In the garden now (2 November 2026)
St. Louis 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 | Feb 26 – Apr 2 | Apr 23 – Aug 15 plant out | Jun 21 – Oct 25 |
| Pepper | Feb 22 – Mar 29 | May 3 – Aug 12 plant out | Jun 30 – Oct 25 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Feb 27 – Apr 3 | May 8 – Aug 9 plant out | Jul 7 – Oct 25 |
| Cucumber | Mar 31 – Apr 27 | Apr 28 – Aug 26 sow | Jun 13 – Oct 25 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | Mar 26 – Apr 22 | Apr 23 – Aug 29 sow | Jun 7 – Oct 25 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | Mar 26 – Apr 22 | Apr 23 – Jul 28 sow | Jul 12 – Oct 25 |
| Watermelon | Apr 10 – May 7 | May 8 – Aug 8 sow | Jul 10 – Oct 25 |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 15 – Aug 11 sow | Jun 25 – Oct 25 |
| Green beans | – | Apr 23 – Aug 26 sow | Jun 11 – Oct 25 |
| Peas | – | Mar 9 – Mar 26 sow | May 21 – Jun 22 |
| Lettuce | Feb 4 – Mar 4 | Mar 11 – Apr 15, Aug 27 – Sep 18 sow | May 10 – Jun 22, Oct 3 – Nov 5 |
| Spinach | – | Feb 27 – Apr 12, Sep 23 – Sep 27 sow | May 5 – Jun 16, Nov 8 – Nov 25 |
| Kale | Jan 21 – Feb 25 | Mar 4 – May 13, Aug 13 – Sep 17 sow | May 17 – Sep 3, Sep 26 – Dec 10 |
| Cabbage | Jan 24 – Feb 28, Jun 25 – Jul 30 | Mar 14 – Apr 12, Aug 13 – Sep 3 plant out | May 29 – Jul 8, Oct 8 – Nov 16 |
| Broccoli | Jan 28 – Mar 4, Jul 9 – Aug 4 | Mar 18 – Apr 20, Aug 27 – Sep 8 plant out | May 23 – Jul 7, Oct 16 – Nov 9 |
| Carrots | – | Mar 18 – Jul 3, Aug 13 – Sep 9 sow | May 27 – Dec 10 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Mar 18 – Jul 3, Aug 13 – Sep 14 sow | May 20 – Nov 16 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 4 – May 2, Sep 12 – Oct 6 sow | Apr 21 – Jun 5, Oct 3 – Nov 9 |
| Onions | Dec 31 – Feb 4 | Mar 11 – Jul 3 plant out | Jun 16 – Oct 12 |
| Garlic | – | Oct 21 – Nov 9 sow | May 10 – May 30 |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 25 – Jun 10 sow | Jun 17 – Sep 29 |
| Swiss chard | – | Mar 25 – Sep 18 sow | May 18 – Nov 16 |
| Basil | Mar 22 – Apr 19 | May 3 – Sep 12 plant out | May 30 – Oct 25 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Mar 18 – Apr 24, Sep 12 – Sep 27 sow | May 5 – Jun 21, Oct 13 – Nov 9 |
| Parsley | Jan 22 – Feb 26 | Mar 19 – Jul 3, Aug 13 – Sep 5 sow | May 31 – Nov 25 |
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 St. Louis
- Average last spring frost
- April 8
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- April 23
- Average first autumn frost
- October 26
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- October 12
- Frost-free growing season
- 200 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, Cahokia St Louis Dwtn Ap (8 km from the city centre).
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 7a from station records
- Average coldest winter night
- -18°C0°F
- Warmest month
- July, highs 32°C90°F
- Coldest month
- January, lows -5°C23°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 | 5°C41°F | -5°C23°F | 0°C32°F | 58 mm2.3 in |
| February | 8°C46°F | -3°C27°F | 3°C37°F | 58 mm2.3 in |
| March | 14°C57°F | 2°C36°F | 8°C46°F | 86 mm3.4 in |
| April | 21°C69°F | 8°C46°F | 14°C58°F | 99 mm3.9 in |
| May | 26°C79°F | 14°C57°F | 20°C68°F | 120 mm4.7 in |
| June | 31°C87°F | 19°C67°F | 25°C77°F | 101 mm4.0 in |
| July | 32°C90°F | 21°C70°F | 27°C80°F | 103 mm4.0 in |
| August | 32°C89°F | 20°C68°F | 26°C78°F | 83 mm3.3 in |
| September | 28°C83°F | 15°C59°F | 22°C71°F | 93 mm3.7 in |
| October | 22°C71°F | 9°C47°F | 15°C59°F | 74 mm2.9 in |
| November | 14°C56°F | 2°C36°F | 8°C46°F | 86 mm3.4 in |
| December | 7°C45°F | -2°C28°F | 2°C36°F | 70 mm2.8 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).