When to Cut Spinach in Missouri, and How Long It Really Keeps
Cut spinach in Missouri during the cool weeks of spring and again in fall. Cut the whole plant the moment a center stalk starts to rise or highs settle…
Missouri
Home and garden guidance for Missouri: planting dates for its climate zones, the codes that apply locally, and the rebates residents can actually claim.
Gardening in Missouri
Everything we have worked out for Missouri: 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 Kansas City, the last spring freeze runs April 6 to April 20 and the first fall freeze runs October 18 to October 29, USDA zones 5b-7b, 4,194 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 Missouri: 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 Sweet Corn Is Ready in Missouri, and How Fast It Fades
Sweet corn in Missouri is ready roughly 60 to 90 days after planting, and the soil sets the planting date, not the calendar.
What Eats Beet in Missouri, and When
In Missouri, three things eat into a beet crop, and they arrive in order. Thirst in the first six weeks after seeding sends plants to flower.
Heat Pump or Gas Furnace in Missouri: Which Costs Less to Run?
On running cost alone, a natural gas furnace beats a heat pump in Missouri, but the gap is smaller than most people expect.
When to Aerate a Lawn in Missouri
Aerate a cool-season lawn in Missouri in fall, while the grass is still growing, and finish before the first freeze.
When to Dig Up Dahlias, Cannas and Gladiolus in Missouri
Lift dahlias, cannas and gladiolus in the week or two after the first frost that blackens their leaves.
How Late Can You Plant Trees and Shrubs in Fall in Missouri?
In Missouri, the safe cutoff for planting trees and shrubs in fall is six weeks before the first fall frost.
When to Mulch Strawberries and Perennials for Winter in Missouri
In Missouri, winter mulch goes on after the ground starts to freeze, not when the first frost arrives.
When to Winterize Sprinklers and Outdoor Faucets in Missouri
Drain the system before the first hard freeze, not after the first light one.
When to Pull Carrots in Missouri, and How to Keep Them
Pull carrots when the orange shoulders at the soil line have reached the width the seed packet promises.