Hedge Plants for Missouri: What Holds, and What Only Looks Hardy
Missouri runs from zone 5b to zone 7b on the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023, and that three-zone spread decides which hedges are safe bets.
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.
What Do Homes in Missouri Cool With?
Missouri homes cool almost entirely with air conditioning, and the vast majority run a central system.
Roof Snow Load, Wind Speed and Ice Barrier Rules in Missouri
Kansas City’s design snow and wind figures explained, plus why Missouri’s ice barrier rule depends entirely on your local building department.
What Eats Carrot in Missouri, and When
In Missouri gardens, the short list of insects that actually damage carrot roots and foliage is small: aphids, carrot weevil, wireworms, and flea beetle…
What Eats Onion in Missouri, and When
Straight answer: not much, at least not by insect standards. University of Missouri Extension / MU IPM tracks a set of garden pests statewide, and none…
What Eats Parsnip in Missouri, and When
Missouri doesn’t have a parsnip specialist on record. Checking the pests University of Missouri Extension documents statewide, only two of them, Japanese…
What Eats Potato in Missouri, and When
Missouri gardeners dealing with potato plants only need to watch for four insects that University of Missouri Extension / MU IPM actually documents doing…
When to Overseed a Lawn in Missouri
Missouri lawns fall in the transition zone, so overseeding splits into two calendars.
First and Last Frost Dates in Missouri
Missouri’s last spring frost falls somewhere between April 6 and April 20, and the first fall frost typically shows up between October 18 and October 29…
When to Pick Tomatoes in Missouri, and Ripening the Rest
Pick every tomato still on the plant before Missouri’s first fall frost, whether it’s blushing red or hard and green.