Kansas City, Missouri planting calendar and frost dates

Frost dates in Kansas City

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Kansas City Downtown Airport, 1.8 miles NW of the city center and 156 feet lower. 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 Kansas City

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, 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, kale, onions, peas, poppies, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, turnips, wildflowers

3. March

   Start indoors: basil, cantaloupes, celery, cilantro, cosmos, cucumbers, eggplants, marigolds, nasturtiums, okra, peppers, pumpkins, ranunculus, 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, zinnias, 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, peppers, potatoes, sweet corn, tomatoes

8. August

   Plant for fall: bearded irises, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, collard greens, cucumbers, daylilies, green beans, kale, lettuce, peas, peppers, radishes, snapdragons, spinach, sweet corn, swiss chard, turnips, zucchini

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, grass seed, hostas, hyacinths, kale, kentucky bluegrass, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, perennial ryegrass, radishes, saffron, tall fescue, tulips

11. November

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

12. December

    Start indoors: onions

Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Kansas City

All 12 of Kansas City's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Kansas City Downtown Airport, so the dates on this page apply across the city. The hardiness zone is 6a in 64156, 64157, and 6b in 64119, 64132, 64133, 64134, 64151, 64153, 64154, 64155, 64161, and 7a in 64129.

Kansas City Downtown Airport also supplies the frost dates for Overland Park and Kansas City, so their planting calendars match Kansas City's.

Planting dates for popular crops in Kansas City

Nearby cities

• Kansas City, KS zone 6b, last frost Apr 4
• Independence, MO zone 6b, last frost Apr 10
• Shawnee, KS zone 6b, last frost Apr 16
• Lee's Summit, MO zone 6b, last frost Apr 7
• Blue Springs, MO zone 6b, last frost Apr 10
• Lenexa, KS zone 6b, last frost Apr 8