What Can Grow in Kansas?
Kansas spans from Zone 5a in the northwest to Zone 6b in the southeast. Hot summers and cold winters define the climate. Excellent for wheat, sunflowers, and warm-season vegetables.
📅 Planting Calendar for Kansas
When to start seeds indoors and transplant outdoors, based on your frost dates.
| Plant | Start Indoors | Transplant Out | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🌾 Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira) | Mar 4 | Apr 1 | — | May 21 – Jun 15 |
| 🥦 Artichoke | Feb 4 | Apr 1 | — | Jun 25 – Jul 10 |
| 🥬 Arugula | — | — | Apr 1 | Apr 22 – May 11 |
| ❤️ Beets | — | — | Apr 1 | May 21 – Jun 10 |
| 🫑 Bell Pepper | Feb 4 | Apr 1 | — | Jun 10 – Jun 30 |
| 🥬 Bok Choy | Mar 4 | Apr 1 | — | May 16 – May 31 |
| 🥦 Broccoli | Feb 18 | Apr 1 | — | May 31 – Jun 20 |
| 🫛 Brussels Sprouts | Feb 4 | Apr 1 | — | Jun 30 – Sep 28 |
| 🥬 Cabbage | Feb 18 | Apr 1 | — | Jun 10 – Jul 30 |
| 🥕 Carrot | — | — | Apr 1 | Jun 10 – Jun 20 |
| 🥔 Celeriac | Jan 21 | Apr 1 | — | Jul 20 – Jul 30 |
| 🍒 Cherry Tomato | Feb 18 | Apr 1 | — | May 26 – Jun 10 |
| 🌶️ Chili Pepper | Feb 4 | Apr 1 | — | Jun 5 – Jun 20 |
| 🥬 Collard Greens | Mar 4 | Apr 1 | — | May 31 – Jun 20 |
| 🌽 Corn | — | — | Apr 1 | May 31 – Jun 30 |
| 🥒 Cucumber | Mar 11 | Apr 1 | — | May 21 – Jun 10 |
| 🫛 Edamame (Soybean) | — | — | Apr 1 | Jun 10 – Jul 5 |
| 🍆 Eggplant | Feb 4 | Apr 1 | — | Jun 5 – Jun 20 |
| 🫘 Fava Beans | — | — | Apr 1 | Jun 20 – Jul 10 |
| 🌿 Florence Fennel | — | — | Apr 1 | Jun 5 – Jun 30 |
| 🧄 Garlic | — | — | Oct 1 – Oct 31 | Jun – Jul (following year) |
| 🫘 Green Beans | — | — | Apr 1 | May 21 – Jun 5 |
| 🍬 Ground Cherry | Feb 18 | Apr 1 | — | Jun 10 – Jun 25 |
| 🥬 Kale | Mar 4 | Apr 1 | — | May 26 – Jun 15 |
| 🥬 Kohlrabi | Mar 4 | Apr 1 | — | May 16 – May 31 |
| 🧅 Leek | Jan 7 | Apr 1 | — | Jul 10 – Aug 29 |
| 🥬 Lettuce | — | — | Apr 1 | May 1 – May 31 |
| 🌱 Microgreens | — | — | Apr 1 | Apr 8 – Apr 22 |
| 🥬 Mustard Greens | — | — | Apr 1 | May 1 – May 11 |
| 🧅 Onion | Feb 4 | Apr 1 | — | Jun 30 – Jul 30 |
| 🥕 Parsnip | — | — | Apr 1 | Jul 10 – Aug 9 |
| 🫛 Peas | — | — | Apr 1 | May 26 – Jun 10 |
| 🥔 Potato | — | — | Apr 1 | Jun 10 – Jul 30 |
| 🎃 Pumpkin | Mar 11 | Apr 1 | — | Jun 15 – Jul 10 |
| 🔴 Radish | — | — | Apr 1 | Apr 23 – May 1 |
| 🥔 Rutabaga | — | — | Apr 1 | Jun 30 – Jul 15 |
| 🫛 Snap Peas | — | — | Apr 1 | May 31 – Jun 10 |
| 🥬 Spinach | — | — | Apr 1 | May 11 – May 21 |
| 🍠 Sweet Potato | — | — | Apr 1 | Jun 30 – Jul 30 |
| 🥬 Swiss Chard | — | — | Apr 1 | May 21 – May 31 |
| 🫑 Tomatillo | Feb 18 | Apr 1 | — | Jun 15 – Jul 10 |
| 🍅 Tomato | Feb 18 | Apr 1 | — | May 31 – Jun 25 |
| 🫛 Turnip | — | — | Apr 1 | May 16 – May 31 |
| 🥬 Zucchini | Mar 11 | Apr 1 | — | May 16 – May 31 |
| 🌿 Basil | Mar 4 | Apr 1 | — | May 1 – May 31 |
| 💙 Borage | — | — | Apr 1 | May 21 – May 31 |
| 🌿 Cilantro | — | — | Apr 1 | Apr 22 – May 16 |
| 🌿 Dill | — | — | Apr 1 | May 11 – May 31 |
| 🌱 Fenugreek (Methi) | — | — | Apr 1 | Apr 21 – May 1 |
| 🌿 French Tarragon | — | — | Apr 1 | May 31 – Jun 30 |
| 🌼 German Chamomile | — | — | Apr 1 | May 31 – Jun 30 |
| 🍃 Lemon Balm | Feb 18 | Apr 1 | — | May 31 – Jun 10 |
| 🌿 Parsley | — | — | Apr 1 | Jun 10 – Jun 30 |
| 🍉 Watermelon | Mar 4 | Apr 1 | — | Jun 10 – Jun 30 |
| 🌻 Sunflower | — | — | Apr 1 | May 31 – Jun 20 |
Dates are averages based on Zone 6a frost dates (last frost: early April, first frost: late October). Adjust for your specific microclimate.
