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Planting Calendar for Columbus, KS

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The planting calendar below tells you when to plant in the SPRING and also plant in the FALL, based on your zip code or postal code.

Spring Planting Calendar

Our spring planting calendar starts with the very first dates that you can plant (based on the last spring frost). But if you've missed these dates, no worries! This is why we've added "last planting dates" to our spring calendar; this is meant to help new gardeners understand that if they missed the first spring planting window, they could still get crops in the ground.

In fact, many crops with short maturity times (such as radishes) can be succession planted all the way through the summer in northern areas. However, note that some cool-season crops, such as kale and lettuce, do not grow well in hot temperatures, which can cause bolting issues.  For some gardeners, especially in the South, a break to avoid summer heat is needed, but they can start once the heat has passed. 

The dates provided are based on the number of weeks before or after frost, so we can provide a unique calendar to every user in the country. Thus, several crops (especially similar crops) may appear to have the same date. Kale and lettuce, for example, or dates for starting seeds, like broccoli and cabbage. 

Fall Planting Calendar

When we say "fall," we really mean planting in summer in time for a fall harvest. Think of this as a second summer! It's easy to keep the crops going if you've already prepared the soil! 

Many crops that would be started indoors for a spring crop can just be plunked into the soil directly for a fall crop. Not only is the soil already warm but also there are less pests and it tends to be rainier so you don't need to water as often. Some fall vegetables need to be harvested by the first frost, but many are frost-tolerant and even taste better after a kiss of fall frost!

See each plant's individual Growing Guide for more specific planting, plant care, and harvesting information.

Specifically, on the charts, there are different columns labeled as follows:

  1. Start Seeds Indoors: When to sow seeds indoors to get an early start on the season.
  2. Plant Seedlings Outdoors: When to put small seedlings that you grew indoors (OR starter plants that you bought at a garden nursery) in the outdoor soil.
  3. Start Seeds Outdoors: When to plant seeds directly into the outdoor soil.
  4. Last Date to Plant: You may plant any time from the "start seeds" dates until this "last date." Don't wait any longer, or the crop won't have time to get to harvest before fall/winter frosts.

The "Moon Dates" indicate the best planting dates based on Moon phases. You can learn more about this age-old technique below.

When N/A appears in the chart, that starting method is typically not recommended, although it is likely still possible. 

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Planting Dates for Fall

On average, your first fall frost occurs on October 26 (at COLUMBUS, KS climate station).
CropFrost Based on Frost Dates
Moon Based on Moon Dates
Start Seeds OutdoorsTransplantAverage Days to MaturityFrost Tolerance
ArugulaFrost Sep 7-Oct 12
Moon Sep 7-17, Oct 2-12
N/A40Frost-hardy
BeetsFrost Aug 3-31
Moon Aug 3, Aug 20-31
N/A50Frost-tolerant
Bok ChoyFrost Aug 17-Sep 7
Moon Aug 17-19, Sep 2-7
N/A50Frost-tolerant
BroccoliFrost Jul 27-Aug 3
Frost Aug 17-31
Moon Aug 17-19
60Frost-tolerant
Brussels SproutsFrost Jul 6-20
Moon Jul 6-20
N/A100Frost-hardy
CabbageFrost Jul 27-Aug 3
Frost Aug 17-24
Moon Aug 17-19
90Frost-tolerant
CarrotsFrost Aug 10-17
N/A70Frost-tolerant
CauliflowerFrost Jul 20-27
Moon Jul 20-21
Frost Aug 3-10
Moon Aug 4-10
75Frost-tolerant
ChivesFrost Aug 3-31
Moon Aug 4-19
N/A70Frost-tolerant
FennelFrost Jul 27-Aug 10
Moon Aug 4-10
N/A80Tender
GarlicFrost Nov 8-22
Moon Nov 16-22
N/A120Frost-hardy
Green BeansFrost Aug 10-24
Moon Aug 10-19
N/A55Tender
KaleFrost Aug 17-31
Moon Aug 17-19
N/A60Frost-hardy
KohlrabiFrost Aug 24-Sep 14
Moon Sep 2-14
N/A45Frost-tolerant
LettuceFrost Aug 17-31
Moon Aug 17-19
N/A60Frost-tolerant
Mustard GreensFrost Aug 24-Sep 14
Moon Sep 2-14
N/A45Tender
PeasFrost Aug 17-31
Moon Aug 17-19
N/A55Tender
RadishesFrost Sep 14-28
Moon Sep 18-28
N/A25Frost-tolerant
SpinachFrost Sep 7-28
Moon Sep 7-17
N/A30Frost-hardy
Swiss ChardFrost Aug 17-31
Moon Aug 17-19
N/A60Frost-tolerant
TurnipsFrost Aug 24-Sep 7
Moon Aug 24-Sep 1
N/A50Frost-tolerant

