When to plant in Pella, IA
USDA Zone 5bPella, Iowa frost dates, USDA zone, and a full-year planting calendar, drawn from the nearest NOAA station and tuned to the local season.
Pella's nearest full-normals station sits about 18 km out, so treat these as a close estimate — local microclimate can nudge your first and last frost. In zone 5b, Pella gardeners can grow many hardy perennials, while the last and first frost still dictate the annual vegetable calendar.
The average first fall frost in Pella is now 5 days later than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →
Frost probability
KNOXVILLE · 1991–2020The date the last spring and first fall frost occur, by threshold and probability. A 90% date is later in spring — and earlier in fall — than a 10% date; the 50% · 32°F row is what most gardeners plan around. These are Pella’s own odds, recorded at KNOXVILLE.
| Threshold | SPRING 10% | SPRING 50% | SPRING 90% | FALL 10% | FALL 50% | FALL 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | May 12 | Apr 30 | Apr 15 | Sep 23 | Oct 7 | Oct 21 |
| 32°F | May 4 | Apr 20 | Apr 6 | Oct 1 | Oct 19 | Nov 1 |
| 28°F | Apr 24 | Apr 10 | Mar 28 | Oct 14 | Oct 29 | Nov 9 |
Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.
What to plant now
TODAY · JULY 19Full-year planting calendar
Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Pella, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.
Nearby weather stations
3 within 35 km · complete 32°F normalsWhen stations disagree by more than a few days, that spread is real microclimate variation — elevation, water, urban heat. Judge which station best matches your own yard.
Pella planting FAQ
When is the last spring frost in Pella, IA?
Pella's average last spring frost falls near April 20 — the 50% mark at 32°F in the 1991–2020 normals. Hold tender transplants until the risk has passed, then plant out.
When is the first fall frost in Pella, IA?
In Pella, the first 32°F freeze of fall lands around October 19 on average. Time your last harvests and any season-extension cover before it.
What hardiness zone is Pella in?
Pella is in USDA hardiness zone 5b. In zone 5b, winters are cold — pick cold-hardy varieties and protect tender crops.
How long is the growing season in Pella?
Pella has about 182 frost-free days — a moderate growing season — between the average last spring frost (April 20) and first fall frost (October 19).
When should I plant tomatoes in Pella?
For Pella, sow tomatoes indoors about February 23–March 9 and move the seedlings out around April 27, after the last spring frost.
Never miss a window in Pella
An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Pella’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.
Nearby cities
8 within reach- Oskaloosa · 26 km
- Newton · 34 km
- Pleasant Hill · 53 km
- Altoona · 54 km
- Indianola · 54 km
- Ottumwa · 59 km
- Des Moines · 61 km
- Norwalk · 65 km
Frost dates recorded at KNOXVILLE, 18 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in Pella, IA — Frost Dates & Zone 5b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00134502. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/iowa/pella.