When to Winterize Sprinklers and Outdoor Faucets in Kansas
In Kansas, sprinkler lines and outdoor faucets need to be emptied in late October at the latest, ahead of the first hard freeze.
Kansas
Home and garden guidance for Kansas: planting dates for its climate zones, the codes that apply locally, and the rebates residents can actually claim.
Gardening in Kansas
Everything we have worked out for Kansas: what to plant and when, which varieties finish in time, the pests that actually turn up here, and the jobs that pay off month by month. We also cover the rest of the property, from lawns and soil to home care and energy, because a garden rarely stops at the vegetable bed.
The numbers first, because everything else follows from them. Measured at the weather station in Wichita, the last spring freeze runs April 4 to April 18 and the first fall freeze runs October 23 to November 2, USDA zones 5b-7a, 4,576 growing degree days in the year.
Garlic does well: 21.8 weeks below 40 °F, comfortably past the six it needs to form a proper head.
Elsewhere on the property in Kansas: the pests that turn up here.
Figures from NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals. A state is not one climate: elevation, a large lake or the coast can move these dates by two weeks either way, so check your own county with the extension service before you spend money.
When to Mulch Strawberries and Perennials for Winter in Kansas
In Kansas, winter mulch goes on after the ground starts to freeze, not before.
Heat Pump or Gas Furnace in Kansas: Which Costs Less to Run?
In Kansas, a natural gas furnace costs less to run than a heat pump. The computed figure is $14.72 per million Btu of heat delivered, against $18.78 for…
When to Dig Up Dahlias, Cannas and Gladiolus in Kansas
Dig them up. Across Kansas, dahlia tubers, canna rhizomes and gladiolus corms should come out of the ground in the weeks after the first frost that…
How High to Mow a Lawn in Kansas
Kansas sits in the transition zone, so no single number fits every lawn. Cool-season turf gets mowed at 1.5 to 3.5 inches depending on species, while…
When Sweet Corn Is Ready in Kansas, and How Fast It Fades
Sweet corn in Kansas is ready 60 to 90 days after planting, and the planting itself waits on warm soil, not the calendar.
Growing Roses in Kansas: Planting Dates, Varieties and Local Pests
Roses are a good fit for Kansas if you choose tough varieties and plant at the right moment: container roses after the last spring freeze, bare-root…
When to Plant Grass Seed in Kansas
Sow cool-season seed (tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass) in early to mid September.
When to Dethatch a Lawn in Kansas
Most Kansas lawns never need dethatching, and the ones that do should be done in a narrow window.
When to Aerate a Lawn in Kansas
In Kansas, aerate a cool-season lawn in fall while the grass is still growing, and finish before the first freeze.