Wichita, Kansas: planting zone & frost dates
Wichita is in USDA plant hardiness zone 7a, where the average coldest winter night reaches 0 to 5°F (-17.8 to -15.0°C). The typical last spring frost is around Apr 16 and the first fall frost around Oct 21.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 25 | Oct 11 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 16 | Oct 21 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 8 | Oct 27 |
How to read this: after the spring "10% risk" date, a 32°F frost happens in only about 1 year in 10. In fall, the "10% risk" date is the early end — a frost before it happens about 1 year in 10.
Frost data comes from NOAA station WICHITA WX, KS (USC00148847), 5.8 mi (9.4 km) from the city center and 39 ft higher than the city center (+12 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 11 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Wichita
All 23 ZIP codes covering Wichita are in zone 7a.
ZIP codes in Wichita and their zones
Vegetable planting calendar for Wichita
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 16, first frost Oct 21). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Apr 23 – May 7 | — | — |
| Pepper | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Apr 30 – May 14 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | Apr 2 – Apr 23 | Mar 19 – Apr 30 | Aug 12 – Sep 9 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 23 – May 28 | Jul 29 – Aug 12 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 23 – May 21 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 19 – Mar 26 | Apr 23 – May 7 | Apr 23 – May 14 | Jul 29 – Aug 12 |
| Cucumber | Mar 19 – Mar 26 | Apr 30 – May 7 | Apr 23 – May 14 | Jul 29 – Aug 12 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 26 – Apr 30 | Jul 29 – Aug 12 |
| Onion | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | — | — |
| Basil | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | Apr 30 – May 14 | Apr 30 – May 21 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Mar 5 – Apr 2 | Aug 26 – Sep 23 |
| Kale | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | Aug 12 – Sep 9 |
| Broccoli | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Apr 2 – Apr 23 | — | Jul 29 – Aug 12 |
| Peas | — | — | Mar 5 – Mar 26 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Eggplant | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Apr 30 – May 14 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | — | Jul 29 – Aug 12 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 12 – Apr 30 | Sep 9 – Oct 7 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 26 – May 7 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
Nearby cities in Kansas
- Topeka — zone 6b, last frost Apr 20, first frost Oct 17
- Lawrence — zone 6b, last frost Apr 17, first frost Oct 22
- Olathe — zone 6b, last frost Apr 16, first frost Oct 23
- Overland Park — zone 6b, last frost Apr 16, first frost Oct 23
- Kansas City — zone 6b, last frost Apr 10, first frost Oct 29
More: all Kansas cities · other zone 7a cities: Louisville, KY, Cleveland, OH, Lexington, KY, St. Louis, MO, Boise, ID, Amarillo, TX, Providence, RI, Paterson, NJ
Wichita gardening questions
When is the last frost in Wichita, KS?
Plan around Apr 16. At NOAA's Wichita Wx, KS station, 5.8 mi from the city center, there is a 30% chance of a 32°F frost after that date. Half of springs have their last frost by Apr 8, and after Apr 25 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 30. The 90% and 10% dates are 32 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Wichita, KS?
Start seeds indoors Feb 19 – Mar 5 and set transplants outside Apr 23 – May 7, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 188 days between the 30% frost dates, enough for most varieties including 80–85-day slicers. More: tomato planting dates by zone.
How long is the growing season in Wichita?
About 200 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 177 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 219 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 11 and a 30% chance by Oct 21. That ranks 4th longest of 6 Kansas cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Wichita?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 21): transplant broccoli Jul 29 – Aug 12; sow kale Aug 12 – Sep 9; sow lettuce Aug 12 – Sep 9; sow radishes Sep 9 – Oct 7. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 5. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Wichita's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Wichita was zone 6b on the 2012 map and is zone 7a on the 2023 map — half a zone warmer, like about 56% of U.S. ZIP codes. The shift comes from a newer 1991–2020 averaging period plus more weather stations and better mapping; it does not mean last frost comes earlier. Why the 2023 map is warmer.