USDA zone 6b in Kansas
USDA plant hardiness zone 6b covers 91 locations across Kansas (average annual extreme minimum −5 to 0 °F): Abilene, KS, Alma, KS, Ashland, KS, Atlanta, KS, Bazine, KS, Beloit, KS, and 85 more. Average last spring frost across this group ranges April 5 (Bronson) to April 30 (Munjor), and growing seasons run 162–205 days (Munjor to Vassar) — even within one state, because hardiness sets winter survival, not planting dates. The table below gives every Kansas location's own frost dates; the printable planting calendar uses Topeka, this group's median-season location.
- USDA zone
- 6b−5 to 0 °F
- Last frost range
- Apr 5–Apr 30avg, 32°F
- First frost range
- Oct 10–Oct 31avg, 32°F
- Growing season range
- 162–205days
Locations in this group
Every location below shares this zone and a nearby weather station, but keeps its own frost dates — find your town for its own numbers, or use the ZIP planner on the home page for an instant personalized answer.
| Location | Also covers | Nearest station | Last frost | First frost | Season (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abilene | Enterprise, Niles, Talmage | Abilene | Apr 14 | Oct 23 | 190 |
| Alma | Eskridge, Maple Hill, Harveyville | Eskridge | Apr 16 | Oct 23 | 189 |
| Ashland | Englewood, Minneola | Ashland | Apr 21 | Oct 17 | 178 |
| Atlanta | Latham | Smileyberg 1n | Apr 18 | Oct 21 | 185 |
| Bazine | — | Ness City | Apr 29 | Oct 14 | 166 |
| Beloit | Simpson | Beloit | Apr 19 | Oct 19 | 181 |
| Bonner Springs | — | Bonner Springs | Apr 16 | Oct 22 | 188 |
| Bronson | Fulton, Deerfield | Ft Scott | Apr 5 | Oct 28 | 204 |
| Burlington | Waverly | John Redmond Lake | Apr 11 | Oct 26 | 199 |
| Burrton | Haven, Buhler | Hutchinson Muni Ap | Apr 21 | Oct 18 | 180 |
| Catharine | Victoria | Hays | Apr 19 | Oct 22 | 184 |
| Cimarron | — | Cimarron | Apr 20 | Oct 20 | 182 |
| Clay Center | Clifton, Morganville, Leonardville, Green, Longford | Clay Ctr | Apr 19 | Oct 19 | 181 |
| Concordia | Miltonvale, Ames, Glasco, Aurora | Concordia Muni Ap | Apr 18 | Oct 19 | 183 |
| Cottonwood Falls | Strong, Elmdale, Cedar Point | Cottonwood Falls | Apr 19 | Oct 18 | 180 |
| Council Grove | Dwight, Alta Vista, Allen, Wilsey | Council Grove Lake | Apr 11 | Oct 25 | 194 |
| Delia | — | Holton | Apr 24 | Oct 14 | 172 |
| Dodge | Wright, Spearville, Ford, Fort Dodge | Dodge City | Apr 21 | Oct 20 | 179 |
| El Dorado | Potwin | El Dorado | Apr 13 | Oct 25 | 193 |
| Elkhart | Keyes | Elkhart | Apr 19 | Oct 23 | 186 |
| Ellis | — | Cedar Bluff Dam | Apr 25 | Oct 17 | 174 |
| Ellsworth | Kanopolis, Holyrood, Lorraine, Bushton | Ellsworth | Apr 23 | Oct 16 | 175 |
| Emporia | Americus, Admire, Reading | Emporia 3 Nw | Apr 15 | Oct 23 | 190 |
| Eureka | Hamilton, Neal | Eureka 1e | Apr 16 | Oct 20 | 186 |
| Falun | Geneseo, Brookville, Marquette, Little River, Windom | Kanopolis Lake | Apr 19 | Oct 23 | 184 |
| Florence | — | Florence | Apr 22 | Oct 17 | 176 |