Planting Dates for Spring

On average, your last spring frost occurs on April 11 (at COLUMBUS, KS climate station, elevation 892 feet).
CropFrost Based on Frost Dates
Moon Based on Moon Dates
Start Seeds IndoorsPlant Seedlings
or Transplants
Start Seeds OutdoorsLast Date to Plant
ArugulaFrost Feb 14-28
Moon Feb 14-24
Frost Mar 21-Apr 4
Moon Mar 21-25
Frost Mar 14-21
Moon Mar 14-21
Sep 28
AsparagusN/AN/AFrost Mar 28-Apr 11
Moon Mar 28-Apr 7
Apr 11
BasilFrost Feb 28-Mar 14
Frost Apr 25-May 9
Moon May 7-9
Frost Apr 25-May 9
Moon May 7-9
Sep 14
BeetsN/AFrost Mar 28-Apr 11
Moon Mar 28-Apr 7
Frost Mar 14-21
Apr 25
Bell PeppersFrost Jan 31-Feb 14
Moon Feb 9-14
Frost Apr 25-May 2
N/AAug 3
Bok ChoyFrost Feb 28-Mar 14
Frost Apr 25-May 2
Frost Apr 25-May 2
May 23
BroccoliFrost Feb 14-28
Moon Feb 14-24
Frost Mar 28-Apr 11
Moon Apr 8-11
Frost Mar 14-21
Moon Mar 14-21
Aug 24
Brussels SproutsFrost Feb 28-Mar 14
Frost Mar 28-Apr 11
Moon Apr 8-11
Frost Mar 14-21
Moon Mar 14-21
Jul 20
CabbageFrost Feb 14-28
Moon Feb 14-24
Frost Mar 28-Apr 11
Moon Apr 8-11
Frost Mar 14-21
Moon Mar 14-21
Apr 18
CantaloupesFrost Mar 21-Apr 4
Moon Mar 21-25
Frost Apr 11-25
Moon Apr 11-23
Frost Apr 18-25
Moon Apr 18-23
Jul 20
CarrotsN/AN/AFrost Mar 14-28
Moon Mar 26-28
Aug 17
CauliflowerFrost Feb 28-Mar 14
Frost Apr 4-18
Moon Apr 8-18
N/AAug 10
CeleryFrost Jan 17-31
Moon Jan 17-25
Frost Apr 18-May 2
Moon Apr 18-23
Frost Apr 11
Moon Apr 11
Aug 17
ChivesFrost Feb 14-28
Moon Feb 14-24
Frost Mar 21-28
Moon Mar 21-25
Frost Mar 21-28
Moon Mar 21-25
Aug 31
Cilantro (Coriander)N/AN/AFrost Apr 11-25
Moon Apr 11-23
May 2
CollardsFrost Feb 28-Mar 14
Frost Mar 28-Apr 11
Moon Apr 8-11
Frost Mar 21-28
Moon Mar 21-25
Aug 17
CucumbersFrost Mar 21-28
Moon Mar 21-25
Frost Apr 18-May 2
Moon Apr 18-23
Frost Apr 25-May 2
Aug 17
DillN/AN/AFrost Apr 4-25
Moon Apr 8-23
Aug 31
Dry BeansN/AN/AFrost Apr 25-May 2
Jul 20
EggplantsFrost Feb 14-28
Moon Feb 14-24
Frost Apr 25-May 2
N/AAug 17
Fava BeansN/AN/AFrost Mar 14-21
Moon Mar 14-21
Apr 25
FennelFrost Feb 28-Mar 14
Frost Apr 18-25
Moon Apr 18-23
Frost Apr 11-25
Moon Apr 11-23
Aug 10
GarlicN/AN/AN/A
Green BeansN/AN/AFrost Apr 18-May 9
Moon Apr 18-23, May 7-9
Aug 17
Honeydew MelonsFrost Mar 21-28
Moon Mar 21-25
Frost Apr 25-May 2
Frost Apr 25-May 2
Jul 27
Jalapeño PeppersFrost Jan 31-Feb 14
