When to plant garlic in Iowa
Iowa spans USDA zones 5a–6a, so the right time to plant garlic shifts by weeks across the state. The window to plant for fall/overwintering runs from about September 5 in Spencer to September 27 in Bettendorf — below are local dates for 42 cities, each computed from its own frost dates.
| City | Zone | Last frost | First frost | Fall-plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines | 5b | April 18 | October 20 | September 22 – October 6 |
| Cedar Rapids | 5b | April 27 | October 11 | September 13 – September 27 |
| Davenport | 5b | April 19 | October 22 | September 24 – October 8 |
| Sioux City | 5a | April 29 | October 7 | September 9 – September 23 |
| Iowa City | 5b | April 21 | October 18 | September 20 – October 4 |
| Ankeny | 5b | April 23 | October 15 | September 17 – October 1 |
| West Des Moines | 5b | April 18 | October 20 | September 22 – October 6 |
| Ames | 5b | April 26 | October 8 | September 10 – September 24 |
Garlic in Iowa: FAQ
When can I plant garlic in Iowa?
Across Iowa, the time to fall-plant garlic spans roughly September 5 in Spencer to September 27 in Bettendorf, each following that city's local frost dates.
Does the garlic planting date vary across Iowa?
Yes. Iowa publishes 42 cities with their own frost dates, so the right garlic planting window shifts by weeks between the warmest and coldest parts of the state — use your city's page for the exact dates.
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