Council Bluffs, Iowa planting calendar and frost dates
Council Bluffs is in USDA hardiness zone 5b. The last spring frost typically comes around April 18 and the first fall frost around October 21, giving about 185 frost-free days a year.
- Typical last frost
- April 18
- Typical first frost
- October 21
- Frost-free season
- 185 days
Frost dates in Council Bluffs
Last spring frost
- April 5Risky: frost later than this in 9 years out of 10
- April 18Typical: a later frost in half of years
- April 30Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10
First fall frost
- October 6Risky: frost earlier than this 1 year in 10
- October 21Typical: an earlier frost in half of years
- November 1Late: frost before this in 9 years out of 10
The growing season between the typical last and first frosts is about 185 days. Frost here means a low of 32°F at the weather station. A hard freeze (28°F), which damages most hardy crops too, typically ends around April 8 and returns around October 30.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Omaha Eppley Airfield, 5.7 miles N of the city center. Low-lying and rural spots often frost later in spring and earlier in fall than airports and city centers. Council Bluffs shares this station with Omaha, so the two cities have the same frost dates and planting calendar.
What to plant each month in Council Bluffs
January
Start indoors: broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, leeks, onions, petunias, ranunculus
February
Start indoors: black-eyed susans, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, celery, chives, collard greens, ginger, kale, leeks, lettuce, marigolds, onions, oregano, parsley, peppers, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, sage, snapdragons
March
Start indoors: basil, black-eyed susans, cabbages, celery, chives, cilantro, collard greens, eggplants, ginger, lettuce, marigolds, nasturtiums, peppers, ranunculus, sage, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, tomatoes
Plant or sow outdoors: beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, collard greens, figs, garlic, gladioli, grapes, grass seed, hollyhocks, kale, leeks, lettuce, onions, parsley, peas, poppies, radishes, ranunculus, raspberries, rhubarb, roses, spinach, strawberries, swiss chard, turnips, wildflowers
April
Start indoors: basil, cantaloupes, cosmos, cucumbers, okra, pumpkins, ranunculus, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini
Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, dahlias, dill, figs, garden mums, ginger, gladioli, grapes, green onions, kentucky bluegrass, lavenders, leeks, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, onions, oregano, parsley, perennial ryegrass, petunias, potatoes, radishes, ranunculus, rosemary, roses, sage, snapdragons, spinach, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet peas, swiss chard, tall fescue, thyme, turnips
May
Start indoors: zinnias
Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, basil, bermudagrass, cantaloupes, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, cucumbers, eggplants, garden mums, ginger, grapes, green beans, green onions, kentucky bluegrass, lavenders, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, okra, oregano, parsley, peanuts, peppers, perennial ryegrass, petunias, pumpkins, rosemary, sage, st. augustinegrass, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet peas, sweet potatoes, tall fescue, thyme, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zoysiagrass, zucchini
June
Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, green onions, okra, peanuts, st. augustinegrass, zinnias, zoysiagrass
July
Plant for fall: bearded irises, brussels sprouts, carrots, collard greens, lettuce, peas, snapdragons, swiss chard
August
Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, clematis, collard greens, coneflowers, daylilies, hostas, hydrangeas, kale, lettuce, peas, radishes, roses, saffron, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, turnips
September
Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, beets, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, clematis, coneflowers, crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hyacinths, hydrangeas, kale, kentucky bluegrass, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, perennial ryegrass, radishes, roses, saffron, spinach, tall fescue, tulips, turnips
October
Plant for fall: crocuses, daffodils, garlic, hyacinths, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, tulips
November
Plant for fall: crocuses, garlic, hyacinths, ornamental alliums, tulips
December
Start indoors: onions
Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Council Bluffs
All 2 of Council Bluffs's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Omaha Eppley Airfield, so the dates on this page apply across the city. The hardiness zone is 5b in 51501, and 6a in 51503.
| ZIP code | Zone | Weather station | Typical last frost | Typical first frost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 51501 | 5b | Omaha Eppley Airfield, 5.7 mi N | Apr 18 | Oct 21 |
| 51503 | 6a | Omaha Eppley Airfield, 8.5 mi NW | Apr 18 | Oct 21 |
Omaha Eppley Airfield also supplies the frost dates for Omaha and Bellevue, so their planting calendars match Council Bluffs's.
Planting dates for popular crops in Council Bluffs
| Plant | Start indoors | Plant or sow outdoors | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomatoes | Mar 12 to 26 | May 7 to 21 | — |
| Strawberries | — | Mar 7 to 21 | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 21 to Mar 7 | Apr 11 to 25 | Jul 22 to Aug 26 |
| Cilantro | Mar 7 to 21 | Apr 18 to 25 | — |
| Basil | Mar 19 to Apr 2 | May 7 to 14 | — |
| Potatoes | — | Apr 8 to 15 | — |
| Garlic | — | Mar 7 to 21 | Oct 21 to Nov 4 |
| Onions | Dec 27 to Feb 7 | Mar 21 to Apr 4 | — |
| Cucumbers | Apr 9 to 23 | May 7 to 21 | — |
| Pumpkins | Apr 9 to 23 | May 7 to 21 | — |
| Peppers | Feb 19 to Mar 19 | May 7 to 21 | — |
| Carrots | — | Mar 28 to Apr 18 | Jul 29 to Aug 19 |
| Sweet Potatoes | — | May 20 to 27 | — |
| Watermelons | Apr 2 to 16 | May 7 to 21 | — |
| Sweet Corn | — | Apr 18 to May 2 | — |
| Green Beans | — | May 7 to 21 | — |
| Zucchini | Apr 9 to 23 | May 7 to 21 | — |
| Broccoli | Jan 31 to Feb 21 | Mar 21 to Apr 4 | Aug 5 to Sep 2 |
| Peas | — | Mar 7 to 21 | Jul 29 to Aug 12 |
| Spinach | Mar 7 to 14 | Apr 11 to 25 | Aug 12 to Sep 16 |
| Sunflowers | — | Apr 18 to May 9 | — |
| Zinnias | May 5 to 12 | Jun 2 to 16 | — |
| Tulips | — | — | Sep 9 to Nov 4 |
| Daffodils | — | — | Sep 9 to Oct 21 |
| Grass Seed | — | Mar 7 to 21 | Sep 9 to 23 |
Nearby cities
- Bellevue, NE zone 5b, last frost Apr 18
- Omaha, NE zone 6a, last frost Apr 18
- Lincoln, NE zone 6a, last frost Apr 24
- Sioux City, IA zone 5a, last frost Apr 29
- West Des Moines, IA zone 5b, last frost Apr 18
- St. Joseph, MO zone 6a, last frost Apr 19
Planting in IowaAbout zone 5bPrintable calendar for Council Bluffs
Questions
When is the last frost in Council Bluffs?
Around April 18 in a typical year, based on NOAA's 1991-2020 records for Omaha Eppley Airfield. There is still a 1 in 10 chance of frost after April 30.
What planting zone is Council Bluffs in?
USDA hardiness zone 5b (2023 map), with parts of the city in zone 6a. The zone tells you which perennials survive the winter; planting dates depend on frost dates instead.
When should I plant tomatoes in Council Bluffs?
Start seeds indoors March 12 to 26 and set plants out May 7 to 21.
When is the first frost in Council Bluffs?
Around October 21 in a typical year, and before October 6 about 1 year in 10.