Cucumber beetles in Missouri: When It Shows Up and What Stops It
Cucumber beetles arrive in Missouri gardens the moment soil temperatures climb past 65°F, which usually lands between late April in the Bootheel and…
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.
Tobacco hornworm in Missouri: When It Shows Up and What Stops It
Tobacco hornworms show up in Missouri gardens from late June through September, with the heaviest feeding damage typically hitting tomato, pepper, and…
Garden Pests in Missouri: What Shows Up, When, and How to Stop It
Missouri gardeners see the same ten pests most years, from Japanese beetles to squash vine borers, each with its own window and fix.
Missouri Lawn Care: What to Plant and When to Feed It
Missouri’s Kansas City climate data explain why no grass thrives all year, and give the seeding, feeding, and mowing schedule for whichever type you plant.
Garlic Varieties That Suit Missouri Winters
Missouri’s deep winter cold easily meets garlic’s chilling requirement, so growers can choose any hardneck or softneck variety and plant by early October.
When to Plant Garlic in Missouri: Counting Back From the First Frost
Missouri garlic goes into the ground in fall, timed three to four weeks before the first frost using NOAA’s Kansas City-area climate data.
Growing Garlic in Missouri: Planting Dates, Varieties and Winter Cold
Missouri’s autumn frost dates and winter cold determine when to plant garlic, which type to grow, and how to get bulbs through to harvest.
Tomato Varieties That Ripen in Time in Missouri
Explains which tomato varieties reliably ripen before Missouri’s first fall frost, using Kansas City’s NOAA frost dates and each cultivar’s days to maturity.
Tomato Pests in Missouri: Which Ones Actually Show Up Here
A season-by-season rundown of which tomato pests actually appear in Missouri gardens, keyed to the region’s frost dates from NOAA.
Tomato Planting Dates in Missouri: Counting Back From Your Frost Window
Missouri’s tomato transplant window runs mid-April to early May based on Kansas City frost data, with adjustments for soil temperature and location across the state.