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When to plant in Carthage, MO

USDA Zone 7a

Carthage, Missouri frost dates, USDA zone, and a full-year planting calendar, drawn from the nearest NOAA station and tuned to the local season.

In zone 7a, Carthage supports a wide range of perennials year-round; the frost dates above are what set your annual vegetable timing.

Station · CARTHAGE · 3.7 km
Last spring frost
April 4
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 27
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
206 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for CarthageA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Carthage: last spring frost around April 4, first fall frost around October 27, about 206 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

The average last spring frost in Carthage is now 8 days earlier than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →

Frost probability

CARTHAGE · 1991–2020

The 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 Carthage’s own odds, recorded at CARTHAGE.

Frost-probability curves for CarthageProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around April 4 and the first fall frost around October 27, giving about 206 frost-free days.
Last spring frostFirst fall frostbold = 32°F · thin = 28°F / 36°F · dot = 50% date · band = 10–90% window
ThresholdSPRING 10%SPRING 50%SPRING 90%FALL 10%FALL 50%FALL 90%
36°FMay 2Apr 16Mar 31Oct 3Oct 17Nov 1
32°FApr 20Apr 4Mar 20Oct 13Oct 27Nov 12
28°FApr 10Mar 27Mar 7Oct 21Nov 5Nov 24

Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.

What to plant now

TODAY · JULY 19
Fall sowopen now
Brussels Sprouts
July 7July 21
Fall sowin 2 days
Rutabaga
July 21August 4
Fall sowin 16 days
Broccoli
August 4August 18
Fall sowin 16 days
Cabbage
August 4August 18
Fall sowin 16 days
Carrot
August 4August 18
Fall sowin 16 days
Cauliflower
August 4August 18
Fall sowin 16 days
Napa Cabbage
August 4September 1

Add these crops to your calendar (.ics) ↓

Full-year planting calendar

Start indoorsTransplantDirect sowFall sow

Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Carthage, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 18 km · complete 32°F normals

When 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.

CARTHAGE
Primary
4 km · 298 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 4
FALL
Oct 27
JOPLIN REGIONAL AIRPORT
16 km · 299 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 9
FALL
Oct 27
DIAMOND 2W
18 km · 326 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 18
FALL
Oct 22

Carthage planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Carthage, MO?

Plan for the last spring frost in Carthage around April 4 (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 Carthage, MO?

The first fall frost in Carthage typically arrives around October 27 (50% probability at 32°F). Harvest or protect frost-sensitive crops before then.

What hardiness zone is Carthage in?

Carthage is in USDA hardiness zone 7a. In zone 7a, winters are moderate — most common vegetables grow well in season.

How long is the growing season in Carthage?

Carthage has about 206 frost-free days — a moderate growing season — between the average last spring frost (April 4) and first fall frost (October 27).

When should I plant tomatoes in Carthage?

For Carthage, sow tomatoes indoors about February 7–February 21 and move the seedlings out around April 11, after the last spring frost.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Carthage

An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Carthage’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at CARTHAGE, 4 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.

Cite this page
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in Carthage, MO — Frost Dates & Zone 7a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00231356. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/missouri/carthage.
When to Plant in Carthage, MO — Frost Dates & Zone 7a — BlissGarden