When to plant in Hays, KS
USDA Zone 6bEverything below — frost dates, hardiness zone, and what to plant when in Hays, Kansas — is derived from the closest NOAA station with complete climate normals.
Zone 6b means Hays sees real winter cold, but a good range of perennials survive; the frost dates above govern when annual vegetables go out.
Frost probability
HAYS · 1991–2020The date the last spring and first fall frost occur, by threshold and probability. A 90% date is later in spring — and earlier in fall — than a 10% date; the 50% · 32°F row is what most gardeners plan around. These are Hays’s own odds, recorded at HAYS.
| Threshold | SPRING 10% | SPRING 50% | SPRING 90% | FALL 10% | FALL 50% | FALL 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | May 11 | Apr 30 | Apr 17 | Sep 28 | Oct 13 | Oct 24 |
| 32°F | May 2 | Apr 19 | Apr 7 | Oct 6 | Oct 22 | Nov 4 |
| 28°F | Apr 22 | Apr 9 | Mar 24 | Oct 16 | Oct 31 | Nov 12 |
Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.
What to plant now
TODAY · JULY 19Full-year planting calendar
Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Hays, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.
Nearby weather stations
3 within 36 km · complete 32°F normalsWhen stations disagree by more than a few days, that spread is real microclimate variation — elevation, water, urban heat. Judge which station best matches your own yard.
Hays planting FAQ
When is the last spring frost in Hays, KS?
Plan for the last spring frost in Hays around April 19 (the date it has a 50% chance of a 32°F freeze). Anything frost-sensitive should go out after it.
When is the first fall frost in Hays, KS?
The first fall frost in Hays typically arrives around October 22 (50% probability at 32°F). Harvest or protect frost-sensitive crops before then.
What hardiness zone is Hays in?
Hays is in USDA hardiness zone 6b. In zone 6b, winters are moderate — most common vegetables grow well in season.
How long is the growing season in Hays?
There are roughly 186 frost-free days in Hays (a moderate growing season), running from the average last frost around April 19 to the first fall frost near October 22.
When should I plant tomatoes in Hays?
In Hays, start tomato seeds indoors around February 22–March 8, then transplant seedlings outdoors around April 26 once the danger of frost has passed.
Never miss a window in Hays
An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Hays’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.
Nearby cities
8 within reach- Great Bend · 74 km
- Dodge City · 139 km
- Salina · 148 km
- Hutchinson · 153 km
- McPherson · 155 km
- Garden City · 167 km
- Newton · 196 km
- Kearney · 203 km
Frost dates recorded at HAYS, 2 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in Hays, KS — Frost Dates & Zone 6b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00143523. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/kansas/hays.