Sioux City, Iowa planting calendar and frost dates
Sioux City is in USDA hardiness zone 5a. The last spring frost typically comes around April 29 and the first fall frost around October 5, giving about 159 frost-free days a year.
- Hardiness zone
- Zone 5a
- Typical last frost
- April 29
- Typical first frost
- October 5
- Frost-free season
- 159 days
Frost dates in Sioux City
Last spring frost
- April 16Risky: frost later than this in 9 years out of 10
- April 29Typical: a later frost in half of years
- May 14Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10
First fall frost
- September 22Risky: frost earlier than this 1 year in 10
- October 5Typical: an earlier frost in half of years
- October 18Late: frost before this in 9 years out of 10
The growing season between the typical last and first frosts is about 159 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 20 and returns around October 15.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Sioux City Gateway Airport, 6 miles SW of the city center and 128 feet lower. Low-lying and rural spots often frost later in spring and earlier in fall than airports and city centers.
What to plant each month in Sioux City
January
Start indoors: onions
February
Start indoors: broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, leeks, onions, oregano, parsley, peppers, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, snapdragons
March
Start indoors: basil, black-eyed susans, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, celery, chives, cilantro, collard greens, eggplants, ginger, leeks, lettuce, marigolds, nasturtiums, oregano, parsley, peppers, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, sage, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, tomatoes
Plant or sow outdoors: black-eyed susans, blueberries, garlic, grapes, grass seed, hollyhocks, kale, onions, peas, poppies, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, turnips, wildflowers
April
Start indoors: basil, cantaloupes, cilantro, cosmos, cucumbers, marigolds, nasturtiums, okra, pumpkins, ranunculus, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini
Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, collard greens, dahlias, dill, figs, garden mums, garlic, gladioli, grapes, grass seed, green onions, hollyhocks, kale, lavenders, leeks, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, onions, oregano, parsley, peas, petunias, poppies, potatoes, radishes, ranunculus, raspberries, rhubarb, rosemary, roses, sage, snapdragons, spinach, strawberries, sunflowers, sweet corn, swiss chard, thyme, turnips, wildflowers
May
Start indoors: cucumbers, pumpkins, winter squash, zinnias, zucchini
Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, basil, cantaloupes, celery, chives, cilantro, cosmos, cucumbers, dahlias, dill, eggplants, garden mums, ginger, gladioli, grapes, green beans, green onions, kentucky bluegrass, lavenders, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, okra, oregano, parsley, peanuts, peppers, perennial ryegrass, petunias, pumpkins, ranunculus, rosemary, sage, spinach, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet peas, sweet potatoes, swiss chard, tall fescue, thyme, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini
June
Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, green onions, okra, peanuts, st. augustinegrass, sweet potatoes, zinnias, zoysiagrass
Plant for fall: brussels sprouts
July
Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, centipedegrass, st. augustinegrass, zoysiagrass
Plant for fall: bearded irises, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, collard greens, lettuce, peas, radishes, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, turnips
August
Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, clematis, coneflowers, crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hydrangeas, kale, lettuce, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, radishes, roses, saffron, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, tulips, turnips
September
Plant for fall: crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hyacinths, kale, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, radishes, saffron, tulips
October
Plant for fall: crocuses, daffodils, garlic, hyacinths, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, tulips
Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Sioux City
All 7 of Sioux City's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Sioux City Gateway Airport, so the dates on this page apply across the city. Every one of them is in zone 5a.
| ZIP code | Zone | Weather station | Typical last frost | Typical first frost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 51103 | 5a | Sioux City Gateway Airport, 9.6 mi SSE | Apr 29 | Oct 5 |
| 51104 | 5a | Sioux City Gateway Airport, 10 mi S | Apr 29 | Oct 5 |
| 51105 | 5a | Sioux City Gateway Airport, 8.1 mi S | Apr 29 | Oct 5 |
| 51106 | 5a | Sioux City Gateway Airport, 6 mi SW | Apr 29 | Oct 5 |
| 51108 | 5a | Sioux City Gateway Airport, 12.1 mi S | Apr 29 | Oct 5 |
| 51109 | 5a | Sioux City Gateway Airport, 15.8 mi SSE | Apr 29 | Oct 5 |
| 51111 | 5a | Sioux City Gateway Airport, 2 mi SSE | Apr 29 | Oct 5 |
Planting dates for popular crops in Sioux City
| Plant | Start indoors | Plant or sow outdoors | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomatoes | Mar 20 to Apr 3 | May 15 to 29 | — |
| Strawberries | — | Mar 18 to Apr 1 | — |
| Lettuce | Mar 4 to 18 | Apr 22 to May 6 | Jul 6 to Aug 10 |
| Cilantro | Mar 18 to Apr 1 | Apr 29 to May 6 | — |
| Basil | Mar 27 to Apr 10 | May 15 to 22 | — |
| Potatoes | — | Apr 19 to 26 | — |
| Garlic | — | Mar 18 to Apr 1 | Oct 5 to 19 |
| Onions | Jan 7 to Feb 18 | Apr 1 to 15 | — |
| Cucumbers | Apr 17 to May 1 | May 15 to 29 | — |
| Pumpkins | Apr 17 to May 1 | May 15 to 29 | — |
| Peppers | Feb 27 to Mar 27 | May 15 to 29 | — |
| Carrots | — | Apr 8 to 29 | Jul 13 to Aug 3 |
| Sweet Potatoes | — | May 28 to Jun 4 | — |
| Watermelons | Apr 10 to 24 | May 15 to 29 | — |
| Sweet Corn | — | Apr 29 to May 13 | — |
| Green Beans | — | May 15 to 29 | — |
| Zucchini | Apr 17 to May 1 | May 15 to 29 | — |
| Broccoli | Feb 11 to Mar 4 | Apr 1 to 15 | Jul 20 to Aug 17 |
| Peas | — | Mar 18 to Apr 1 | Jul 13 to 27 |
| Spinach | Mar 18 to 25 | Apr 22 to May 6 | Jul 27 to Aug 31 |
| Sunflowers | — | Apr 29 to May 20 | — |
| Zinnias | May 15 to 22 | Jun 12 to 26 | — |
| Tulips | — | — | Aug 24 to Oct 19 |
| Daffodils | — | — | Aug 24 to Oct 5 |
| Grass Seed | — | Mar 18 to Apr 1 | Aug 24 to Sep 7 |
Nearby cities
- Sioux Falls, SD zone 5a, last frost May 1
- Omaha, NE zone 6a, last frost Apr 18
- Council Bluffs, IA zone 5b, last frost Apr 18
- Bellevue, NE zone 5b, last frost Apr 18
- Lincoln, NE zone 6a, last frost Apr 24
- Ames, IA zone 5b, last frost Apr 26
Planting in IowaAbout zone 5aPrintable calendar for Sioux City
Questions
When is the last frost in Sioux City?
Around April 29 in a typical year, based on NOAA's 1991-2020 records for Sioux City Gateway Airport. There is still a 1 in 10 chance of frost after May 14.
What planting zone is Sioux City in?
USDA hardiness zone 5a (2023 map). The zone tells you which perennials survive the winter; planting dates depend on frost dates instead.
When should I plant tomatoes in Sioux City?
Start seeds indoors March 20 to April 3 and set plants out May 15 to 29.
When is the first frost in Sioux City?
Around October 5 in a typical year, and before September 22 about 1 year in 10.