Kansas vegetable planting calendar 2027: frost dates and when to plant
In Kansas, the average last spring frost is April 12 in Topeka and April 8 in Wichita (NOAA 1991-2020 normals). Below are planting dates for Topeka and Wichita for 27 common vegetables and herbs, worked out the way the Rowtime app does it: NOAA's average frost dates for the nearest weather station, with the planting rules of state extension guides. Dates are for the 2027 season.
Rowtime: Garden Planner works these dates out for your own ZIP code in Kansas, shows where each one comes from, and recalculates when a planting slips. Get Rowtime on the App Store.
Dates are estimates. Check your local extension office before you plant, and use your own frost records if you have them. Dates shift by a week or more within a state, so pick the city closest to your conditions.
Topeka
When to plant tomatoes in Topeka?
In Topeka, Kansas, the average last spring frost is April 12 and the average first fall frost is October 23 (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, TOPEKA MUNI AP station, 4.5 km from ZIP 66603). For tomatoes, start seeds indoors March 17 to May 23 and plant out seedlings April 27 to July 25, following University of Maryland Extension (Home & Garden Information Center) and Purdue University Extension. Dates are for the 2027 season; sources last checked October 24, 2026.
Frost dates for Topeka (66603)
- Last spring frost: Apr 12 on average, Apr 27 for a 10% risk of a later frost.
- First fall frost: Oct 23 on average, Oct 8 for a 10% risk of an earlier frost.
- USDA hardiness zone 6b (PRISM 2023 listing).
| Crop | When |
|---|---|
| Beet | Sow outdoors: Mar 30 to Apr 13 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 13 to Sep 10 |
| Broccoli | Start seeds indoors: Feb 24 to Apr 2 Plant out seedlings: Mar 16 to Mar 30 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 13 to Sep 10 |
| Cabbage | Start seeds indoors: Feb 17 to Mar 16 Plant out seedlings: Mar 16 to Mar 30 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 13 to Sep 10 |
| Carrot | Sow outdoors: Mar 30 to Apr 13 |
| Cauliflower | Start seeds indoors: Mar 3 to Apr 2 Plant out seedlings: Mar 30 to Apr 13 Plant out seedlings for fall: Jun 23 to Jul 23 |
| Cucumber | Sow outdoors: May 11 to Aug 14 |
| Eggplant | Start seeds indoors: Apr 3 to May 2 Plant out seedlings: May 11 to Jul 25 |
| Green onion | Plant onion sets: Mar 16 to Mar 30 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 13 to Sep 10 |
| Kale | Sow outdoors: Mar 16 to Mar 30 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 13 to Sep 10 |
| Lettuce | Sow outdoors: Mar 30 to Apr 13 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 13 to Sep 10 |
| Melon and watermelon | Sow outdoors: May 11 to Jul 15 |
| Okra | Plant out seedlings: May 11 to Aug 19 |
| Onion | Plant onion sets: Mar 16 to Mar 30 |
| Pea | Sow outdoors: Mar 16 to Mar 30 |
| Pepper | Start seeds indoors: Mar 17 to Apr 16 Plant out seedlings: May 11 to Jul 25 |
| Potato | Plant seed potatoes: Mar 16 to Mar 30 |
| Snap bean | Sow outdoors: Apr 27 to Aug 24 |
| Spinach | Sow outdoors: Mar 16 to Mar 30 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 13 to Sep 10 |
| Summer squash | Sow outdoors: May 11 to Aug 24 |
| Sweet corn | Sow outdoors: Apr 27 to Jul 25 |
| Sweet potato | Sprout slips indoors: Apr 17 to May 16 Plant out slips: May 11 to Jun 15 |
| Tomato | Start seeds indoors: Mar 17 to May 23 Plant out seedlings: Apr 27 to Jul 25 |
| Winter squash and pumpkin | Sow outdoors: May 11 to Jul 15 |
| Basil | Plant outdoors: May 16 to Aug 15 |
| Cilantro | Sow outdoors: Feb 16 to Apr 15 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 31 to Sep 14 |
| Dill | Sow outdoors: Mar 31 to Apr 15 Sow outdoors for fall: Jul 16 to Aug 30 |
| Parsley | Sow outdoors: Apr 3 to May 2 Plant outdoors for fall: Jul 16 to Sep 14 |
Wichita
When to plant tomatoes in Wichita?
