Frost dates for Mount Vernon, MO
When the last spring frost and first fall frost usually come, and when to plant, from 30 years of NOAA weather records.
Last spring frost
April 14
typical year
Safe to plant
May 1
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 21
typical year
Growing season
188 days
frost-free, typical year
Frost watch this week
Tonight's and the next six nights' lows from the National Weather Service forecast for the station's location. Frost: 32°F or colder. Possible frost: 33–36°F, mostly in low spots on clear, still nights.
When to plant
Counted from this page's frost dates. Warm-season crops wait for the safe-to-plant date.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cool-season crops | |||
| Peas | – | Mar 17 – 31 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 3 – 24 | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 17 – Apr 7 | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 17 – Apr 28 | Sep 9 – 23 |
| Onions | – | Mar 17 – 31 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 24 – Apr 7 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 24 – Apr 14 | Jul 29 – Aug 12 |
| Beets | – | Mar 17 – 31 | Aug 12 – 26 |
| Kale | Feb 3 – 17 | Mar 17 – 31 | Aug 12 – 26 |
| Broccoli | Feb 3 – 17 | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | Aug 12 – 26 |
| Cabbage | Jan 20 – Feb 3 | Mar 17 – 31 | Aug 12 – 26 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 9 – 30 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 6 – 20 | May 1 – 15 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | May 8 – 22 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 1 – 22 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 1 – 29 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 1 – 22 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 1 – Aug 12 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 1 – 29 | – |
| Basil | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | May 8 – 15 | – |
Onions: from sets. Green beans: until 10 weeks before the first fall frost. Garlic: harvest next summer.
The year at a glance
Start indoors Plant outside Fall planting
The chance of frost, by date
| 1 year in 10 | Half of years | 9 years in 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring frost after | May 1 | April 14 | March 29 |
| Fall frost before | October 6 | October 21 | November 2 |
Frost here means 32°F or colder. Read across: in 1 year in 10, spring frost carries on past the first date, which is why that date is the safe-to-plant date.
Hard freeze (28°F)
A hard freeze kills most garden plants, even hardy ones. The last one in spring usually comes around April 3 (April 20 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 30.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 6 towns.
Mount Vernon, Miller, Verona, Freistatt, Stotts City, La Russell
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station MT VERNON UNIV MO - SW CTR, MO US (USC00235862), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 7 zip codes, all within 11 miles:
64848, 64873, 65605, 65654, 65707, 65712, 65756
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.