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In the garden now (2 November 2026)
Kansas City planting calendar
Bars show when each crop can go in and when a planting from that window is ready. The blue band is the frost season, from the average first autumn frost to the average last spring frost. Hover or tap a crop for details.
Sow indoorsSow or plant outdoorsHarvestFrost seasonToday
Swipe sideways to see the whole year →
Dates by crop
| Crop | Sow indoors | Sow / plant outdoors | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 1 – Apr 5 | Apr 26 – Aug 14 plant out | Jun 25 – Oct 25 |
| Pepper | Feb 26 – Apr 2 | May 7 – Aug 11 plant out | Jul 4 – Oct 25 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Mar 3 – Apr 7 | May 12 – Aug 7 plant out | Jul 11 – Oct 25 |
| Cucumber | Apr 3 – Apr 30 | May 1 – Aug 25 sow | Jun 17 – Oct 25 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | Mar 29 – Apr 25 | Apr 26 – Aug 28 sow | Jun 11 – Oct 25 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | Mar 29 – Apr 25 | Apr 26 – Jul 28 sow | Jul 15 – Nov 1 |
| Watermelon | Apr 14 – May 11 | May 12 – Aug 6 sow | Jul 14 – Oct 25 |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 15 – Aug 10 sow | Jun 28 – Oct 25 |
| Green beans | – | Apr 26 – Aug 25 sow | Jun 14 – Oct 25 |
| Peas | – | Mar 11 – Apr 1 sow | May 23 – Jun 26 |
| Lettuce | Jan 31 – Feb 28 | Mar 7 – Apr 21, Aug 27 – Sep 18 sow | May 12 – Jun 27, Oct 4 – Nov 12 |
| Spinach | – | Mar 1 – Apr 18 sow | May 7 – Jun 21 |
| Kale | Jan 23 – Feb 27 | Mar 6 – May 14, Aug 17 – Sep 13 sow | May 19 – Sep 4, Oct 1 – Dec 17 |
| Cabbage | Jan 26 – Mar 2, Jun 29 – Jul 29 | Mar 16 – Apr 16, Aug 17 – Sep 2 plant out | Jun 1 – Jul 12, Oct 14 – Nov 23 |
| Broccoli | Jan 26 – Mar 2, Jul 9 – Aug 4 | Mar 16 – Apr 24, Aug 27 – Sep 8 plant out | May 25 – Jul 10, Oct 18 – Nov 16 |
| Carrots | – | Mar 16 – Jun 30, Aug 17 – Sep 6 sow | May 28 – Dec 17 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Mar 16 – Jun 30, Aug 17 – Sep 13 sow | May 21 – Sep 23, Oct 1 – Nov 23 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 6 – May 7, Sep 10 – Oct 6 sow | Apr 23 – Jun 10, Oct 1 – Nov 16 |
| Onions | Dec 31 – Feb 4 | Mar 11 – Jun 30 plant out | Jun 18 – Oct 9 |
| Garlic | – | Oct 18 – Nov 16 sow | May 14 – Jun 3 |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 21 – Jun 12 sow | Jun 17 – Oct 1 |
| Swiss chard | – | Mar 21 – Sep 17 sow | May 19 – Nov 23 |
| Basil | Mar 26 – Apr 23 | May 7 – Sep 11 plant out | Jun 3 – Oct 25 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Mar 16 – Apr 29, Sep 10 – Sep 27 sow | May 6 – Jun 26, Oct 11 – Nov 16 |
| Parsley | Jan 24 – Feb 28 | Mar 21 – Jun 30, Aug 17 – Sep 2 sow | Jun 2 – Dec 2 |
Dates are for a typical year and the middle of the window is the safest. Sow a little at a time across a window rather than all at once. Cold snaps, heat waves, frost pockets and city warmth all shift the real dates; watch the forecast.
Frost dates in Kansas City
- Average last spring frost
- April 4
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- April 20
- Average first autumn frost
- November 2
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- October 21
- Frost-free growing season
- 211 days
“Average” is the date with an even chance of a later (spring) or earlier (autumn) frost: a night at or below 0 °C (32 °F) at screen height. Tender crops go out a week or two after the spring date, which brings the risk down to about one year in ten.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Kansas City Dwtn Ap (3 km from the city centre).
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 6b from station records
- Average coldest winter night
- -18°C-1°F
- Warmest month
- July, highs 33°C91°F
- Coldest month
- January, lows -6°C21°F
- Crops with an outdoor window
- 25 of 25
The zone follows the USDA scheme: bands of the average lowest temperature of the year, 10 °F wide, split into a and b halves. Worked out from the coldest night of each year 1991–2020 at the NOAA station. It tells you which perennials survive winter, not when to sow.
Temperature and rain by month
Average highAverage lowRainFreezing point
| Month | High | Low | Mean | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 4°C40°F | -6°C21°F | -1°C30°F | 29 mm1.1 in |
| February | 8°C46°F | -4°C25°F | 2°C36°F | 36 mm1.4 in |
| March | 14°C57°F | 2°C35°F | 8°C46°F | 63 mm2.5 in |
| April | 20°C68°F | 7°C45°F | 14°C57°F | 101 mm4.0 in |
| May | 25°C78°F | 14°C56°F | 19°C67°F | 144 mm5.6 in |
| June | 30°C87°F | 19°C66°F | 24°C76°F | 125 mm4.9 in |
| July | 33°C91°F | 21°C70°F | 27°C80°F | 111 mm4.4 in |
| August | 32°C90°F | 20°C68°F | 26°C79°F | 94 mm3.7 in |
| September | 28°C82°F | 15°C58°F | 21°C70°F | 108 mm4.2 in |
| October | 21°C70°F | 8°C47°F | 15°C58°F | 75 mm3.0 in |
| November | 13°C55°F | 1°C35°F | 7°C45°F | 57 mm2.2 in |
| December | 6°C44°F | -4°C25°F | 1°C34°F | 43 mm1.7 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).