When to plant lettuce in Missouri

Plant out in Kansas City

Mar 21–Apr 11

Across Missouri the window opens between March 18 and April 5. Find your city below; the dates follow each town's own average last frost.

Start indoors, Kansas City: Feb 7–Feb 21
Plant out, Kansas City: Mar 21–Apr 11
Sow outdoors, Kansas City: Mar 7–Apr 11
Fall planting, Kansas City: Sep 7–Sep 21
Last frost, Kansas City: Apr 4

Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost; plant out from 2 weeks before to 1 weeks after the last frost; sow outdoors from 4 weeks before to 1 weeks after the last frost; sow again for fall 6–8 weeks before the first frost. Lettuce bolts in heat. Sow small batches every two weeks in spring and again in late summer.

Lettuce planting dates by city

Start indoorsPlant outSow outdoorsFall plantingAverage last and first frost

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Kansas CityMar 21–Apr 11

St. LouisMar 18–Apr 8

SpringfieldMar 21–Apr 11

ColumbiaMar 22–Apr 12

IndependenceMar 27–Apr 17

Lee's SummitMar 24–Apr 14

O'FallonMar 27–Apr 17

St. CharlesMar 25–Apr 15

St. JosephApr 5–Apr 26

Blue SpringsMar 24–Apr 14

St. PetersMar 26–Apr 16

JoplinMar 26–Apr 16

FlorissantMar 19–Apr 9

WentzvilleMar 27–Apr 17

ChesterfieldMar 21–Apr 11

Jefferson CityMar 25–Apr 15

Cape GirardeauMar 22–Apr 12

OakvilleMar 23–Apr 13

WildwoodMar 29–Apr 19

University CityMar 18–Apr 8

LibertyApr 5–Apr 26

BallwinMar 21–Apr 11

KirkwoodMar 18–Apr 8

RaytownMar 24–Apr 14

MehlvilleMar 23–Apr 13

Maryland HeightsMar 21–Apr 11

GladstoneMar 21–Apr 11

GrandviewMar 24–Apr 14

RaymoreMar 30–Apr 20

NixaApr 1–Apr 22

All 41 cities

City	Start indoors	Plant out	Sow outdoors	Fall planting	Last frost
Kansas City	Feb 7 to Feb 21	Mar 21 to Apr 11	Mar 7 to Apr 11	Sep 7 to Sep 21	Apr 4
St. Louis	Feb 4 to Feb 18	Mar 18 to Apr 8	Mar 4 to Apr 8	Sep 9 to Sep 23	Apr 1
Springfield	Feb 7 to Feb 21	Mar 21 to Apr 11	Mar 7 to Apr 11	Sep 1 to Sep 15	Apr 4
Columbia	Feb 8 to Feb 22	Mar 22 to Apr 12	Mar 8 to Apr 12	Sep 5 to Sep 19	Apr 5
Independence	Feb 13 to Feb 27	Mar 27 to Apr 17	Mar 13 to Apr 17	Sep 1 to Sep 15	Apr 10
Lee's Summit	Feb 10 to Feb 24	Mar 24 to Apr 14	Mar 10 to Apr 14	Sep 3 to Sep 17	Apr 7
O'Fallon	Feb 13 to Feb 27	Mar 27 to Apr 17	Mar 13 to Apr 17	Aug 31 to Sep 14	Apr 10
St. Charles	Feb 11 to Feb 25	Mar 25 to Apr 15	Mar 11 to Apr 15	Sep 3 to Sep 17	Apr 8
St. Joseph	Feb 22 to Mar 8	Apr 5 to Apr 26	Mar 22 to Apr 26	Aug 22 to Sep 5	Apr 19
Blue Springs	Feb 10 to Feb 24	Mar 24 to Apr 14	Mar 10 to Apr 14	Sep 3 to Sep 17	Apr 7
St. Peters	Feb 12 to Feb 26	Mar 26 to Apr 16	Mar 12 to Apr 16	Aug 31 to Sep 14	Apr 9
Joplin	Feb 12 to Feb 26	Mar 26 to Apr 16	Mar 12 to Apr 16	Sep 1 to Sep 15	Apr 9
Florissant	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Mar 19 to Apr 9	Mar 5 to Apr 9	Sep 9 to Sep 23	Apr 2
Wentzville	Feb 13 to Feb 27	Mar 27 to Apr 17	Mar 13 to Apr 17	Aug 31 to Sep 14	Apr 10
