When to plant in Bloomfield, IA
Planting dates worked out from Bloomfield's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 2
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
Apr 15
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 17
1 year in 10 by Oct 6
Frost-free days
182
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Bloomfield · 1.4 km away · station 262 m, town 266 m. How we match towns to stations
This season
Plan your garden.
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant out or sow | Harvest from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 7 – Mar 21 | May 2 – May 16 | Jun 26 |
| Sweet pepper | Feb 21 – Mar 7 | May 2 – May 16 | Jul 1 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Feb 15 – Feb 22 | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | May 1 |
| Peas | — | Mar 22 – Apr 19 | May 16 |
| Bush beans | — | Apr 25 – May 16 | Jun 14 |
| Carrot | — | Mar 31 – May 12 | May 30 |
| Beet | — | Mar 31 – May 12 | May 20 |
| Potato | — | Mar 31 – Apr 21 | Jun 9 |
| Kale | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Mar 29 – Apr 12 | May 11 |
| Broccoli | Feb 8 – Feb 22 | Mar 22 – Apr 12 | May 21 |
| Cucumber | Apr 4 – Apr 11 | May 2 – May 16 | Jun 21 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 4 – Apr 11 | May 2 – May 16 | Jun 16 |
| Winter squash | Apr 4 – Apr 11 | May 2 – May 16 | Jul 21 |
| Sweet corn | — | Apr 25 – May 16 | Jun 24 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Mar 22 – Apr 12 | Jun 20 |
| Garlic | — | Oct 3 – Oct 31 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Mar 22 – Apr 19 | Apr 29 |
| Basil | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | May 2 – May 16 | Jun 28 |
Bloomfield's weather over time
How the growing season has shifted here, year by year, from the station's own records.
Each year's last spring frostLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Last spring frost |
|---|---|
| 1907 | May 4 |
| 1908 | May 2 |
| 1912 | Apr 18 |
| 1914 | Apr 20 |
| 1915 | Apr 12 |
| 1917 | Apr 15 |
| 1918 | Apr 22 |
| 1919 | Apr 26 |
| 1920 | Apr 17 |
| 1935 | May 5 |
| 1936 | Apr 22 |
| 1937 | Apr 11 |
| 1938 | Apr 22 |
| 1939 | Apr 18 |
| 1940 | May 3 |
| 1941 | Apr 24 |
| 1942 | Apr 11 |
| 1943 | Apr 19 |
| 1944 | May 5 |
| 1945 | Apr 19 |
| 1947 | May 8 |
| 1948 | Apr 14 |
| 1949 | Apr 19 |
| 1952 | Apr 16 |
| 1954 | May 7 |
| 1955 | Apr 7 |
| 1956 | Apr 24 |
| 1957 | May 4 |
| 1958 | Apr 29 |
| 1959 | Apr 22 |
| 1960 | May 1 |
| 1961 | Apr 17 |
| 1962 | Apr 16 |
| 1963 | May 22 |
| 1964 | Apr 9 |
| 1965 | Apr 19 |
| 1966 | May 10 |
| 1967 | Apr 24 |
| 1968 | Apr 25 |
| 1969 | Apr 29 |
| 1970 | May 2 |
| 1971 | Apr 14 |
| 1972 | Apr 25 |
| 1973 | Apr 13 |
| 1974 | Apr 24 |
| 1975 | Apr 20 |
| 1976 | May 3 |
| 1977 | Apr 6 |
| 1978 | Mar 27 |
| 1979 | Apr 9 |
| 1980 | Apr 15 |
| 1981 | Apr 15 |
| 1982 | Apr 21 |
| 1983 | Apr 20 |
| 1984 | Apr 1 |
| 1985 | Apr 9 |
| 1986 | Apr 22 |
| 1987 | Apr 5 |
| 1988 | Apr 24 |
| 1989 | May 7 |
| 1990 | Apr 18 |
| 1991 | Apr 10 |
| 1992 | May 6 |
| 1993 | Apr 16 |
| 1994 | Apr 7 |
| 1995 | Apr 5 |
| 1996 | Apr 30 |
| 1997 | Apr 17 |
| 1998 | Mar 25 |
| 1999 | Apr 17 |
| 2000 | Apr 13 |
| 2001 | Apr 19 |
| 2002 | Apr 7 |
| 2003 | Apr 12 |
| 2004 | Apr 14 |
| 2005 | Apr 24 |
