When to plant in Nevada, IA
Planting dates worked out from Nevada's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 6
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
Apr 25
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 8
1 year in 10 by Sep 22
Frost-free days
165
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Colo · 11.0 km away · station 305 m, town 305 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 11 – Mar 25 | May 6 – May 20 | Jun 30 |
| Sweet pepper | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | May 6 – May 20 | Jul 5 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Feb 26 – Mar 5 | Apr 2 – Apr 16 | May 12 |
| Peas | — | Apr 2 – Apr 30 | May 27 |
| Bush beans | — | Apr 29 – May 20 | Jun 18 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 10 – May 22 | Jun 9 |
| Beet | — | Apr 10 – May 22 | May 30 |
| Potato | — | Apr 10 – May 1 | Jun 19 |
| Kale | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Apr 9 – Apr 23 | May 22 |
| Broccoli | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Apr 2 – Apr 23 | Jun 1 |
| Cucumber | Apr 8 – Apr 15 | May 6 – May 20 | Jun 25 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 8 – Apr 15 | May 6 – May 20 | Jun 20 |
| Winter squash | Apr 8 – Apr 15 | May 6 – May 20 | Jul 25 |
| Sweet corn | — | Apr 29 – May 20 | Jun 28 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Apr 2 – Apr 23 | Jul 1 |
| Garlic | — | Sep 24 – Oct 22 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Apr 2 – Apr 30 | May 10 |
| Basil | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | May 6 – May 20 | Jul 2 |
Nevada'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 |
|---|---|
| 1965 | Apr 28 |
| 1966 | May 14 |
| 1967 | May 6 |
| 1968 | May 5 |
| 1969 | May 12 |
| 1971 | May 3 |
| 1972 | Apr 25 |
| 1973 | May 3 |
| 1974 | May 6 |
| 1975 | Apr 20 |
| 1976 | May 7 |
| 1977 | Apr 8 |
| 1978 | Apr 21 |
| 1979 | May 1 |
| 1980 | May 9 |
| 1981 | May 11 |
| 1982 | Apr 22 |
| 1983 | Apr 20 |
| 1984 | May 1 |
| 1985 | Apr 10 |
| 1986 | Apr 22 |
| 1987 | Apr 12 |
| 1988 | Apr 28 |
| 1989 | May 7 |
| 1990 | May 1 |
| 1991 | Apr 25 |
| 1992 | May 7 |
| 1993 | Apr 22 |
| 1994 | May 1 |
| 1995 | Apr 22 |
| 1996 | Apr 30 |
| 1997 | May 15 |
| 1998 | Apr 18 |
| 1999 | Apr 18 |
| 2000 | Apr 13 |
| 2001 | Apr 24 |
| 2002 | Apr 10 |
| 2003 | Apr 11 |
| 2004 | May 5 |
| 2005 | May 4 |
| 2006 | Apr 27 |
| 2007 | Apr 13 |
| 2008 | May 2 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1965 | 166 |
| 1966 | 139 |
| 1967 | 145 |
| 1968 | 151 |
| 1969 | 154 |
| 1971 | 159 |
| 1972 | 157 |
| 1973 | 165 |
| 1974 | 138 |
| 1975 | 164 |
| 1976 | 151 |
| 1977 | 186 |
| 1978 | 175 |
| 1979 | 156 |
| 1980 | 139 |
| 1981 | 143 |
| 1982 | 176 |
| 1983 | 155 |
| 1984 | 147 |
| 1985 | 173 |
| 1986 | 166 |
| 1987 | 173 |
| 1988 | 158 |
| 1989 | 138 |
| 1990 | 170 |
| 1991 | 146 |
| 1992 | 156 |
| 1993 | 169 |
| 1994 | 176 |
| 1995 | 152 |
| 1996 | 160 |
| 1997 | 157 |
| 1998 | 186 |
| 1999 | 155 |
| 2000 | 175 |
| 2001 | 164 |
| 2002 | 179 |
| 2003 | 170 |
| 2004 | 149 |
| 2005 | 156 |
| 2006 | 167 |
| 2007 | 192 |
| 2008 | 166 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1965 | 18.0 °C |
| 1966 | 17.3 °C |
| 1967 | 17.1 °C |
| 1968 | 18.1 °C |
| 1969 | 18.1 °C |
| 1971 | 17.5 °C |
| 1972 | 17.0 °C |
| 1973 | 17.1 °C |
| 1974 | 16.5 °C |
| 1975 | 16.9 °C |
| 1976 | 17.3 °C |
| 1977 | 19.5 °C |
| 1978 | 18.3 °C |
| 1979 | 17.2 °C |
| 1980 | 18.6 °C |
| 1981 | 17.9 °C |
| 1982 | 17.3 °C |
| 1983 | 17.6 °C |
| 1984 | 16.8 °C |
| 1985 | 17.7 °C |
| 1986 | 18.1 °C |
| 1987 | 18.9 °C |
| 1988 | 19.6 °C |
| 1989 | 17.5 °C |
| 1990 | 17.6 °C |
| 1991 | 18.6 °C |
| 1992 | 16.1 °C |
| 1993 | 16.4 °C |
| 1994 | 17.5 °C |
| 1995 | 17.3 °C |
| 1996 | 16.6 °C |
| 1997 | 17.0 °C |
| 1998 | 19.0 °C |
| 1999 | 18.2 °C |
| 2000 | 18.4 °C |
| 2001 | 18.4 °C |
| 2002 | 18.2 °C |
| 2003 | 17.9 °C |
| 2004 | 17.6 °C |
| 2005 | 19.0 °C |
| 2006 | 18.6 °C |
| 2007 | 19.0 °C |
| 2008 | 17.4 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1965, Nevada's last spring frost has come about 3 days earlier per decade, on average. The frost-free season has grown by about 4 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Colo (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.