Moon Feb 9-14
Frost Apr 25-May 2
N/A
KaleFrost Feb 14-28
Moon Feb 14-24
Frost Mar 28-Apr 11
Moon Apr 8-11
Frost Mar 14-21
Moon Mar 14-21
Apr 25
KohlrabiFrost Feb 28-Mar 14
Frost Mar 21-28
Moon Mar 21-25
Frost Mar 14-21
Moon Mar 14-21
Apr 25
LeeksFrost Jan 31-Feb 14
Moon Feb 9-14
Frost Mar 21-Apr 4
Moon Mar 21-25
N/AJul 13
LettuceFrost Feb 28-Mar 14
Frost Mar 21-28
Moon Mar 21-25
Frost Mar 14-21
Moon Mar 14-21
Apr 25
MicrogreensN/AN/AN/A
Mustard GreensN/AN/AN/A
OkraFrost Mar 14-28
Moon Mar 14-25
Frost Apr 25-May 2
Frost Apr 25-May 9
Moon May 7-9
Aug 17
OnionsN/AFrost Mar 14-28
Moon Mar 26-28
N/AJul 20
OreganoFrost Jan 31-Feb 28
Moon Feb 9-24
Frost Apr 18-May 2
Moon Apr 18-23
N/AAug 17
ParsleyFrost Jan 31-Feb 14
Moon Feb 9-14
Frost Apr 18-May 2
Moon Apr 18-23
Frost Mar 14-Apr 18
Moon Mar 14-25, Apr 8-18
Aug 10
ParsnipsN/AN/AFrost Mar 14-21
Jul 20
PeanutsN/AN/AFrost May 2-16
Moon May 2-6
PeasN/AN/AFrost Mar 14-21
Moon Mar 14-21
Apr 25
PotatoesN/AN/AFrost Mar 14-28
Moon Mar 26-28
Aug 17
PumpkinsFrost Mar 21-Apr 4
Moon Mar 21-25
Frost Apr 25-May 2
Frost Apr 25-May 2
Jul 13
RadishesN/AN/AFrost Mar 14-21
Aug 31
RosemaryFrost Jan 17-31
Moon Jan 17-25
Frost Apr 25-May 2
N/AAug 31
SageFrost Feb 14-28
Moon Feb 14-24
Frost Apr 18-May 2
Moon Apr 18-23
N/AAug 10
SalsifyN/AN/AFrost Mar 14-28
Moon Mar 26-28
Jul 20
SpinachFrost Feb 28-Mar 14
Frost Mar 21-28
Moon Mar 21-25
Frost Mar 14-21
Moon Mar 14-21
Apr 25
Sweet CornN/AN/AFrost Apr 25-May 9
Moon May 7-9
Aug 10
Sweet PotatoesN/AN/AFrost Apr 25-May 9
Moon Apr 25-May 6
Jul 13
Swiss ChardFrost Feb 28-Mar 14
Frost Mar 28-Apr 11
Moon Apr 8-11
Frost Mar 21-Apr 11
Moon Mar 21-25, Apr 8-11
Apr 25
ThymeFrost Jan 31-Feb 14
Moon Feb 9-14
Frost Apr 18-25
Moon Apr 18-23
N/AAug 3
TomatillosFrost Feb 28-Mar 14
Frost Apr 25-May 9
Moon May 7-9
N/AAug 10
TomatoesFrost Feb 14-28
Moon Feb 14-24
Frost Apr 25-May 2
N/AJul 27
TurnipsN/AN/AFrost Mar 14-21
Sep 28
WatermelonsFrost Mar 21-Apr 4
Moon Mar 21-25
Frost Apr 25-May 2
Frost Apr 18-25
Moon Apr 18-23
Jul 27
Winter SquashFrost Mar 21-28
Moon Mar 21-25
Frost Apr 18-May 2
Moon Apr 18-23
Frost Apr 25-May 2
Jul 6
Zucchini (Summer Squash)Frost Mar 21-28
Moon Mar 21-25
Frost Apr 18-May 2
Moon Apr 18-23
Frost Apr 25-May 2
Aug 24
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