Fall in zone 5bPhoto: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 50028 (Baxter, IA)
Average last spring and first fall frost dates with 10%, 50% and 90% odds, from NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the nearest weather station, Newton, IA (9 miles away).
- Average last spring frostApr 2250% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostOct 1750% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)174 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone5b-15 to -10°F avg. coldest night
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This week in your yard
As of Oct 18, 2026, from your frost dates, zone and soil temperature. Lawn timing · Vegetables · Pruning · Plants
Soil temperature now
2-inch depth
56°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 56°F, as of Oct 18, 2:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Des Moines 17 E (18 mi), Ames (33 mi).
4-inch depth
58°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 57°F, as of Oct 18, 2:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Des Moines 17 E (18 mi), Ames (33 mi).
Fall: Texas A&M AgriLife times fall pre-emergent (for winter weeds such as annual bluegrass) to soil cooling to about 70°F for several days. The 50–55°F band is the spring trigger. Always read and follow the product label.
7-day forecast and frost risk
The latest National Weather Service 7-day forecast and any Frost Advisory or Freeze Warning for 50028 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
Soil is 58°F at 4 inches (estimated soil temperature, not a station reading). Fall pre-emergent (annual bluegrass, winter weeds): window open as soil cools through the 70s and 60s.
Fertilizer window
Lawn region: North (cool-season). Timing only; always follow the product label.
- Kentucky bluegrass (cool-season): Early fall: Around Labor Day (late August–September); Late fall: Late October–November, before the ground freezes; Late spring: Optional around Memorial Day. Avoid: Early-spring and midsummer feeding (pushes top growth, favors crabgrass).
Plant now
No vegetable planting windows are open this week.
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Spring-flowering shrubs are pruned right after their flowers fade, not by date. See the pruning guide.
Last spring frost odds
| Chance of a 32°F freeze after this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 90% (early: most years still freeze after this) | Apr 8 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Apr 22 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | May 4 |
Most gardeners plant frost-tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil) after the 50% date, and closer to the 10% date for less risk.
First fall frost odds
| Chance the first 32°F freeze has happened by this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 10% (early: 1 year in 10 freezes this soon) | Oct 1 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Oct 17 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Oct 28 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | May 2 | Oct 4 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Apr 22 | Oct 17 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Apr 12 | Oct 26 |
n/a means NOAA did not publish a date at that threshold for this station (usually because it rarely gets that cold).
Vegetable planting calendar for 50028
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Apr 22) and first fall frost (Oct 17). Half of years have a frost after the spring date, so give tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash) some slack.
| Crop | Start indoors | Spring planting | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 25–Mar 11 | Apr 29–May 13 (transplant) | – |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Feb 11–25 | May 6–20 (transplant) | – |
| Eggplant | Feb 11–25 | May 6–20 (transplant) | – |
| Tomatillo | Feb 25–Mar 11 | Apr 29–May 13 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Feb 25–Mar 11 | Apr 1–22 (transplant) Mar 25–May 6 (sow outdoors) | Aug 22–Sep 12 (transplant) Aug 8–Sep 5 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Mar 11–Apr 1 (sow outdoors) | Aug 22–Sep 12 (sowing) |
| Kale | Feb 25–Mar 11 | Mar 25–Apr 8 (transplant) Mar 25–Apr 8 (sow outdoors) | Jul 25–Aug 22 (transplant) Jul 11–Aug 8 (sowing) |
| Collards | Feb 25–Mar 11 | Mar 25–Apr 22 (transplant) Mar 25–Apr 22 (sow outdoors) | Jul 25–Aug 22 (transplant) Jul 11–Aug 8 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Feb 11–25 | Mar 25–Apr 8 (transplant) | Jul 11–Aug 8 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Feb 11–25 | Mar 25–Apr 8 (transplant) | Jul 11–Aug 8 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Feb 11–25 | Apr 8–22 (transplant) | Jul 11–Aug 8 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Jan 28–Feb 11 | Mar 25–Apr 8 (transplant) | Jun 27–Jul 18 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Feb 25–Mar 11 | Mar 25–Apr 8 (transplant) Mar 25–Apr 8 (sow outdoors) | Aug 8–22 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Mar 25–Apr 8 (sow outdoors) | Aug 22–Sep 5 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Mar 25–Apr 22 (sow outdoors) | Aug 22–Sep 19 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Mar 25–Apr 15 (sow outdoors) | Aug 