| Fort Riley | Chapman, Grandview Plaza, Wakefield | Milford Lake | Apr 12 | Oct 26 | 193 |
| Garden | — | Garden City Exp Stn | Apr 28 | Oct 17 | 171 |
| Garnett | Centerville, Welda, Kincaid, Greeley, Richmond, Parker, +2 more | Garnett 1 E | Apr 17 | Oct 22 | 189 |
| Great Bend | Odin, Hoisington, Pawnee Rock, Albert, Olmitz | Great Bend 3w | Apr 24 | Oct 15 | 172 |
| Greensburg | Mullinville, Bucklin, Haviland, Lewis, Offerle | Greensburg | Apr 21 | Oct 22 | 183 |
| Hays | Victoria | Hays 1 S | Apr 25 | Oct 15 | 171 |
| Hesston | Halstead, North Newton, Whitewater, Goessel, Walton, Elbing | Newton | Apr 14 | Oct 25 | 193 |
| Hugoton | — | Hugoton | Apr 20 | Oct 22 | 183 |
| Humboldt | Elsmore | Humboldt | Apr 11 | Oct 27 | 195 |
| Iola | Piqua, La Harpe, Gas, Neosho Falls, Colony, Moran | Iola 1 W | Apr 8 | Oct 26 | 200 |
| Isabel | — | Medicine Lodge | Apr 13 | Oct 23 | 191 |
| Jetmore | Hanston, Burdett | Jetmore 8nnw | Apr 25 | Oct 18 | 175 |
| Johnson | Manter | Johnson | Apr 19 | Oct 23 | 186 |
| Kansas | Parkville, Lansing, Gladstone, Basehor, Farley, Weatherby Lake, +2 more | Kansas City Intl Ap | Apr 13 | Oct 24 | 193 |
| Kingman | Cunningham | Kingman | Apr 15 | Oct 21 | 187 |
| Kinsley | — | Kinsley 2e | Apr 20 | Oct 20 | 180 |
| Lake | Sun | Wilmore 16se | Apr 25 | Oct 15 | 171 |
| Larned | Garfield | Larned | Apr 16 | Oct 27 | 190 |
| Lawrence | Tonganoxie, Eudora, Linwood | Lawrence Muni Ap | Apr 21 | Oct 17 | 177 |
| Lawrence | Baldwin, Lecompton | Clinton Lake | Apr 15 | Oct 22 | 189 |
| Leavenworth | Easton | Leavenworth | Apr 12 | Oct 27 | 196 |
| Lebo | Melvern | Melvern Lake | Apr 8 | Oct 30 | 202 |
| Lecompton | Oskaloosa, Meriden, Perry, Ozawkie | Perry Lake | Apr 13 | Oct 24 | 191 |
| Liberal | Turpin, Tyrone, Kismet | Liberal | Apr 20 | Oct 24 | 186 |
| Lincoln Center | Barnard, Beverly | Lincoln 1 Se | Apr 28 | Oct 15 | 170 |
| Lucas | Wilson, Sylvan Grove | Wilson Lake | Apr 21 | Oct 17 | 179 |
| Lyons | Sterling, Nickerson, Raymond, Chase, Plevna, Alden | Sterling | Apr 15 | Oct 23 | 190 |
| Marion | Hillsboro, Peabody, Lehigh, Lincolnville, Tampa, Durham | Marion Rsvr | Apr 8 | Oct 30 | 202 |
| McLouth | Nortonville, Winchester | Oskaloosa 4 Ne | Apr 16 | Oct 22 | 188 |
| McPherson | Roxbury, Moundridge, Galva, Canton | Mcpherson | Apr 18 | Oct 24 | 187 |
| Meade | Plains, Fowler | Meade | Apr 20 | Oct 22 | 183 |
| Minneapolis | Delphos, Bennington, Tescott | Minneapolis | Apr 20 | Oct 19 | 181 |
| Montezuma | Ensign, Copeland | Montezuma | Apr 23 | Oct 20 | 177 |
| Munjor | Rush Center, Otis, Alexander, Rozel | Bison 3nw | Apr 30 | Oct 10 | 162 |
| Ogallah | — | Wakeeney | Apr 23 | Oct 18 | 175 |
| Ogden | — | Manhattan Muni Ap | Apr 21 | Oct 16 | 177 |
| Olathe | Shawnee, Lenexa, Gardner, De Soto, Spring Hill, Edgerton | Olathe Johnson Co Ap | Apr 13 | Oct 24 | 193 |
| Olpe | Madison, Neosho Rapids, Hartford | Emporia Muni Ap | Apr 12 | Oct 23 | 193 |
