When to plant tomatoes in Missouri

Tomatoes
Plant out in Kansas City
Apr 11–Apr 25

Across Missouri the window opens between April 8 and April 26. 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
Apr 11–Apr 25
Last sowing for a harvest
Jul 26
Last frost, Kansas City
Apr 4

Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost; plant out 1–3 weeks after the last frost. Wait for nights that stay above 50°F. A cold snap after transplanting stalls tomatoes for weeks.

Tomatoes planting dates by city

Start indoorsPlant outSow outdoorsFall plantingAverage last and first frost
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Kansas CityApr 11–Apr 25
St. LouisApr 8–Apr 22
SpringfieldApr 11–Apr 25
ColumbiaApr 12–Apr 26
IndependenceApr 17–May 1
Lee's SummitApr 14–Apr 28
O'FallonApr 17–May 1
St. CharlesApr 15–Apr 29
St. JosephApr 26–May 10
Blue SpringsApr 14–Apr 28
St. PetersApr 16–Apr 30
JoplinApr 16–Apr 30
FlorissantApr 9–Apr 23
WentzvilleApr 17–May 1
ChesterfieldApr 11–Apr 25
Jefferson CityApr 15–Apr 29
Cape GirardeauApr 12–Apr 26
OakvilleApr 13–Apr 27
WildwoodApr 19–May 3
University CityApr 8–Apr 22
LibertyApr 26–May 10
BallwinApr 11–Apr 25
KirkwoodApr 8–Apr 22
RaytownApr 14–Apr 28
MehlvilleApr 13–Apr 27
Maryland HeightsApr 11–Apr 25
GladstoneApr 11–Apr 25
GrandviewApr 14–Apr 28
RaymoreApr 20–May 4
NixaApr 22–May 6
All 41 cities
CityStart indoorsPlant outLast frost
Kansas CityFeb 7 to Feb 21Apr 11 to Apr 25Apr 4
St. LouisFeb 4 to Feb 18Apr 8 to Apr 22Apr 1
SpringfieldFeb 7 to Feb 21Apr 11 to Apr 25Apr 4
ColumbiaFeb 8 to Feb 22Apr 12 to Apr 26Apr 5
IndependenceFeb 13 to Feb 27Apr 17 to May 1Apr 10
Lee's SummitFeb 10 to Feb 24Apr 14 to Apr 28Apr 7
O'FallonFeb 13 to Feb 27Apr 17 to May 1Apr 10
St. CharlesFeb 11 to Feb 25Apr 15 to Apr 29Apr 8
St. JosephFeb 22 to Mar 8Apr 26 to May 10Apr 19
Blue SpringsFeb 10 to Feb 24Apr 14 to Apr 28Apr 7
St. PetersFeb 12 to Feb 26Apr 16 to Apr 30Apr 9
JoplinFeb 12 to Feb 26Apr 16 to Apr 30Apr 9
FlorissantFeb 5 to Feb 19Apr 9 to Apr 23Apr 2
WentzvilleFeb 13 to Feb 27Apr 17 to May 1Apr 10
ChesterfieldFeb 7 to Feb 21Apr 11 to Apr 25Apr 4
Jefferson CityFeb 11 to Feb 25Apr 15 to Apr 29Apr 8
Cape GirardeauFeb 8 to Feb 22Apr 12 to Apr 26Apr 5
OakvilleFeb 9 to Feb 23Apr 13 to Apr 27Apr 6
WildwoodFeb 15 to Mar 1Apr 19 to May 3Apr 12
University CityFeb 4 to Feb 18Apr 8 to Apr 22Apr 1
LibertyFeb 22 to Mar 8Apr 26 to May 10Apr 19
BallwinFeb 7 to Feb 21Apr 11 to Apr 25Apr 4
KirkwoodFeb 4 to Feb 18Apr 8 to Apr 22Apr 1
RaytownFeb 10 to Feb 24Apr 14 to Apr 28Apr 7
MehlvilleFeb 9 to Feb 23Apr 13 to Apr 27Apr 6
Maryland HeightsFeb 7 to Feb 21Apr 11 to Apr 25Apr 4
GladstoneFeb 7 to Feb 21Apr 11 to Apr 25Apr 4
GrandviewFeb 10 to Feb 24Apr 14 to Apr 28Apr 7
RaymoreFeb 16 to Mar 2Apr 20 to May 4Apr 13
NixaFeb 18 to Mar 4Apr 22 to May 6Apr 15
BeltonFeb 16 to Mar 2Apr 20 to May 4Apr 13
HazelwoodFeb 5 to Feb 19Apr 9 to Apr 23Apr 2
OzarkFeb 18 to Mar 4Apr 22 to May 6Apr 15
Webster GrovesFeb 4 to Feb 18Apr 8 to Apr 22Apr 1
SedaliaFeb 21 to Mar 7Apr 25 to May 9Apr 18
RepublicFeb 12 to Feb 26Apr 16 to Apr 30Apr 9
Old JamestownFeb 5 to Feb 19Apr 9 to Apr 23Apr 2
ArnoldFeb 12 to Feb 26Apr 16 to Apr 30Apr 9
RollaFeb 8 to Feb 22Apr 12 to Apr 26Apr 5
WarrensburgFeb 17 to Mar 3Apr 21 to May 5Apr 14
AfftonFeb 4 to Feb 18Apr 8 to Apr 22Apr 1

Questions

When should I plant tomatoes in Missouri?

In Kansas City, plant out from April 11 to April 25. Across Missouri the window opens between April 8 and April 26, depending on the local last frost.

How is this date worked out?

Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost; plant out 1–3 weeks after the last frost. Frost dates are NOAA 1991–2020 averages for the weather station nearest each city.

More for Missouri

Tomatoes in other states

Frost dates for every city in Missouri