Just a heads up: fall gardening in Kansas City can be more difficult than spring gardening, so be prepared to put in some hard work. This season is more difficult because you're racing against winter for your crops to mature - and we all know that here in KC, it can come as early as it pleases! The winter frost usually begins around October 28. That said, you'll want to keep this date in mind when deciding how much time the vegetables need to be planted and to be picked. Luckily, you don't have to do too much guessing because harvest days are usually right on the seed packet.
If you're interested in foods like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants, it may be a bit late in the game to get them started. Those foods need about 100 days to harvest. This means you'll want to get them started indoors between late May and early June, then transfer them to your outdoor garden sometime in July.
Some super popular items include corn, cucumbers, and gourds like squash, pumpkin, and watermelon. Get this seeds in the ground around July 15.
Because of the heat, the pro's recommend planting vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage indoors first by the end of June, then moving them outdoors around August 9th. If you weren't able to get a head start, these veggies can be directly seeded into your garden around August 19th. The same strategy goes for lettuce and spinach.
Below, you'll find a chart with more exact dates for your favorite fruits and vegetables.
