How Late Can You Plant Trees and Shrubs in Fall in Iowa?
The safe target in Iowa is to have trees and shrubs in the ground six weeks before the first fall frost.
Gardening in Iowa
Everything we have worked out for Iowa: what to plant and when, which varieties finish in time, the pests that actually turn up here, and the jobs that pay off month by month. We also cover the rest of the property, from lawns and soil to home care and energy, because a garden rarely stops at the vegetable bed.
The numbers first, because everything else follows from them. Measured at the weather station in Des Moines, the last spring freeze runs April 12 to April 24 and the first fall freeze runs October 14 to October 25, USDA zones 4b-6a, 3,659 growing degree days in the year.
Garlic does well: 21.8 weeks below 40 °F, comfortably past the six it needs to form a proper head.
Elsewhere on the property in Iowa: the pests that turn up here.
Figures from NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals. A state is not one climate: elevation, a large lake or the coast can move these dates by two weeks either way, so check your own county with the extension service before you spend money.
When to Mulch Strawberries and Perennials for Winter in Iowa
Wait until the ground starts to freeze. In Iowa, that puts winter mulch well after the first fall frost, which NOAA’s 1991-2020 normals for Des Moines…
Growing Hydrangeas in Iowa: Types, Colour and Winter
Plant container-grown hydrangeas in Iowa from mid-April through May, once the freeze window has passed, or in early fall if roots have several weeks…
Hedge Plants for Iowa: What Holds, and What Only Looks Hardy
Nine of the twelve hedge species documented on this site hold across all of Iowa. Three do not.
What Do Homes in Iowa Cool With?
In Iowa, nearly every home runs some form of air conditioning, and the vast majority of that cooling comes from a central system rather than a window…
How High Can a Hedge Be in Iowa? What the Law Actually Says
Iowa has no state law setting a maximum hedge height. Search all you want through the Iowa Code and you won’t find a number.
Finishing a Basement in Iowa: Permits, Ceiling Height, Egress and Waterproofing
Iowa’s state building code, permit rules, egress window sizes, ceiling height limits, and waterproofing steps for finishing a basement, explained plainly for homeowners statewide.
Roof Snow Load, Wind Speed and Ice Barrier Rules in Iowa
Iowa’s design snow load, wind speed and ice barrier rules run through Des Moines figures from ASCE and NOAA, converted for an ordinary sloped roof and local code adoption.
When to Start Pepper Seed in Iowa
In central Iowa, expect 18.4 days a year at 90°F or hotter, per NOAA’s 1991-2020 Climate Normals for the Des Moines reference station.
What Eats Carrot in Iowa, and When
Not much shows up here as insect damage once you look closely. Iowa’s own representative soil, the Tama series, runs heavy and fine-textured, and that…