22–Sep 5 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Mar 11–25 | Apr 8–29 (transplant) Apr 8–May 6 (sow outdoors) | Aug 8–22 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Mar 25–Apr 22 (sow outdoors) | Aug 8–22 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Apr 1–29 (sow outdoors) | Jul 25–Aug 8 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Mar 18–Apr 29 (sow outdoors) | Sep 5–19 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Mar 25–Apr 15 (sow outdoors) | Aug 8–22 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Apr 1–22 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Feb 25–Mar 25 (sow outdoors) | Jul 25–Aug 8 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Jan 28–Feb 11 | Mar 11–25 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Mar 11–Apr 8 (sow outdoors) | Aug 8–22 (sowing) |
| Leek | Jan 28–Feb 11 | Mar 25–Apr 8 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 5–Oct 3 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Mar 11–25 (transplant) | Sep 5–Oct 3 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Mar 25–Apr 8 (transplant) | Jun 27–Jul 11 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | May 13–27 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 29–May 13 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Apr 29–May 13 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, pole | – | Apr 29–May 13 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | May 6–20 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | May 13–Jun 3 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Mar 25–Apr 1 | Apr 29–May 13 (transplant) Apr 29–May 13 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Mar 25–Apr 1 | Apr 29–May 13 (transplant) Apr 29–May 13 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Winter squash | Mar 25–Apr 1 | Apr 29–May 13 (transplant) Apr 29–May 13 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Apr 29–May 13 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Mar 25–Apr 1 | May 6–20 (transplant) May 6–20 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Mar 25–Apr 1 | May 6–20 (transplant) May 6–20 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Mar 11–25 | May 6–20 (transplant) May 6–20 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Jan 28–Feb 11 | Apr 29–May 6 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Mar 11–25 | Apr 29–May 13 (transplant) Apr 29–May 13 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Apr 8–May 6 (sow outdoors) | Aug 22–Sep 5 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Feb 11–25 | Apr 8–22 (transplant) Apr 1–22 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Apr 22–May 6 (sow outdoors) | Aug 22–Sep 5 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Apr 22–May 6 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Mar 25–Apr 8 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Mar 25–Apr 8 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Mar 25–Apr 8 (transplant) | Aug 8–Sep 5 (transplant) |
Typical ranges from university extension planting calendars, adjusted to your frost dates. Probabilities, not guarantees. Fall windows that would overlap spring planting are left out, as are fall crops of frost-tender plants where the frost-free season is under 210 days.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Newton, IA (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00135992), elevation 960 ft, 9.2 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: S (standard, 24+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colo, IA | 17 mi | Apr 24 | Oct 12 |
| Des Moines 17 E, IA | 19 mi | Apr 21 | Oct 15 |
| Marshalltown, IA | 21 mi | Apr 28 | Oct 7 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 7 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 50028
When is the last frost in 50028?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 50028 is April 22. For a more cautious planting date, use May 4, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 50028?
The average first fall freeze is October 17. In 1 year in 10 it comes by October 1.
What hardiness zone is 50028?
ZIP 50028 is in USDA zone 5b (-15 to -10°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 50028 right now?
This page shows the latest 2-inch and 4-inch soil temperature from the nearest public soil station (USDA SCAN, NOAA USCRN or TexMesonet), or a labeled estimate when no station is close, against the 50–55°F spring pre-emergent band.
Nearby ZIP codes
50127 50234 Rhodes 50168 Mingo 50055 Collins 50208 Newton 50054 Colfax 50162 Melbourne 50141 Laurel
Other ZIP codes in Jasper County
50054 50127 50135 50137 50153 50168 50170 50208 50228 50232 50251 All Jasper County frost dates · Iowa frost dates
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Weekly yard timing, plus frost and soil-temperature alerts for your ZIP code.
- Freeze alerts
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Free. One weekly email plus alerts when your ZIP has a frost or a soil-temperature change worth acting on. After you submit, Kit (our email provider) sends a confirmation email: check your email and click the link to confirm. You aren't subscribed until you do. We collect only your email address and ZIP, sent to Kit to deliver The Dial. Unsubscribe anytime.