| 2006 | Apr 9 |
| 2007 | Apr 14 |
| 2008 | Apr 29 |
| 2009 | Apr 12 |
| 2010 | Mar 29 |
| 2011 | May 3 |
| 2012 | Apr 13 |
| 2013 | May 4 |
| 2014 | Apr 19 |
| 2019 | Apr 1 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1907 | 156 |
| 1908 | 148 |
| 1912 | 160 |
| 1914 | 189 |
| 1915 | 179 |
| 1917 | 172 |
| 1918 | 185 |
| 1919 | 167 |
| 1935 | 151 |
| 1936 | 182 |
| 1937 | 167 |
| 1938 | 184 |
| 1939 | 164 |
| 1940 | 186 |
| 1941 | 186 |
| 1942 | 164 |
| 1943 | 180 |
| 1944 | 157 |
| 1945 | 178 |
| 1947 | 182 |
| 1948 | 185 |
| 1954 | 163 |
| 1955 | 191 |
| 1956 | 196 |
| 1958 | 154 |
| 1960 | 170 |
| 1961 | 163 |
| 1962 | 156 |
| 1963 | 158 |
| 1964 | 178 |
| 1965 | 157 |
| 1966 | 152 |
| 1967 | 157 |
| 1968 | 161 |
| 1969 | 167 |
| 1970 | 160 |
| 1971 | 203 |
| 1972 | 172 |
| 1973 | 199 |
| 1974 | 150 |
| 1975 | 158 |
| 1976 | 155 |
| 1977 | 188 |
| 1978 | 214 |
| 1979 | 178 |
| 1980 | 179 |
| 1981 | 186 |
| 1982 | 182 |
| 1983 | 176 |
| 1984 | 177 |
| 1985 | 174 |
| 1986 | 174 |
| 1987 | 180 |
| 1988 | 163 |
| 1989 | 139 |
| 1990 | 183 |
| 1991 | 162 |
| 1992 | 163 |
| 1993 | 176 |
| 1994 | 185 |
| 1995 | 199 |
| 1996 | 183 |
| 1998 | 210 |
| 1999 | 183 |
| 2000 | 175 |
| 2001 | 180 |
| 2002 | 191 |
| 2003 | 172 |
| 2004 | 185 |
| 2005 | 166 |
| 2006 | 185 |
| 2007 | 196 |
| 2008 | 174 |
| 2009 | 180 |
| 2010 | 213 |
| 2011 | 177 |
| 2012 | 175 |
| 2013 | 173 |
| 2014 | 194 |
| 2019 | 208 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1907 | 17.8 °C |
| 1908 | 19.6 °C |
| 1913 | 21.6 °C |
| 1914 | 20.2 °C |
| 1915 | 18.4 °C |
| 1917 | 18.1 °C |
| 1918 | 19.4 °C |
| 1919 | 19.7 °C |
| 1920 | 18.0 °C |
| 1935 | 18.6 °C |
| 1936 | 21.9 °C |
| 1937 | 20.0 °C |
| 1939 | 20.4 °C |
| 1940 | 19.5 °C |
| 1941 | 21.3 °C |
| 1942 | 20.1 °C |
| 1943 | 19.4 °C |
| 1944 | 19.8 °C |
| 1945 | 18.3 °C |
| 1947 | 19.8 °C |
| 1948 | 20.4 °C |
| 1954 | 20.3 °C |
| 1955 | 21.1 °C |
| 1956 | 20.2 °C |
| 1958 | 18.5 °C |
| 1960 | 18.7 °C |
| 1961 | 18.1 °C |
| 1962 | 19.0 °C |
| 1963 | 19.4 °C |
| 1965 | 18.8 °C |
| 1966 | 17.6 °C |
| 1967 | 18.0 °C |
| 1968 | 19.2 °C |
| 1969 | 18.7 °C |
| 1970 | 19.8 °C |
| 1971 | 19.5 °C |
| 1972 | 19.4 °C |
| 1973 | 18.8 °C |
| 1974 | 18.2 °C |
| 1975 | 18.4 °C |
| 1976 | 19.1 °C |
| 1977 | 20.7 °C |
| 1978 | 19.7 °C |
| 1979 | 18.9 °C |
| 1980 | 20.5 °C |
| 1981 | 19.7 °C |
| 1983 | 20.4 °C |
| 1984 | 19.3 °C |
| 1985 | 19.9 °C |
| 1986 | 20.7 °C |
| 1987 | 21.4 °C |
| 1988 | 21.4 °C |
| 1989 | 19.3 °C |
| 1990 | 19.8 °C |
| 1991 | 21.0 °C |
| 1992 | 18.7 °C |
| 1993 | 18.7 °C |
| 1994 | 19.7 °C |
| 1995 | 19.4 °C |
| 1996 | 18.7 °C |
| 1997 | 18.0 °C |
| 1998 | 20.0 °C |
| 1999 | 19.2 °C |
| 2000 | 19.2 °C |
| 2001 | 19.2 °C |
| 2002 | 19.4 °C |
| 2003 | 18.6 °C |
| 2004 | 18.5 °C |
| 2005 | 20.1 °C |
| 2006 | 19.5 °C |
| 2007 | 19.7 °C |
| 2008 | 18.3 °C |
| 2009 | 17.8 °C |
| 2010 | 20.1 °C |
| 2011 | 19.5 °C |
| 2012 | 20.5 °C |
| 2013 | 19.2 °C |
| 2014 | 19.0 °C |
| 2015 | 20.9 °C |
| 2019 | 20.5 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1907, Bloomfield's last spring frost has come about 1 day earlier per decade, on average. The frost-free season has grown by about 2 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Bloomfield (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.