Wichita, Kansas frost dates
Frost risk by date
| Chance of frost | Spring: frost after | Fall: frost before |
|---|---|---|
| 90% | March 25 | November 10 |
| 70% | April 4 | November 2 |
| 50% | April 11 | October 29 |
| 30% | April 18 | October 23 |
| 10% | April 26 | October 15 |
Read the spring column like this: there is a 10% chance of a 32°F freeze after April 26. These are NOAA probabilities for the Wichita weather station (USW00003928, elevation 407 m), 1991–2020.
Wichita vegetable planting calendar
Dates count from the 50% last-frost date (April 11). For tomatoes, peppers and other frost-tender crops, waiting until the 10% date (Apr 26) is the cautious choice.
| Crop | Start seeds indoors | Plant out |
|---|---|---|
| Beans | Mar 21 | Apr 18 (usually sown directly in the garden) |
| Broccoli | Jan 31 | Mar 14 |
| Brussels sprouts | Jan 31 | Mar 14 |
| Cabbage | Jan 24 | Mar 7 |
| Cauliflower | Feb 14 | Mar 28 |
| Sweet corn | Mar 14 | Apr 11 (usually sown directly in the garden) |
| Cucumbers | Mar 28 | Apr 18 |
| Kale | Jan 24 | Mar 7 |
| Leeks | Dec 27 | Mar 7 |
| Lettuce | Feb 21 | Mar 28 |
| Melons | Apr 4 | Apr 25 |
| Onions | Dec 20 | Feb 28 (from seed; sets and transplants go out at the same time) |
| Peas | Feb 14 | Mar 14 (usually sown directly in the garden) |
| Peppers | Feb 28 | Apr 25 |
| Squash | Apr 4 | Apr 25 |
| Tomatoes | Feb 14 | Apr 11 |
Offsets from Oregon State University Extension's seed-starting table. "Plant out" means transplant, or sow directly for crops usually grown from seed.
Fall frost and season extension
The first fall freeze usually arrives around October 29. There's a 1-in-10 chance it comes before October 15. Harvest tender crops such as basil, tomatoes, peppers and squash before then, or cover them on cold nights. Cool-season crops like kale, cabbage and Brussels sprouts handle light frost, and often taste sweeter after it. A hard freeze (28°F) typically comes around November 6.
Nearby cities
| City | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tulsa, OK | Mar 31 | Nov 4 | ~212 km |
| Topeka, KS | Apr 12 | Oct 23 | ~224 km |
| Oklahoma City, OK | Apr 4 | Nov 2 | ~252 km |
| Kansas City, MO | Apr 13 | Oct 24 | ~300 km |
| Springfield, MO | Apr 9 | Oct 27 | ~358 km |
| Lincoln, NE | Apr 24 | Oct 13 | ~360 km |
More: all Kansas frost dates