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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

  1. January

    Start indoors: onions

  2. February

    Start indoors: broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, leeks, onions, oregano, parsley, peppers, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, snapdragons

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. June

    Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, green onions, okra, peanuts, st. augustinegrass, sweet potatoes, zinnias, zoysiagrass

    Plant for fall: brussels sprouts

  7. 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

  8. 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

  9. September

    Plant for fall: crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hyacinths, kale, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, radishes, saffron, tulips

  10. 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 codeZoneWeather stationTypical last frostTypical first frost
511035aSioux City Gateway Airport, 9.6 mi SSEApr 29Oct 5
511045aSioux City Gateway Airport, 10 mi SApr 29Oct 5
511055aSioux City Gateway Airport, 8.1 mi SApr 29Oct 5
511065aSioux City Gateway Airport, 6 mi SWApr 29Oct 5
511085aSioux City Gateway Airport, 12.1 mi SApr 29Oct 5
511095aSioux City Gateway Airport, 15.8 mi SSEApr 29Oct 5
511115aSioux City Gateway Airport, 2 mi SSEApr 29Oct 5

Planting dates for popular crops in Sioux City

PlantStart indoorsPlant or sow outdoorsFall planting
TomatoesMar 20 to Apr 3May 15 to 29—
Strawberries—Mar 18 to Apr 1—
LettuceMar 4 to 18Apr 22 to May 6Jul 6 to Aug 10
CilantroMar 18 to Apr 1Apr 29 to May 6—
BasilMar 27 to Apr 10May 15 to 22—
Potatoes—Apr 19 to 26—
Garlic—Mar 18 to Apr 1Oct 5 to 19
OnionsJan 7 to Feb 18Apr 1 to 15—
CucumbersApr 17 to May 1May 15 to 29—
PumpkinsApr 17 to May 1May 15 to 29—
PeppersFeb 27 to Mar 27May 15 to 29—
Carrots—Apr 8 to 29Jul 13 to Aug 3
Sweet Potatoes—May 28 to Jun 4—
WatermelonsApr 10 to 24May 15 to 29—
Sweet Corn—Apr 29 to May 13—
Green Beans—May 15 to 29—
ZucchiniApr 17 to May 1May 15 to 29—
BroccoliFeb 11 to Mar 4Apr 1 to 15Jul 20 to Aug 17
Peas—Mar 18 to Apr 1Jul 13 to 27
SpinachMar 18 to 25Apr 22 to May 6Jul 27 to Aug 31
Sunflowers—Apr 29 to May 20—
ZinniasMay 15 to 22Jun 12 to 26—
Tulips——Aug 24 to Oct 19
Daffodils——Aug 24 to Oct 5
Grass Seed—Mar 18 to Apr 1Aug 24 to Sep 7

Nearby cities

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.