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Zone 5B — October

What to Plant in October in Zone 5B

October in Zone 5B: 1 crop to start indoors, 0 to plant or direct sow outside, and 80 entering harvest window. Last frost averages May 4. Reference city: Kansas City, MO.
Updated May 13, 2026 · Frost data from NOAA 1991-2020 Climate Normals
1 Start Indoors
0 Plant Outside
80 Harvest
Frost risk: Cleared

Frost season has cleared in Zone 5B. The last spring frost typically passed by May 4, and the very latest 10% chance closed by May 18. Tender crops are safe to plant out.

See full Zone 5B frost outlook →

Start Indoors in October

Plant Type Start Indoors Transplant Outside Harvest Window
Garlic root vegetable Oct 29 Nov 5 Jul 3 – Aug 2

Plant Outside in October

Nothing to plant or sow outside in October for Zone 5B.
Next window: November — 1 variety, including Garlic.

Harvest in October

Plant Type Planted / Sown Harvest Window
Jicama Mexican Yam Bean legume May 18 Oct 5 – Oct 25
Roselle calyces and leaves vegetable May 11 Oct 8 – Nov 7
Winter rye cover crop stands cover crop May 4 Oct 31 – Dec 10
Sugar Snap Pea (fall planting) legume Jul 31 Oct 9
All Season Cabbage (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 20
All Year Round (fall planting) lettuce Aug 1 Oct 13
All Year Round Cauliflower (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 5
Amarillo Yellow Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 15
Autumn King Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 20
Bachelor's button edible flowers (fall planting) flower Aug 1 Oct 20
Barletta, Pearly White Onions (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 20
Bouquet Dill (fall planting) herb Aug 1 Oct 5
Broccolini (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 10
Butterhead Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 1 Oct 5
Calabrese Broccoli (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 5
California Bluebell (fall planting) flower Aug 1 Oct 5
Cascadia Sugar Snap Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 1 Oct 7
Chantenay Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 10
Charleston Wakefield Cabbage (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 15
Chioggia Beet (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 5
Copenhagen Cabbage (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 5
Cosmic Purple Carrot (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 15
Crisphead (fall planting) lettuce Aug 1 Oct 15
Curly Kale (fall planting) lettuce Aug 1 Oct 5
Curly Parsley (fall planting) herb Aug 1 Oct 20
Danvers Carrot (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 20
Dark Green Italian Giant Parsley (fall planting) herb Aug 1 Oct 15
Dark Green Romaine (fall planting) lettuce Aug 1 Oct 10
Di Cicco Broccoli (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 5
Early Jersey Wakefield Cabbage (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 15
Early Purple Broccoli (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 5
Endive / Escarole (fall planting) lettuce Aug 1 Oct 5
Georgia Southern Collard Greens (fall planting) lettuce Aug 1 Oct 20
German Chamomile (fall planting) herb Aug 1 Oct 5
Globe Gilia Flowers (fall planting) flower Aug 1 Oct 20
Golden Acre Cabbage (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 5
Golden Beet (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 5
Green Arrow Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 1 Oct 10
Heritage Rainbow Blend Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 15
Iceberg (fall planting) lettuce Aug 1 Oct 15
Igloo Cauliflower (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 10
Kuroda Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 10
Lacinato Kale (fall planting) lettuce Aug 1 Oct 5
Lacy Phacelia Flowers (fall planting) flower Aug 1 Oct 15
Little Marvel Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 1 Oct 3
Lunar White Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 20
Mammoth Dill (fall planting) herb Aug 1 Oct 5
Mammoth Melting Sugar Snow Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 1 Oct 14
Medium Red Clover Cover Crop (fall planting) cover crop Aug 1 Oct 15
Michihili Cabbage (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 10
Morris Heading (fall planting) lettuce Aug 1 Oct 20
Nutri-Red Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 15
Oregon Giant Snow Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 1 Oct 14
Oregon Sugar Pod Snow Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 1 Oct 8
Progress No. 9 Shelling Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 1 Oct 2
Purple Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 15
Purple Haze Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 13
Rapeseed Cover Crop (fall planting) cover crop Aug 1 Oct 10
Rapini Broccoli Raab (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 5
Red Acre Cabbage (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 20
Red Romaine (fall planting) lettuce Aug 1 Oct 10
Romaine Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 1 Oct 15
Scarlet Flax Flowers (fall planting) flower Aug 1 Oct 10
Shelling Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 1 Oct 10
Snow Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 1 Oct 10
Snow White Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 15
Snowball Self-Blanche Cauliflower (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 5
Solar Yellow Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 15
St. Valery Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 10
Tendersweet Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 10
Tom Thumb (fall planting) lettuce Aug 1 Oct 10
Tuscany Black (fall planting) lettuce Aug 1 Oct 15
Vates Collard (fall planting) lettuce Aug 1 Oct 15
Vienna Purple Kohlrabi (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 5
Vienna White Kohlrabi (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 5
Viola and pansy edible flowers (fall planting) flower Aug 1 Oct 10
Violetta Purple Cauliflower (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 5
Wando Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 1 Oct 8
Watermelon Radishes (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 5
White Lisbon Bunching Onions (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 5

Key Tasks for October in Zone 5B

  1. 1 Start 1 variety indoors this month under grow lights or in a sunny south-facing window. Use a seed-starting mix and bottom heat (70–75°F) for best germination rates.
  2. 2 Check soil moisture before watering — stick a finger 2 inches into the soil. Water only when the soil is dry at that depth. Consistent moisture is more important than frequency.
Back to full Zone 5B planting calendar
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