In Wichita, Kansas, the average last spring frost is April 8 and the average first fall frost is October 27 (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, WICHITA WX station, 10.2 km from ZIP 67202). For tomatoes, start seeds indoors March 13 to May 19 and plant out seedlings April 25 to July 29, following University of Maryland Extension (Home & Garden Information Center) and Purdue University Extension. Dates are for the 2027 season; sources last checked October 24, 2026.
Frost dates for Wichita (67202)
- Last spring frost: Apr 8 on average, Apr 25 for a 10% risk of a later frost.
- First fall frost: Oct 27 on average, Oct 11 for a 10% risk of an earlier frost.
- USDA hardiness zone 7a (PRISM 2023 listing).
| Crop | When |
|---|---|
| Beet | Sow outdoors: Mar 28 to Apr 11 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 16 to Sep 13 |
| Broccoli | Start seeds indoors: Feb 20 to Mar 29 Plant out seedlings: Mar 14 to Mar 28 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 16 to Sep 13 |
| Cabbage | Start seeds indoors: Feb 13 to Mar 12 Plant out seedlings: Mar 14 to Mar 28 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 16 to Sep 13 |
| Carrot | Sow outdoors: Mar 28 to Apr 11 |
| Cauliflower | Start seeds indoors: Feb 27 to Mar 29 Plant out seedlings: Mar 28 to Apr 11 Plant out seedlings for fall: Jun 27 to Jul 27 |
| Cucumber | Sow outdoors: May 9 to Aug 18 |
| Eggplant | Start seeds indoors: Mar 30 to Apr 28 Plant out seedlings: May 9 to Jul 29 |
| Green onion | Plant onion sets: Mar 14 to Mar 28 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 16 to Sep 13 |
| Kale | Sow outdoors: Mar 14 to Mar 28 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 16 to Sep 13 |
| Lettuce | Sow outdoors: Mar 28 to Apr 11 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 16 to Sep 13 |
| Melon and watermelon | Sow outdoors: May 9 to Jul 19 |
| Okra | Plant out seedlings: May 9 to Aug 23 |
| Onion | Plant onion sets: Mar 14 to Mar 28 |
| Pea | Sow outdoors: Mar 14 to Mar 28 |
| Pepper | Start seeds indoors: Mar 13 to Apr 12 Plant out seedlings: May 9 to Jul 29 |
| Potato | Plant seed potatoes: Mar 14 to Mar 28 |
| Snap bean | Sow outdoors: Apr 25 to Aug 28 |
| Spinach | Sow outdoors: Mar 14 to Mar 28 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 16 to Sep 13 |
| Summer squash | Sow outdoors: May 9 to Aug 28 |
| Sweet corn | Sow outdoors: Apr 25 to Jul 29 |
| Sweet potato | Sprout slips indoors: Apr 13 to May 12 Plant out slips: May 9 to Jun 19 |
| Tomato | Start seeds indoors: Mar 13 to May 19 Plant out seedlings: Apr 25 to Jul 29 |
| Winter squash and pumpkin | Sow outdoors: May 9 to Jul 19 |
| Basil | Plant outdoors: May 12 to Aug 11 |
| Cilantro | Sow outdoors: Feb 12 to Apr 11 Sow outdoors for fall: Sep 4 to Sep 18 |
| Dill | Sow outdoors: Mar 27 to Apr 11 Sow outdoors for fall: Jul 20 to Sep 3 |
| Parsley | Sow outdoors: Mar 30 to Apr 28 Plant outdoors for fall: Jul 20 to Sep 18 |
Sources
Planting rules, in the order Rowtime tries them here:
- Purdue University Extension, Indiana Vegetable Planting Calendar (HO-186-W). Checked October 20, 2026.
- University of Maryland Extension (Home & Garden Information Center), Vegetable Planting Calendar for Central Maryland. Checked October 24, 2026.
- NC State Extension, Central North Carolina Planting Calendar for Annual Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs (AG-756-01). Checked October 21, 2026.
Frost dates, locations and zones:
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 annual/seasonal (freeze probabilities).
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 Gazetteer Files: ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
- PRISM Group, Oregon State University / USDA ARS, 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP code listings. PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed 20 Oct 2026.
How the dates are worked out: a guide's rule such as "two weeks after the last frost" is applied to the station's NOAA date. Purdue's dates are 10% dates, so they are counted from the station's 10% date. When a guide gives no last date, the window closes early enough for the crop's longest days to harvest before the first fall frost. When a guide gives no first date for a fall planting, no fall window is shown. "Season too short" means the guide's window would close before it opens at this station's frost dates.
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