| Osage | — | Osage City | Apr 13 | Oct 26 | 194 |
| Osawatomie | — | Osawatomie | Apr 14 | Oct 25 | 192 |
| Ottawa | Wellsville, Williamsburg, Princeton, Rantoul | Ottawa | Apr 18 | Oct 20 | 183 |
| Overland Park | Olathe, Shawnee, Lenexa, Leawood, Grandview, Belton, +5 more | Olathe Johnson Co Exec Ap | Apr 8 | Oct 29 | 204 |
| Paola | Louisburg, Fontana | Paola | Apr 13 | Oct 21 | 191 |
| Piedmont | Howard, Severy, Fall River | Howard | Apr 17 | Oct 22 | 186 |
| Pierceville | Ingalls | Garden City Rgnl Ap | Apr 27 | Oct 15 | 170 |
| Pleasanton | Mound, Blue Mound, Mapleton, Prescott | Mound City | Apr 13 | Oct 23 | 192 |
| Pratt | Macksville, Iuka, Turon, Belpre, Sawyer, Byers, +1 more | Pratt 3nw | Apr 20 | Oct 20 | 183 |
| Protection | Wilmore | Coldwater | Apr 13 | Oct 27 | 197 |
| Richfield | Rolla | Richfield | Apr 27 | Oct 19 | 173 |
| Riley | Keats | Tuttle Creek Lake | Apr 22 | Oct 20 | 179 |
| Rosalia | Burns, Cassoday, Matfield Green | Cassoday 2se | Apr 18 | Oct 22 | 186 |
| Russell | Bunker Hill, Dorrance, Gorham | Russell Muni Ap | Apr 22 | Oct 17 | 176 |
| Salina | Lindsborg, Gypsum, Assaria, New Cambria | Salina Muni Ap | Apr 18 | Oct 23 | 187 |
| South Hutchinson | The Highlands, Inman | Hutchinson | Apr 18 | Oct 21 | 186 |
| South Hutchinson | Arlington, Pretty Prairie, Partridge, Abbyville | Hutchinson 10 Sw | Apr 20 | Oct 19 | 181 |
| St. John | Ellinwood, Stafford, Sylvia, Hudson | Hudson | Apr 18 | Oct 21 | 185 |
| St. Marys | Louisville, McFarland, Paxico, Belvue | Wamego 4 W | Apr 18 | Oct 19 | 183 |
| Sublette | Satanta, Moscow | Sublette 7wsw | Apr 23 | Oct 21 | 179 |
| Topeka | Tecumseh, Meriden, Grantville, Silver Lake, Rossville, Hoyt | Topeka Muni Ap | Apr 12 | Oct 23 | 191 |
| Topeka * | Wakarusa, Tecumseh, Burlingame, Carbondale, Auburn, Silver Lake, +1 more | Topeka Forbes Fld | Apr 15 | Oct 21 | 185 |
| Ulysses | — | Ulysses 3ne | Apr 28 | Oct 16 | 171 |
| Valley Falls | — | Valley Falls 3 Sw | Apr 10 | Oct 29 | 199 |
| Vassar | Scranton, Pomona, Lyndon, Overbrook, Quenemo | Pomona Lake | Apr 8 | Oct 31 | 205 |
| White | Burdick, Hope, Woodbine | Herington | Apr 24 | Oct 14 | 173 |
| Yates Center | LeRoy, Virgil, Gridley, Toronto | Yates Ctr | Apr 10 | Oct 28 | 198 |
* Topeka is this group's median-season location — the calendar below is computed from its data.
Data: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (public domain) and USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Planting windows synthesized from U.S. Cooperative Extension guides.
Planting calendar (Topeka, representative)
Computed from Topeka's average frost dates — the median-season location in this Kansaszone 6b group. hatched = start seeds indoors, solid green = plant out, teal = a fall sowing, and the terracotta dot marks the estimated first harvest. Ranges are extension-guide planning guidance, not guarantees — your own location's dates may run a week or two earlier or later (see the table above).