🥦 Vegetables
- 🌾 Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira) EasyContainer OK
- 🥦 Artichoke
- 🥬 Arugula EasyContainer OK
- 🌿 Asparagus
- ❤️ Beets EasyContainer OK
- 🫑 Bell Pepper Container OK
- 🥬 Bok Choy EasyContainer OK
- 🥦 Broccoli Container OK
- 🫛 Brussels Sprouts
- 🥬 Cabbage Container OK
- 🥕 Carrot Container OK
- 🥔 Celeriac
- 🍒 Cherry Tomato EasyContainer OK
- 🌶️ Chili Pepper EasyContainer OK
- 🥬 Collard Greens EasyContainer OK
- 🌽 Corn
- 🥒 Cucumber EasyContainer OK
- 🫛 Edamame (Soybean) EasyContainer OK
- 🍆 Eggplant Container OK
- 🫘 Fava Beans
- 🌿 Florence Fennel Container OK
- 🧄 Garlic EasyContainer OK
- 🫘 Green Beans EasyContainer OK
- 🍬 Ground Cherry EasyContainer OK
- 🥬 Kale EasyContainer OK
- 🥬 Kohlrabi EasyContainer OK
- 🧅 Leek Container OK
- 🥬 Lettuce EasyContainer OK
- 🌱 Microgreens Easy
- 🥬 Mustard Greens EasyContainer OK
- 🧅 Onion Container OK
- 🥕 Parsnip
- 🫛 Peas EasyContainer OK
- 🥔 Potato EasyContainer OK
- 🎃 Pumpkin EasyContainer OK
- 🔴 Radish EasyContainer OK
- 🌿 Rhubarb EasyContainer OK
- 🥔 Rutabaga Easy
- 🫛 Snap Peas EasyContainer OK
- 🥬 Spinach EasyContainer OK
- 🍠 Sweet Potato Container OK
- 🥬 Swiss Chard EasyContainer OK
- 🫑 Tomatillo Container OK
- 🍅 Tomato Container OK
- 🫛 Turnip EasyContainer OK
- 🥬 Zucchini EasyContainer OK
🍓 Fruits
🌿 Herbs
⚠️ Worth Trying (Marginal)
These plants are outside the ideal zone range but possible with the right approach.
🗺️ USDA Plant Hardiness Zones
Zone 6 is shown in
this colour
on the map below
2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map — public domain. USDA Agricultural Research Service
USDA zones run 1a–13b (26 half-zones). Each full zone above covers both the a and b half-zones. Browse all US zones →
Browse Related Zones
Frequently Asked Questions
Kansas spans from Zone 5a in the northwest to Zone 6b in the southeast. Hot summers and cold winters define the climate. Excellent for wheat, sunflowers, and warm-season vegetables. Vegetables like Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira), Artichoke, Arugula, Asparagus, Beets all grow well here.
With 213 frost-free days, you can grow two cool-season crops per year — one in spring (plant after early April) and one in late summer for fall harvest before late October.
Top vegetables for Kansas: Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira), Artichoke, Arugula, Asparagus, Beets. For beginners, Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira) and Arugula are the easiest to start with.
Apple, Blackberry, Blueberry, Elderberry all grow well in Kansas. Zone 6a is suitable for most temperate fruits.
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