The USDA Zone info is a great tool for gardeners to help us figure out your gardening schedule. The most important data that the zone info tells us is average last frost and the lowest expected temperature for your area.
You will be able to determine when it's the best time to plant cantaloupes by reviewing the USDA zone info for Iowa City.
Planting Calendar for Cantaloupes
Frost tolerance for cantaloupes: | Not tolerant of frost. |
When to plant: | After the last frost when the weather gets warmer. |
Cantaloupes are not cold tolerant which means that it is important to wait until it warms up after the last frost before you can plant them.
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Legend | |
---|---|
A good time to plant cantaloupes | |
Possibly ok, but a risky time to plant cantaloupes | |
Probably not a good time to plant cantaloupes |
The earliest that you can plant cantaloupes in Iowa City is April. However, you really should wait until May if you don't want to take any chances.
The last month that you can plant cantaloupes and expect a good harvest is probably August. Any later than that and your cantaloupes may not have a chance to fully mature. If you are starting your cantaloupes indoors then you might be able to get away with starting them a couple of weeks earlier.
Last Frost Date
In Iowa City the average date of last frost happens on April 15. You can expect an average low temperature of -15°F in the coldest months of winter.
Just be sure to remember that USDA zone info for Iowa City is not always accurate and the actual date of last frost will vary from year to year. Half of the time in Iowa City you get surprised by a frost after April 15 so make sure that you are prepared to protect your cantaloupes if you have a surprise late frost.
USDA Zone Info for Iowa City
Here is the info for USDA Zone 5b.
Average Date of Last Frost (spring) | April 15 |
Average Date of First Frost (fall) | October 15 |
Lowest Expected Low | -15°F |
Highest Expected Low | -10°F |
This means that on a really cold year, the coldest it will get is -15°F. On most years you should be prepared to experience lows near -10°F.
Plants to Grow in Iowa City
You may be interested in your other planting guides for Iowa City.
Vegetables
- Artichokes
- Asparagus
- Asparagus lettuce
- Asparagus peas
- Beets
- Bell Peppers
- Bittercress
- Black pepper
- Black radish
- Bok Choi
- Broccoli
- Brussels Sprouts
- Bunching Onions
- Cabbage
- Cantaloupes
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Celeriac
- Celery
- Chard
- Chicory
- Chinese cabbage
- Chives
- Corn
- Corn salad
- Cucumbers
- Eggplants
- Endive
- Fennel
- Field Peas
- Garden cress
- Garlic
- Gherkins
- Green beans
- Hamburg root parsley
- Iceberg lettuce
- Indian cress
- Jerusalem artichokes
- Kale
- Kohlrabi
- Leeks
- Lettuce
- Melons
- Mustard greens
- Napa cabbage
- Neeps
- New Zealand spinach
- Okra
- Onions
- Parsnip
- Pea
- Peanut
- Pearl onions
- Peas
- Pole beans
- Potatos
- Pumpkins
- Purslane
- Radicchio
- Radishes
- Red cabbage
- Rhubarb
- Romaine lettuce
- Romanesco
- Runner beans
- Salsify
- Savoy cabbage
- Scallions
- Shallots
- Snap beans
- Snow peas
- Spinach
- Squash
- Strawberries
- String beans
- Sweet corn
- Sweet Potatos
- Tomatos
- Tree onions
- Turnips
- Watercress
- Watermelon
- Welsh onion
- Zucchini
Herbs
Flowers
- Abutilon
- Achillea
- Achimenes
- Aegopodium
- African Daisy
- Ageratum
- Ajuga
- Alstromeria
- Alternanthera
- Alternaria
- Alyssum
- Amaranthus
- Anagallis
- Anchusa
- Anemone
- Angelonia
- Angel's Trumpets
- Arabis
- Arctotis
