When to plant · 16 cities · zones 6a–7a
When to plant carrots in Missouri
Direct sow nantes carrot around Mar 28 — the Missouri statewide median, counted from a last spring frost of Apr 11 across 1,047 ZIP codes and 193 NOAA stations.
The rule: Direct sow two weeks before the last frost and keep the top half-inch of soil damp for the 14–21 days it takes to germinate.
Missouri carrots, by step
Statewide median last frost Apr 11, first fall frost Oct 25, 2027 season. Each cultivar's own indoor lead time and days to maturity, same engine as the Plan Builder.
| Cultivar | Start indoors | Sow | First harvest | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nantes CarrotScarlet Nantes | Direct sow | Mar 28 | Jun 6 | 70 from sow |
Tight means first harvest lands within two weeks of the median first fall frost. Statewide dates are the ZIP-weighted median of every NOAA 1991–2020 station Missouri's ZIP codes resolve to.
Carrots in Missouri, city by city
Nantes Carrot, scheduled from each city's nearest NOAA station — the same dates as its frost page.
| City | Last frost | Sow | First harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas Cityzone 6b | Apr 4 | Mar 21 | May 30 |
| St. Louiszone 7a | Apr 1 | Mar 18 | May 27 |
| Springfieldzone 7a | Apr 9 | Mar 26 | Jun 4 |
| Columbiazone 6b | Apr 5 | Mar 22 | May 31 |
| Independencezone 6b | Apr 10 | Mar 27 | Jun 5 |
| Lee's Summitzone 6b | Apr 7 | Mar 24 | Jun 2 |
| O'Fallonzone 6b | Apr 10 | Mar 27 | Jun 5 |
| St. Charleszone 6b | Apr 8 | Mar 25 | Jun 3 |
| St. Josephzone 6a | Apr 19 | Apr 5 | Jun 14 |
| St. Peterszone 6b | Apr 9 | Mar 26 | Jun 4 |
| Blue Springszone 6b | Apr 7 | Mar 24 | Jun 2 |
| Joplinzone 7a | Apr 9 | Mar 26 | Jun 4 |
| Florissantzone 7a | Apr 2 | Mar 19 | May 28 |
| Chesterfieldzone 7a | Apr 4 | Mar 21 | May 30 |
| Wentzvillezone 6b | Apr 10 | Mar 27 | Jun 5 |
| Jefferson Cityzone 6b | Apr 10 | Mar 27 | Jun 5 |
What Missouri carrots need
Scarlet Nantes Carrot Seed
The carrot that makes a fermented habanero sauce work. It brings sweetness and body so the sauce has texture without thickener and heat without being one-dimensional.
Organic Seed Starter Potting MixMust have
Seed-starting mix is not potting soil with a nicer label — it is finer, lighter, and low in nutrients on purpose, because a seedling's first roots want air and moisture, not fertiliser.
Ocean Forest Potting SoilMust have
Pre-charged with enough nutrition to carry a transplant for its first month without feeding, which is exactly the window when most container plants stall.
5-Gallon Fabric Grow Bags, 5-Pack
Fabric pots air-prune roots and drain faster than a plastic pot can, which is the entire reason container tomatoes fail. Five gallons is the honest minimum for a pepper; a tomato wants ten.
Rapitest Soil Test Kit
In-ground growers are guessing until they test. pH outside 6.0–6.8 locks nutrients out no matter how much fertiliser you add, and no amount of feeding fixes that.
3-in-1 Soil Moisture / Light / pH Tester
Used for one thing — is the root zone actually dry six inches down — it prevents both halves of the most common container failure. Ignore the pH scale on it entirely.
Garden Harvest Basket with Tool Caddy
A harvest basket that doubles as a colander means the hose rinse happens in the garden, and the dirt stays outside. On a 20-pound tomato day that is a genuine time saving.
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Carrots in Missouri: questions
When should I plant carrots in Missouri?
Direct sow around Mar 28 at the statewide median; across the state that date runs from Mar 19 in the warmest tenth of Missouri's ZIP codes to Apr 5 in the coldest. To cut the freeze risk to one year in ten, count from Apr 28 instead of the median last frost. Use the city table for your own town.
When is the last frost in Missouri?
The ZIP-weighted median of NOAA 1991–2020 station medians is Apr 11. In the warmest tenth of Missouri's ZIP codes the median last frost falls on or before Apr 2; in the coldest tenth, on or after Apr 19.
When will Missouri carrots be ready to harvest?
Nantes Carrot planted on the statewide date is ready around Jun 6: 70 days from sow.
More for Missouri
- When to plant tomatoes
- When to plant peppers
- When to plant tomatillos
- When to plant basil
- When to plant onions
- When to plant cilantro
- When to plant mustard greens
Carrots in every state → · Missouri frost dates → · How frost-date math works →