Frederika, IA 50631 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Frederika, IA?
Typically, the last spring freeze lands around 04/29, roughly 244 days out. The first fall frost typically arrives around 10/09, about 162 frost-free days later.
Zone 5a (-20 to -15°F average annual minimum) comes from the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map; the frost dates above are the 1991-2020 normal at the nearest reporting NOAA station for Frederika, not a forecast for this year.
What to do before the first frost
About 6 weeks of growing season left in Frederika before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
Why 04/29 isn't a guarantee
04/29 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 04/14 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 Frederika compares
About 162 days separate Frederika's last and first frost, putting it 31,872 of 40,283 ZIP codes nationally. Within IA, it ranks 732 of 1,042.
Learn more
local microclimates covers what one yard in Frederika can differ from the 50631 normal. zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 5a and Frederika's frost date answer different questions.