Chesterfield	Feb 7 to Feb 21	Mar 21 to Apr 11	Mar 7 to Apr 11	Sep 3 to Sep 17	Apr 4
Jefferson City	Feb 11 to Feb 25	Mar 25 to Apr 15	Mar 11 to Apr 15	Sep 5 to Sep 19	Apr 8
Cape Girardeau	Feb 8 to Feb 22	Mar 22 to Apr 12	Mar 8 to Apr 12	Aug 30 to Sep 13	Apr 5
Oakville	Feb 9 to Feb 23	Mar 23 to Apr 13	Mar 9 to Apr 13	Sep 1 to Sep 15	Apr 6
Wildwood	Feb 15 to Mar 1	Mar 29 to Apr 19	Mar 15 to Apr 19	Aug 28 to Sep 11	Apr 12
University City	Feb 4 to Feb 18	Mar 18 to Apr 8	Mar 4 to Apr 8	Sep 9 to Sep 23	Apr 1
Liberty	Feb 22 to Mar 8	Apr 5 to Apr 26	Mar 22 to Apr 26	Aug 22 to Sep 5	Apr 19
Ballwin	Feb 7 to Feb 21	Mar 21 to Apr 11	Mar 7 to Apr 11	Sep 3 to Sep 17	Apr 4
Kirkwood	Feb 4 to Feb 18	Mar 18 to Apr 8	Mar 4 to Apr 8	Sep 9 to Sep 23	Apr 1
Raytown	Feb 10 to Feb 24	Mar 24 to Apr 14	Mar 10 to Apr 14	Sep 3 to Sep 17	Apr 7
Mehlville	Feb 9 to Feb 23	Mar 23 to Apr 13	Mar 9 to Apr 13	Sep 1 to Sep 15	Apr 6
Maryland Heights	Feb 7 to Feb 21	Mar 21 to Apr 11	Mar 7 to Apr 11	Sep 3 to Sep 17	Apr 4
Gladstone	Feb 7 to Feb 21	Mar 21 to Apr 11	Mar 7 to Apr 11	Sep 7 to Sep 21	Apr 4
Grandview	Feb 10 to Feb 24	Mar 24 to Apr 14	Mar 10 to Apr 14	Sep 3 to Sep 17	Apr 7
Raymore	Feb 16 to Mar 2	Mar 30 to Apr 20	Mar 16 to Apr 20	Aug 31 to Sep 14	Apr 13
Nixa	Feb 18 to Mar 4	Apr 1 to Apr 22	Mar 18 to Apr 22	Aug 28 to Sep 11	Apr 15
Belton	Feb 16 to Mar 2	Mar 30 to Apr 20	Mar 16 to Apr 20	Aug 31 to Sep 14	Apr 13
Hazelwood	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Mar 19 to Apr 9	Mar 5 to Apr 9	Sep 9 to Sep 23	Apr 2
Ozark	Feb 18 to Mar 4	Apr 1 to Apr 22	Mar 18 to Apr 22	Aug 28 to Sep 11	Apr 15
Webster Groves	Feb 4 to Feb 18	Mar 18 to Apr 8	Mar 4 to Apr 8	Sep 9 to Sep 23	Apr 1
Sedalia	Feb 21 to Mar 7	Apr 4 to Apr 25	Mar 21 to Apr 25	Aug 27 to Sep 10	Apr 18
Republic	Feb 12 to Feb 26	Mar 26 to Apr 16	Mar 12 to Apr 16	Sep 1 to Sep 15	Apr 9
Old Jamestown	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Mar 19 to Apr 9	Mar 5 to Apr 9	Sep 9 to Sep 23	Apr 2
Arnold	Feb 12 to Feb 26	Mar 26 to Apr 16	Mar 12 to Apr 16	Aug 31 to Sep 14	Apr 9
Rolla	Feb 8 to Feb 22	Mar 22 to Apr 12	Mar 8 to Apr 12	Sep 6 to Sep 20	Apr 5
Warrensburg	Feb 17 to Mar 3	Mar 31 to Apr 21	Mar 17 to Apr 21	Aug 26 to Sep 9	Apr 14
Affton	Feb 4 to Feb 18	Mar 18 to Apr 8	Mar 4 to Apr 8	Sep 9 to Sep 23	Apr 1

Questions

When should I plant lettuce in Missouri?

In Kansas City, plant out from March 21 to April 11. Across Missouri the window opens between March 18 and April 5, depending on the local last frost.

How is this date worked out?

Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost; plant out from 2 weeks before to 1 weeks after the last frost; sow outdoors from 4 weeks before to 1 weeks after the last frost; sow again for fall 6–8 weeks before the first frost. Frost dates are NOAA 1991–2020 averages for the weather station nearest each city.

More for Missouri

Lettuce in other states

Frost dates for every city in Missouri