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Shawnee, Kansas planting calendar and frost dates

Shawnee is in USDA hardiness zone 6b. The last spring frost typically comes around April 16 and the first fall frost around October 22, giving about 188 frost-free days a year.

Hardiness zone
Zone 6b
Typical last frost
April 16
Typical first frost
October 22
Frost-free season
188 days

Frost dates in Shawnee

Last spring frost

  • April 1Risky: frost later than this in 9 years out of 10
  • April 16Typical: a later frost in half of years
  • May 1Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10

First fall frost

  • October 9Risky: frost earlier than this 1 year in 10
  • October 22Typical: an earlier frost in half of years
  • November 2Late: frost before this in 9 years out of 10

The growing season between the typical last and first frosts is about 188 days. Frost here means a low of 32°F at the weather station. A hard freeze (28°F), which damages most hardy crops too, typically ends around April 5 and returns around October 31.

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Bonner Springs, 2.9 miles NW of the city center. Low-lying and rural spots often frost later in spring and earlier in fall than airports and city centers.

What to plant each month in Shawnee

  1. January

    Start indoors: broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, leeks, onions, petunias, ranunculus

  2. February

    Start indoors: black-eyed susans, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, celery, chives, collard greens, ginger, kale, leeks, lettuce, marigolds, onions, oregano, parsley, peppers, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, sage, snapdragons

  3. March

    Start indoors: basil, black-eyed susans, cabbages, celery, chives, cilantro, collard greens, eggplants, ginger, lettuce, marigolds, nasturtiums, peppers, ranunculus, sage, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, tomatoes

    Plant or sow outdoors: beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, collard greens, figs, garlic, gladioli, grapes, grass seed, hollyhocks, kale, leeks, lettuce, onions, parsley, peas, poppies, radishes, ranunculus, raspberries, rhubarb, roses, spinach, strawberries, swiss chard, turnips, wildflowers

  4. April

    Start indoors: basil, cantaloupes, cosmos, cucumbers, okra, pumpkins, ranunculus, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

    Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, dahlias, dill, figs, garden mums, ginger, gladioli, grapes, green onions, kentucky bluegrass, lavenders, leeks, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, onions, oregano, parsley, perennial ryegrass, petunias, potatoes, radishes, ranunculus, rosemary, roses, sage, snapdragons, spinach, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet peas, swiss chard, tall fescue, thyme, turnips

  5. May

    Start indoors: zinnias

    Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, basil, bermudagrass, cantaloupes, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, cucumbers, eggplants, garden mums, ginger, green beans, green onions, kentucky bluegrass, okra, peanuts, peppers, perennial ryegrass, pumpkins, st. augustinegrass, sunflowers, sweet peas, sweet potatoes, tall fescue, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zoysiagrass, zucchini

  6. June

    Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, green onions, okra, peanuts, st. augustinegrass, zinnias, zoysiagrass

  7. July

    Plant for fall: bearded irises, brussels sprouts, carrots, collard greens, lettuce, peas, snapdragons, swiss chard

  8. August

    Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, clematis, collard greens, coneflowers, daylilies, hostas, hydrangeas, kale, lettuce, peas, radishes, roses, saffron, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, turnips

  9. September

    Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, beets, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, clematis, coneflowers, crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hyacinths, hydrangeas, kale, kentucky bluegrass, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, perennial ryegrass, radishes, roses, saffron, spinach, tall fescue, tulips, turnips

  10. October

    Plant for fall: crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, garlic, hyacinths, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, tulips

  11. November

    Plant for fall: crocuses, garlic, hyacinths, ornamental alliums, tulips

  12. December

    Start indoors: onions

Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Shawnee

Shawnee's 6 main ZIP codes take their frost dates from 3 different NOAA stations: the typical last frost ranges from April 4 in 66203 to April 16 in 66226. Every one of them is in zone 6b.

ZIP codeZoneWeather stationTypical last frostTypical first frost
662036bKansas City Downtown Airport, 1.8 mi NWApr 4Nov 2
662166bKansas City Downtown Airport, 1.8 mi NWApr 4Nov 2
662176bKansas City Downtown Airport, 12.1 mi NEApr 4Nov 2
662186bKansas City Downtown Airport, 14 mi ENEApr 4Nov 2
662266bBonner Springs, 2.9 mi NWApr 16Oct 22
662276bOlathe Johnson Co Exec Airport, 4.8 mi ESEApr 8Oct 29

Planting dates for popular crops in Shawnee

PlantStart indoorsPlant or sow outdoorsFall planting
TomatoesMar 14 to 28May 9 to 23—
Strawberries—Mar 5 to 19—
LettuceFeb 19 to Mar 5Apr 9 to 23Jul 23 to Aug 27
CilantroMar 5 to 19Apr 16 to 23—
BasilMar 21 to Apr 4May 9 to 16—
Potatoes—Apr 4 to 11—
Garlic—Mar 5 to 19Oct 22 to Nov 5
OnionsDec 25 to Feb 5Mar 19 to Apr 2—
CucumbersApr 11 to 25May 9 to 23—
PumpkinsApr 11 to 25May 9 to 23—
PeppersFeb 21 to Mar 21May 9 to 23—
Carrots—Mar 26 to Apr 16Jul 30 to Aug 20
Sweet Potatoes—May 21 to 28—
WatermelonsApr 4 to 18May 9 to 23—
Sweet Corn—Apr 16 to 30—
Green Beans—May 9 to 23—
ZucchiniApr 11 to 25May 9 to 23—
BroccoliJan 29 to Feb 19Mar 19 to Apr 2Aug 6 to Sep 3
Peas—Mar 5 to 19Jul 30 to Aug 13
SpinachMar 5 to 12Apr 9 to 23Aug 13 to Sep 17
Sunflowers—Apr 16 to May 7—
ZinniasMay 6 to 13Jun 3 to 17—
Tulips——Sep 10 to Nov 5
Daffodils——Sep 10 to Oct 22
Grass Seed—Mar 5 to 19Sep 10 to 24

Nearby cities

Planting in KansasAbout zone 6bPrintable calendar for Shawnee

Questions

When is the last frost in Shawnee?

Around April 16 in a typical year, based on NOAA's 1991-2020 records for Bonner Springs. There is still a 1 in 10 chance of frost after May 1.

What planting zone is Shawnee in?

USDA hardiness zone 6b (2023 map). The zone tells you which perennials survive the winter; planting dates depend on frost dates instead.

When should I plant tomatoes in Shawnee?

Start seeds indoors March 14 to 28 and set plants out May 9 to 23.

When is the first frost in Shawnee?

Around October 22 in a typical year, and before October 9 about 1 year in 10.