- Start indoors
- Plant out
- Fall sowing
- First harvest
| Crop | Frost tolerance | Start indoors | Plant out | First harvest | Fall planting | Season fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Tender | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 22 – Apr 29 | Jun 21 – Jul 11 | — | matures comfortably |
| Pepper | Very tender | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Apr 29 – May 6 | Jun 28 – Jul 28 | — | matures comfortably |
| Cucumber | Tender | Mar 18 – Mar 25 | Apr 22 – Apr 29 | Jun 11 – Jul 1 | — | matures comfortably |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Tender | — | Apr 22 – Apr 29 | Jun 6 – Jun 21 | — | matures comfortably |
| Bush bean | Tender | — | Apr 22 – Apr 29 | Jun 11 – Jun 21 | Aug 22 – Sep 1 | matures comfortably |
| Sweet corn | Tender | — | Apr 15 – Apr 29 | Jun 14 – Jul 14 | — | matures comfortably |
| Basil | Very tender | Mar 4 – Mar 18 | Apr 22 – Apr 29 | May 22 – Jun 6 | — | matures comfortably |
| Lettuce | Half-hardy | Mar 4 – Mar 18 | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | May 2 – May 17 | Aug 8 – Aug 23 | matures comfortably |
| Pea | Hardy | — | Mar 4 – Mar 18 | Apr 28 – May 13 | Jul 29 – Aug 13 | matures comfortably |
| Spinach | Hardy | — | Mar 4 – Mar 18 | Apr 13 – Apr 23 | Aug 18 – Aug 28 | matures comfortably |
| Carrot | Half-hardy | — | Mar 25 – Apr 1 | May 24 – Jun 13 | Jul 19 – Aug 8 | matures comfortably |
| Broccoli | Half-hardy | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | May 12 – Jun 1 | Jul 24 – Aug 13 | matures comfortably |
Which crops fit this growing season
Using Topeka's own 185-day growing season (32°F, NOAA 1991–2020 median) against each crop's real days-to-maturity range: 12 of 12 crops mature here with comfortable margin. A different location in the table above with a longer or shorter season will get a different mix — the ZIP planner on the home page gives your own.
Frost & freeze dates (Topeka)
From NOAA's 1991–2020 Climate Normals at station USW00013920. The median (p50) is the average date; the 90%-safe column is the date the freeze has passed in about 9 years out of 10 — the conservative date to plant after or harvest before.
| Threshold | Last spring — avg | Last spring — 90%-safe | First fall — avg | First fall — 90%-safe | Season (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Apr 27 | May 11 | Oct 11 | Oct 25 | 165 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Apr 15 | Apr 30 | Oct 21 | Nov 2 | 185 |
| 28°F | Apr 5 | Apr 21 | Oct 31 | Nov 12 | 205 |
| 24°F | Mar 27 | Apr 10 | Nov 8 | Nov 25 | 227 |
Growing degree days
Growing degree days (GDD) accumulate warmth above a base temperature over the year — a better predictor of crop development than the calendar alone. This group's median GDD (base 50°F) across all 91 locations is 4,079; Topeka's own reading is shown below.
| Model | °F·days | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Base 50°F (warm-season) | 4,183 | standard warm-season base (tomato, corn, beans) |
| Base 40°F (cool-season) | 6,641 | cool-season crops (brassicas, greens) |
Hardiness zone 6b in Kansas
Zone 6b means an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of about −5 to 0 °F on the USDA's 2023 map — the number that tells you which perennials, shrubs, and trees reliably survive an average winter here. It does not set your planting dates, which come from the frost calendar above. Kansas spans 3 hardiness zones in this dataset — see all Kansas locations for the full range, including zones6a, 7a.
Explore zone 6b in other states at zone 6b, or see all USDA hardiness zones.
Frequently asked questions
- What does USDA hardiness zone 6b mean in Kansas?
- Zone 6b means an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of −5 to 0 °F — the standard USDA measure of which perennials survive winter. 91 locations in Kansas fall in this zone. It does not set planting dates; see the frost calendar below for that.
- Where in Kansas's zone 6b is the growing season longest?
- Vassar runs the longest season on this page at about 205 days; Munjor is shortest at about 162 days — they share the same hardiness zone, but they sit at different weather stations, so their frost calendars differ.
- When should I plant tomatoes in Kansas's zone 6b?
- Using Topeka's frost dates (this page's median-season location): start seeds indoors about Feb 18 – Mar 4, then transplant outside about Apr 22 – Apr 29. Your own location in the table above may differ by a week or two — use the ZIP planner on the home page for your exact station's dates.
- Does every location in Kansas's zone 6b have the same frost dates?
- No — they do not all share a weather station, so frost dates vary by a week or more across the 91 locations listed (see the table above for each location's own dates).
Sources & method
Frost, freeze, growing-season, and growing-degree-day figures are NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, one reading per location's own nearest station (see the table above). The hardiness zone is the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023, matched to each location's ZIP. Planting windows are computed by counting from the average last and first frost using per-crop offsets synthesized from U.S. Cooperative Extension guides — the full method and citations are on the methodology page.