Frost dates for Salem, 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 17
typical year
Safe to plant
May 5
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 18
typical year
Growing season
182 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 20 – Apr 3 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 6 – 27 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 20 – May 1 | Sep 6 – 20 |
| Onions | – | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | Jul 26 – Aug 9 |
| Beets | – | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Aug 9 – 23 |
| Kale | Feb 6 – 20 | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Aug 9 – 23 |
| Broccoli | Feb 6 – 20 | Apr 3 – 17 | Aug 9 – 23 |
| Cabbage | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Aug 9 – 23 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 6 – 27 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 10 – 24 | May 5 – 19 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 3 – 17 | May 12 – 26 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 5 – 26 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 5 – Jun 2 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 5 – 26 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 5 – Aug 9 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 5 – Jun 2 | – |
| Basil | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | May 12 – 19 | – |
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 5 | April 17 | March 31 |
| Fall frost before | October 3 | October 18 | October 31 |
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 1 town.
Salem
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station SALEM, MO US (USC00237506), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 3 zip codes, all within 19 miles:
65440, 65501, 65560
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.