Lawrence, KS 66045 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Lawrence, KS?
The last spring frost here typically falls around 04/21, about 236 days from today. The first fall frost typically arrives around 10/17, about 177 frost-free days later.
Lawrence sits in USDA Zone 6b (-5 to 0°F average annual minimum). The dates above are NOAA's 1991-2020 normal at the nearest reporting station, a 30-year average, not a forecast.
What to do before the first frost
About 7 weeks of growing season left in Lawrence before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
How much risk comes with planting early here
04/21 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 04/05 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 05/06 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Lawrence compares
Lawrence's growing season runs about 177 days, ranking 25,976 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within KS, it ranks 573 of 745.
Learn more
zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 6b and Lawrence's frost date answer different questions. the frost range covers how to read the range around Lawrence's dates instead of trusting one.