Frost dates · USDA zone 6b
Frost dates for Columbia, MO
Columbia, MO sees its last 32 °F night of spring around April 5 and its first of fall around October 31 — a 207-day freeze-free season in a typical year.
Pick a sauce; the Plan Builder runs this station's dates and hands back the calendar, plant count and gear list.
Freeze odds, by date
| Odds | Last spring freeze after | First fall freeze before |
|---|---|---|
| 9 years in 10 | Mar 19 | Nov 14 |
| Median — 1 year in 2 | Apr 5 | Oct 31 |
| 1 year in 10 | Apr 21 | Oct 17 |
The top row is the risky edge: in 9 years of 10 a spring freeze still comes after it, so tender transplants set out then need cover. The bottom row is the cautious date — only 1 year in 10 freezes after it — and the one to plan uncovered tender transplants against. Freeze-free season: 207 days median, at least 187 in 9 years of 10, at least 227 days in 1 year of 10. NOAA ranks season length year by year, so it is not the gap between two rows above. A hard freeze (28 °F) has a median last date of Mar 26 and first of Nov 9.
Columbia planting calendar, 2027
Every row runs from the median last frost (Apr 5) and median first frost (Oct 31) above, using each cultivar's days to maturity. Same engine as the Plan Builder.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant | First harvest | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardneck GarlicSiberian (porcelain hardneck) | — | Oct 15prior fall | Jun 12 | 240 from sow |
| Spanish OnionYellow Sweet Spanish (long-day) | Jan 11 | Mar 8 | Jun 26 | 110 from transplant |
| Mustard greensGarnet Giant (Brassica juncea) | Direct sow | Apr 5 | May 5 | 30 from sow |
| CilantroSlow Bolt (Coriandrum sativum) | Mar 22 | Mar 22 | May 6 | 45 from sow |
| Genovese BasilGenovese | Mar 8 | Apr 19 | Jun 18 | 60 from transplant |
| CayenneLong Slim Cayenne (Capsicum annuum) | Feb 8 | Apr 12 | Jun 26 | 75 from transplant |
| HabaneroOrange Habanero (Capsicum chinense) | Jan 25 | Apr 19 | Jul 23 | 95 from transplant |
| JalapeñoEarly Jalapeño (Capsicum annuum) | Feb 8 | Apr 12 | Jun 26 | 75 from transplant |
| Marconi Red PepperMarconi Red (Capsicum annuum) | Feb 8 | Apr 12 | Jul 1 | 80 from transplant |
| SerranoSerrano Tampiqueño (Capsicum annuum) | Feb 8 | Apr 12 | Jul 1 | 80 from transplant |
| Nantes CarrotScarlet Nantes | Mar 22 | Mar 22 | May 31 | 70 from sow |
| TomatilloToma Verde | Feb 22 | Apr 12 | Jun 21 | 70 from transplant |
| Roma TomatoRoma VF (determinate paste) | Feb 22 | Apr 12 | Jun 26 | 75 from transplant |
| San Marzano TomatoSan Marzano (indeterminate paste) | Feb 22 | Apr 12 | Jul 1 | 80 from transplant |
Tight means first harvest lands within two weeks of the median first fall frost: start that crop indoors on time or cover it in fall.
What sauce can Columbia grow?
Each sauce, scheduled for a Columbia container garden: when the first seeds go in and when enough fruit has ripened for one batch.
Columbia frost questions
When is the last frost in Columbia, MO?
The median last 32 °F freeze at COLUMBIA U OF M, MO is April 5: half of years see a later one. One year in ten, a freeze still comes after April 21; nine years in ten, it comes after March 19. Source: NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals.
When is the first frost in Columbia, MO?
The median first 32 °F freeze of fall is October 31. One year in ten it arrives before October 17; nine years in ten, before November 14.
How long is the growing season in Columbia, MO?
207 days between the last spring and first fall 32 °F freeze in a median year. Nine years in ten the season runs at least 187 days; one year in ten, at least 227 days.
What growing zone is Columbia, MO?
USDA hardiness zone 6b, per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map for ZIP 65216. A zone describes the coldest winter night, not when frost ends, so it is the wrong number for a planting calendar — the frost dates on this page are the right one.
When should I plant tomatoes in Columbia, MO?
Start Roma VF (determinate paste) seeds indoors around Feb 22 and transplant around Apr 12, 1 week after the median last frost. To cut the freeze risk to one year in ten, wait for Apr 21. First ripe fruit lands around Jun 26.
When should I plant peppers in Columbia, MO?
Sow jalapeño indoors on a heat mat around Feb 8; transplant no earlier than Apr 12, and wait past it until nights hold above 50 °F — that can run weeks later. First green pods around Jun 26.
Nearby in Missouri
- Jefferson Citylast frost Apr 10
- Wentzvillelast frost Apr 10
- O'Fallonlast frost Apr 10
- St. Peterslast frost Apr 9
- Chesterfieldlast frost Apr 4
- St. Charleslast frost Apr 8
All Missouri frost dates → · How frost-date math drives a sowing calendar →