Gilbert, IA 50105 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Gilbert, IA?
Typically, the last spring freeze lands around 04/26, roughly 241 days out. The first fall frost typically arrives around 10/08, about 164 frost-free days later.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts Gilbert in Zone 5b (-15 to -10°F average annual minimum); frost dates are NOAA's 1991-2020 station normal, not this year's forecast.
What to do before the first frost
About 6 weeks of growing season left in Gilbert before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
Why 04/26 isn't a guarantee
04/26 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 04/11 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 05/09 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Gilbert compares
At roughly 164 frost-free days, Gilbert places 31,027 of 40,283 ZIP codes in this dataset. Within IA, it ranks 597 of 1,042.
Learn more
local microclimates covers what one yard in Gilbert can differ from the 50105 normal. zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 5b and Gilbert's frost date answer different questions.