Greenly Garden

Frost dates and when to plant in Kansas

United States

In Kansas the last spring frost comes between 3 April (Wichita) and 10 April (Dodge City) — the median of 2016–2025 in 3 cities. The first autumn frost comes between 29 October (Topeka) and 30 October (Wichita). The frost-free season lasts 202–210 days. Tomato: plant out into open ground 13 April – 10 July, earliest in Wichita, latest in Wichita.

Frost dates by city in Kansas

CityLast spring frostFirst autumn frostFrost-free daysClimate zoneTomato: window
Wichita3 April30 October210210–269 frost-free days13 April – 10 July
Topeka9 April29 October203150–209 frost-free days16 April – 9 July
Dodge City10 April29 October202150–209 frost-free days17 April – 9 July

Median of 2016–2025 for the 25 km grid cell of the city: the last day at or below 0 °C in spring and the first in autumn (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo). In a cold year a frost can come a week or two later — Greenly warns 48 hours ahead.

When to plant in Kansas: windows by crop

The earliest start and the latest end among the cities here, each with its city; every city’s own window is on its page. Each window starts on the Greenly calendar date and ends on the last day that still leaves the crop’s days to harvest (from its card) before the average first autumn frost, plus six weeks of picking for crops harvested over weeks (tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, cucumbers, courgettes, pumpkins, watermelons, beans) — our rule; earlier in the window is safer.

Weather by month in Kansas

Across the 3 cities the warmest month is July (average days 31.8 … 33.2 °C) and the coldest January (average nights -4.9 … -3.7 °C). Every city averages below 0 °C at night in December–February.

MonthDay, °CNight, °CRain, mm
January4.3 … 6.9 °C-4.9 … -3.7 °C35
February8 … 10.1 °C-3.2 … -2.2 °C29
March15.3 … 16.6 °C2.7 … 4.3 °C63
April20 … 21 °C7.1 … 8.6 °C95
May24.5 … 24.7 °C12.6 … 14.1 °C168
June30.8 … 31.1 °C19.1 … 20.3 °C93
July31.8 … 33.2 °C21.4 … 22.3 °C76
August30.7 … 31.9 °C20.3 … 21.4 °C86
September28 … 29.2 °C17.2 … 18.3 °C72
October20.9 … 22.2 °C9.4 … 10.9 °C73
November13.1 … 14.6 °C2.9 … 4.1 °C47
December8.1 … 9.5 °C-2.1 … -0.9 °C27

Day and night: the lowest … highest monthly average among the cities; rain: the middle city (ERA5 via Open-Meteo).

What to plant month by month: the Northeast and Midwest

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