- Argyranthemum
- Armeria
- Artemesia
- Asparagus Fern
- Asters
- Astilbe
- Aubretia
- Aubrieta
- Aurinia
- Axilflower
- Baby Blue Eyes
- Baby's Breath
- Bachelor Buttons
- Bacopa
- Balloon Flower
- Balsam
- Banana
- Basket of Gold
- Bee Balm
- Begonias
- Bellis
- Bells of Ireland
- Bidens
- Bishop's Weed
- Black Eyed Susans
- Bleeding Hearts
- Bloodleaf
- Blue Lace Flowers
- Blue Throatwort
- Bougainvillea
- Bower Vine
- Brachycome
- Browallia
- Brunfelsia
- Buddha belly plant
- Bunny Tails grass
- Caladium
- Calendula
- Calibrachoa
- California Poppy
- Calla Lily
- Calliopsis
- Campanula
- Candytuft
- Canna
- Cardinal Flower
- Carnation
- Catharanthus
- Celosia
- Centaurea
- Cerastium
- Chocolate Daisy
- Chrysanthemum
- Chrysanthemums
- Chrysocephalum
- Cigar Plant
- Cleome
- Clover
- Coleus
- Columbine
- Common hollyhock
- Copperleaf
- Coral Bells
- Coreopsis
- Cosmos
- Crassula
- Creeping Phlox
- Creeping Zinnia
- Crossandra
- Cuphea
- Dahlberg Daisy
- Dahlia
- Dahlias
- Dallas Fern
- Datura
- Daylily
- Decorative Kale
- Delphinium
- Dianthus
- Diascia
- Dichondra
- Didiscus
- Digitalis
- Dipladenia
- Doronicum
- Dracaena
- Dusty Miller
- Echinacea
- Elephant Ears
- English Daisy
- Erysimum
- Euphorbia
- Evolvulus
- Fanflower
- Felicia Daisy
- Festuca
- Feverfew
- Fiber Optic Grass
- Firebush
- Flax
- Flowering Kale
- Flowering Maple
- Flowering Tobacco
- Flower-of-an-Hour
- Forget-Me-Not
- Fountain Grass
- Four O' Clock
- Four-o-clock flower
- Foxglove
- Fuchsia
- Gaillardia
- Galium
- Garden Mums
- Gayfeather
- Gazania
- Geranium
- Gerbera
- Geum
- Gladiolus
- Gloriosa Daisy
- Gloriosa Lily
- Gomphrena
- Guara
- Gypsophila
- Hamelia
- Hardy Asters
- Hardy Hibiscus
- Helianthemum
- Heliotrope
- Hemerocallis
- Heuchera
- Hibiscus
- Hollyhocks
- Hosta
- Hypericum
- Iberis
- Iceland Poppy
- Impatiens
- Iresene
- Jasmine
- Lantana
- Larkspur
- Lavender
- Lavender Cotton
- Lenten Rose
- Liatris
- Lisianthus
- Lithospermum
- Livingstone Daisy
- Lobelia
- Lotus Vine
- Lunaria
- Lupine
- Lysimachia
- Maltese Cross
- Marguerite Daisy
- Marigold
- Matricaria
- Mecardonia
- Melampodium
- Mexican Feather Grass
- Millet
- Mimulus
- Missouri Primrose
- Monarda
- Money Plant
- Monkey Flower
- Moon Vine
- Morning Glory
- Myosotis
- Napa Valley Fern
- Nasturtium
- Nemesia
- Nicotiana
- Nierembergia
- Nigella
- Nolana
- Oenothera
- Oleander
- Oriental poppies
- Ornamental Grasses
- Osteospermum
- Oxalis
- Painted Daisies
- Painted Tongues
- Pampas Grass
- Pansies
- Pennisetum
- Penstemon
- Pentas
- Peonies
- Perilla
- Periwinkles
- Petunias
- Phlox
- Pincushion Flower
- Platycodon
- Plectranthus
- Polka Dot Plant
- Polygonums
- Poppies
- Portulaca
- Primroses
- Primula
- Purple Bell Vines
- Purple Coneflower
- Purple Rock Cress
- Pyrethrum
- Red Hot Pokers
- Regal Geranium
- Rock Cress
- Roses
- Ruby Grass
- Rudbeckia
- Sagina
- Salpiglossis
- Salvia
- Santolina
- Sanvitalia
- Saxifraga
- Scabiosa
- Scaevola
- Scarlet Pimpernels
- Scarlet Runner Beans
- Schizanthus
- Scutellaria
- Sedum
- Shasta Daisys
- Skullcap
- Snapdragons
- Snow-in Summer
- Statice
- Steirodiscus
- Stocks
- Stoneseed
- Strawflowers
- Streptocarpella
- Sunflowers
- Sutera
- Swan River Daisy
- Sweet Peas
- Sweet Potato Vine
- Sweet Sultan
- Sweet Williams
- Sweet Woodruff
- Tagetes
- Tall Phlox
- Thunbergia
- Tithonia
- Torch Lilys
- Torenia
- Trachelium
- Trailing Portulaca
- Transvaal Daisy
- Trifolium
- Tritoma
- Tropical Hibiscus
- Tropical Water Plants
- Twinspur
- Verbena
- Veronica
- Vinca Vine
- Violas
- Violets
- Xerianthemum
- Yarrow
- Zinnia