Columbia, Missouri planting calendar and frost dates

Frost dates in Columbia

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Columbia U Of M, 1 miles SE 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 Columbia

1. January

   Start indoors: broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, leeks, onions, oregano, parsley, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, snapdragons

2. February

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

   Plant or sow outdoors: black-eyed susans, blueberries, garlic, grapes, grass seed, hollyhocks, onions, peas, poppies, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, turnips, wildflowers

3. March

   Start indoors: basil, cantaloupes, celery, cilantro, cucumbers, eggplants, marigolds, nasturtiums, peppers, pumpkins, ranunculus, spinach, swiss chard, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

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

4. April

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

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, basil, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, chives, cilantro, cucumbers, dahlias, dill, eggplants, figs, garden mums, ginger, gladioli, grapes, green beans, green onions, kentucky bluegrass, lavenders, leeks, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, oregano, parsley, peppers, perennial ryegrass, petunias, potatoes, pumpkins, ranunculus, rosemary, roses, sage, snapdragons, spinach, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet peas, swiss chard, tall fescue, thyme, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

5. May

   Start indoors: zinnias

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, basil, bermudagrass, cantaloupes, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, cucumbers, eggplants, garden mums, green beans, green onions, okra, peanuts, peppers, pumpkins, st. augustinegrass, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zinnias, zoysiagrass, zucchini

6. June

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

7. July

   Plant for fall: brussels sprouts

8. August

   Plant for fall: bearded irises, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, collard greens, daylilies, kale, lettuce, peas, radishes, 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, hydrangeas, kale, kentucky bluegrass, lettuce, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, perennial ryegrass, radishes, roses, saffron, snapdragons, spinach, tall fescue, tulips, turnips

10. October

    Plant for fall: crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, garlic, grass seed, hostas, hyacinths, kale, kentucky bluegrass, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, perennial ryegrass, radishes, saffron, tall fescue, 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 Columbia

All 3 of Columbia's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Columbia U Of M, so the dates on this page apply across the city. Every one of them is in zone 6b.

Planting dates for popular crops in Columbia

Nearby cities

• O'Fallon, MO zone 6b, last frost Apr 10
• St. Peters, MO zone 6b, last frost Apr 8
• St. Charles, MO zone 6b, last frost Apr 2
• Blue Springs, MO zone 6b, last frost Apr 10
• Florissant, MO zone 7a, last frost Apr 2
• Independence, MO zone 6b, last frost Apr 10