When to plant beet in Des Moines
Beet is cold-hardy, so every date keys off Des Moines's frost dates of Apr 17.
Step 1 · Sow
Direct sow outdoors
Apr 5 – Apr 26
Sow straight into warm, workable soil.
Step 2 · Harvest
Harvest window
May 25 – Jun 14
Picking runs until conditions turn against the crop.
Step 3 · Second sowing
Autumn / second sowing
Jul 5 – Jul 19
A second window for a fall crop, timed to mature before the first frost.
Step 4 · Second harvest
Autumn crop harvest
Aug 31 – Sep 20
Maturity window for the second sowing.
Window
Days to maturity
50 – 70 d
Des Moines's 179-day season leaves this much room.
Beet on Des Moines's growing year
Frost-bounded season with crops mapped onto the 12-month axis.
Frost risk Growing Harvest
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
FROST
FROST
APR 17
OCT 16
Common questions
When can I sow beet outdoors in Des Moines?
Direct-sow around early April (Apr 5–Apr 26) in Des Moines, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 86%.
When will beet be ready to harvest in Des Moines?
Expect to harvest from around late May (May 25–Jun 14) in Des Moines, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 80%.
Can I plant beet in autumn in Des Moines?
Yes — Des Moines supports a second, autumn sowing of beet around early July (Jul 5–Jul 19), timed to mature before the first fall frost.
How long is the growing season in Des Moines?
Des Moines has roughly 179 frost-free days, which is enough time to grow beet to maturity outdoors.
The rule of thumb
Sow beet as soon as the soil is workable — it tolerates cool weather and light frost. Every date on this page is derived from that rule and Des Moines's frost dates.
Confidence 89/100 · Curated · based on NOAA GHCN-Daily 1991–2020 normal · frost dates are probabilities, not guarantees.