Independence, Missouri: planting zone & frost dates
Independence is in USDA plant hardiness zone 6b, where the average coldest winter night reaches -5 to 0°F (-20.6 to -17.8°C). The typical last spring frost is around Apr 16 and the first fall frost around Oct 22.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 26 | Oct 14 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 16 | Oct 22 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 10 | Oct 27 |
How to read this: after the spring "10% risk" date, a 32°F frost happens in only about 1 year in 10. In fall, the "10% risk" date is the early end — a frost before it happens about 1 year in 10.
Frost data comes from NOAA station INDEPENDENCE, MO (USC00234154), 2.3 mi (3.7 km) from the city center and 131 ft higher than the city center (+40 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 29 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Independence
Independence spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 8 ZIP codes): 6b (86%), 6a (14%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
Vegetable planting calendar for Independence
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 16, first frost Oct 22). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Apr 23 – May 7 | — | — |
| Pepper | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Apr 30 – May 14 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | Apr 2 – Apr 23 | Mar 19 – Apr 30 | Aug 13 – Sep 10 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 23 – May 28 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 23 – May 21 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 19 – Mar 26 | Apr 23 – May 7 | Apr 23 – May 14 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Cucumber | Mar 19 – Mar 26 | Apr 30 – May 7 | Apr 23 – May 14 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 26 – Apr 30 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Onion | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | — | — |
| Basil | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | Apr 30 – May 14 | Apr 30 – May 21 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Mar 5 – Apr 2 | Aug 27 – Sep 24 |
| Kale | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | Aug 13 – Sep 10 |
| Broccoli | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Apr 2 – Apr 23 | — | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Peas | — | — | Mar 5 – Mar 26 | Aug 13 – Aug 27 |
| Eggplant | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Apr 30 – May 14 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | — | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 12 – Apr 30 | Sep 10 – Oct 8 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 26 – May 7 | Aug 13 – Aug 27 |
Nearby cities in Missouri
- Lee's Summit — zone 6b, last frost Apr 13, first frost Oct 23
- Kansas City — zone 6b, last frost Apr 10, first frost Oct 29
- Columbia — zone 6b, last frost Apr 12, first frost Oct 25
- Springfield — zone 6b, last frost Apr 16, first frost Oct 22
- O'Fallon — zone 6b, last frost Apr 16, first frost Oct 20
- St. Louis — zone 7a, last frost Apr 7, first frost Oct 31
More: all Missouri cities · other zone 6b cities: Columbus, OH, Indianapolis, IN, Boston, MA, Detroit, MI, Kansas City, MO, Cincinnati, OH, Pittsburgh, PA, Buffalo, NY
Independence gardening questions
When is the last frost in Independence, MO?
Plan around Apr 16. At NOAA's Independence, MO station, 2.3 mi from the city center, there is a 30% chance of a 32°F frost after that date. Half of springs have their last frost by Apr 10, and after Apr 26 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 31. The last frost is fairly predictable here: only 28 days separate the 90% and 10% dates (median for cities on this site: 36 days).
When should I plant tomatoes in Independence, MO?
Start seeds indoors Feb 19 – Mar 5 and set transplants outside Apr 23 – May 7, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 189 days between the 30% frost dates, enough for most varieties including 80–85-day slicers. More: tomato planting dates by zone.
How long is the growing season in Independence?
About 198 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 178 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 218 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 14 and a 30% chance by Oct 22. That is the shortest of the 7 Missouri cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Independence?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 22): transplant broccoli Jul 30 – Aug 13; sow kale Aug 13 – Sep 10; sow lettuce Aug 13 – Sep 10; sow radishes Sep 10 – Oct 8. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 5. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Independence's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Independence was zone 6a on the 2012 map and is zone 6b on the 2023 map — half a zone warmer, like about 56% of U.S. ZIP codes. The shift comes from a newer 1991–2020 averaging period plus more weather stations and better mapping; it does not mean last frost comes earlier. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
Is all of Independence in zone 6b?
No. Zone 6b covers about 86% of the city's land; the rest is in 6a (14%), measured across the city's 8 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.