When to plant in Mississippi
Most of Mississippi sees its last spring frost between Mar 5 and Mar 31, and its first fall frost between Nov 2 and Nov 21. The middle of the state is around March 16 and November 12: that's what the dates below use.
Hardiness zones in Mississippi: 7b (4%), 8a (29%), 8b (58%), 9a (9%).
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Harvest | Plant for fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 15 | Apr 5 – Apr 19 | Jun 14 – Sep 6 | — |
| Pepper | Feb 1 | Apr 5 – Apr 19 | Jun 19 – Sep 11 | — |
| Cucumber | — | Apr 5 – Apr 19 | May 30 – Jul 18 | — |
| Zucchini / Summer squash | — | Apr 5 – Apr 19 | May 25 – Aug 3 | — |
| Winter squash | — | Apr 5 – Apr 19 | Jul 9 – Aug 13 | — |
| Green beans (bush) | — | Apr 5 – Apr 19 | May 30 – Jul 11 | — |
| Peas | — | Feb 2 – Feb 16 | Apr 3 – May 8 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Sweet corn | — | Apr 5 – Apr 19 | Jun 19 – Jul 17 | — |
| Lettuce | — | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Apr 2 – May 14 | Sep 14 – Sep 28 |
| Spinach | — | Feb 2 – Feb 16 | Mar 14 – Apr 25 | Oct 3 – Oct 17 |
| Kale | Jan 5 | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Apr 12 – Jul 5 | Oct 2 – Oct 16 |
| Broccoli | Jan 12 | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Apr 24 – May 29 | Sep 6 – Sep 20 |
| Cabbage | Jan 5 | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Apr 27 – Jun 1 | Sep 3 – Sep 17 |
| Carrot | — | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | May 4 – Jun 15 | Sep 3 – Sep 17 |
| Beet | — | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Apr 19 – May 31 | Sep 11 – Sep 25 |
| Radish | — | Feb 9 – Feb 23 | Mar 6 – Apr 3 | Oct 4 – Oct 18 |
| Onion (sets) | — | Feb 9 – Feb 23 | May 20 – Jun 24 | — |
| Garlic | — | Nov 5 – Nov 26 (fall) | May 25 – Jun 15 next year | — |
| Potato | — | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | May 24 – Jun 28 | — |
| Sweet potato | Feb 23 | Apr 6 – Apr 20 | Jul 15 – Aug 12 | — |
| Watermelon | — | Apr 6 – Apr 20 | Jun 30 – Aug 4 | — |
| Basil | Feb 22 | Apr 5 – Apr 19 | May 5 – Aug 11 | — |
| Strawberry (June-bearing) | — | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Apr 13 – May 11 (once established) | — |
| Sunflower | — | Apr 5 – Apr 19 | Jun 24 – Jul 29 | — |
Dates for a typical spot in Mississippi. Colder and higher places plant later, warmer ones earlier: enter your ZIP code for yours, or see the calendar for your zone.
Frost dates around Mississippi
| Place | Zone | Last frost | First frost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson | 8b | Mar 14 | Nov 14 |
| Meridian | 8b | Mar 16 | Nov 12 |
| Biloxi | 9a | Feb 23 | Dec 14 |
| Gulfport | 9a | Feb 23 | Dec 3 |
| Hattiesburg | 8b | Mar 7 | Nov 23 |
| Columbus | 8b | Mar 13 | Nov 12 |
| Pascagoula | 9a | Mar 1 | Nov 24 |
| Greenville | 8b | Mar 13 | Nov 15 |
| Laurel | 8b | Mar 12 | Nov 12 |
| Tupelo | 8a | Mar 21 | Nov 10 |
Average dates from the nearest NOAA weather stations (1991–2020). Click a place for its full planting calendar.