Late Planting In Iowa

Late Planting In Iowa: Vegetable Planting For July/August

Whether you’re just getting into gardening or simply wanting to get the most out of your garden, it’s important to know about growing seasons and what to plant when. Some plants do better with spring plantings and summer heat. Others prefer to be planted in the warm summer ground, then grow well into the fall and are ready for harvest before the first frost.

Iowa covers hardiness zones 4-6 and heat zones 4-7. The Des Moines Metro Area is primarily hardiness zone 5 and heat zone 6. This is good info to know when scheduling your planting. A great resource is Urban Farmer where you can find schedules for any state and zone in the U.S.

If you want to start a new crop during the summer, there are a number of plants that thrive in the warm soil and heat, provided they get enough water. These include

• Beets
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Kale
• Lettuce
• Peas
• Spinach

If it’s summer and you’re eager to plant, make sure to water your plants well and keep a good eye on them during July. You can also wait until August to plant these vegetables and still have a nice harvest before the first frost.

For more information, check out these links:

Urban Farmer Iowa Vegetable Calendar

Planting Schedule IA State University