
Annual Ryegrass Roots · erosion control Aug 25–Sep 22 Manage before seed set
Hairy Vetch Nitrogen · spring biomass Sep 8–Sep 22 Overwinters in many areas
Cereal Rye Erosion · weeds · biomass Sep 8–Oct 6 Very winter-hardy
Winter Wheat Erosion · nutrient capture Sep 8–Oct 6 Winter-hardy
Shop Cover CropsCompare Cover CropsCover Crop Learning Center

Planting windows are planning estimates. Check the product page for seeding rate, regional adaptation, inoculation needs, and termination timing.

Urbandale soil checkpoints

Let Soil Temperature Be the Final Check

Calendar dates start the conversation. A simple soil thermometer helps confirm that the seedbed is actually ready.

40–50°FPeas, spinach, radishes and other hardy crops
55–60°FBeans, corn and many moderately warm crops
65°F+Cucumbers, squash, melons, okra and other heat lovers
Current Urbandale soil temperatureLoading…Modeled near 2½ inches deep
Checking current conditions

Use this modeled reading as a local reference, then confirm conditions in your own garden with a soil thermometer.

Weather data by Open-Meteo

Selected for the current planting window

Seeds to Plant Now

References: Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Vegetable Planting and Harvesting Times, Early Spring Planting of Vegetables, and Frost and Freeze Dates in Iowa; USDA 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map; and Open-Meteo modeled soil-temperature data.