Jackson, Mississippi: planting zone & frost dates
Jackson is in USDA plant hardiness zone 8b, where the average coldest winter night reaches 15 to 20°F (-9.4 to -6.7°C). The typical last spring frost is around Mar 13 and the first fall frost around Nov 12.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Mar 24 | Nov 4 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Mar 13 | Nov 12 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 6 | Nov 19 |
How to read this: after the spring "10% risk" date, a 32°F frost happens in only about 1 year in 10. In fall, the "10% risk" date is the early end — a frost before it happens about 1 year in 10.
Frost data comes from NOAA station JACKSON HAWKINS FLD, MS (USW00013927), 1.6 mi (2.5 km) from the city center and 23 ft lower than the city center (-7 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 17 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Jackson
All 15 ZIP codes covering Jackson are in zone 8b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Jackson
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Mar 13, first frost Nov 12). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Jan 16 – Jan 30 | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 2 – Jan 16 | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Feb 27 – Mar 20 | Feb 13 – Mar 27 | Sep 3 – Oct 1 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Mar 20 – Apr 24 | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Mar 20 – Apr 17 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Feb 13 – Feb 20 | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Cucumber | Feb 13 – Feb 20 | Mar 27 – Apr 3 | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Carrot | — | — | Feb 20 – Mar 27 | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Onion | Dec 19 – Jan 2 | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Feb 13 – Mar 6 | — | — |
| Basil | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Jan 30 – Feb 27 | Sep 17 – Oct 15 |
| Kale | Jan 16 – Jan 30 | Feb 13 – Mar 6 | Feb 13 – Mar 6 | Sep 3 – Oct 1 |
| Broccoli | Jan 16 – Jan 30 | Feb 27 – Mar 20 | — | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Peas | — | — | Jan 30 – Feb 20 | Sep 3 – Sep 17 |
| Eggplant | Jan 2 – Jan 16 | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Jan 16 – Jan 30 | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | — | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 6 – Mar 27 | Oct 1 – Oct 29 |
| Strawberry | — | Feb 13 – Mar 6 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Feb 20 – Apr 3 | Sep 3 – Sep 17 |
Nearby cities in Mississippi
- Gulfport — zone 9a, last frost Mar 5, first frost Nov 25
More: all Mississippi cities · other zone 8b cities: Dallas, TX, Fort Worth, TX, El Paso, TX, Virginia Beach, VA, Arlington, TX, Plano, TX, Irving, TX, Garland, TX
Jackson gardening questions
When is the last frost in Jackson, MS?
Plan around Mar 13. At NOAA's Jackson Hawkins Field, MS station, 1.6 mi from the city center, there is a 30% chance of a 32°F frost after that date. Half of springs have their last frost by Mar 6, and after Mar 24 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Feb 19. The 90% and 10% dates are 37 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Jackson, MS?
Start seeds indoors Jan 16 – Jan 30 and set transplants outside Mar 20 – Apr 3, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 244 days between the 30% frost dates, enough for most varieties including 80–85-day slicers. More: tomato planting dates by zone.
How long is the growing season in Jackson?
About 258 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 236 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 289 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Nov 4 and a 30% chance by Nov 12.
When should I plant a fall garden in Jackson?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 12): transplant broccoli Aug 20 – Sep 3; sow kale Sep 3 – Oct 1; sow lettuce Sep 3 – Oct 1; sow radishes Oct 1 – Oct 29. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Dec 4. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Jackson's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Jackson was zone 8a on the 2012 map and is zone 8b on the 2023 map — half a zone warmer, like about 56% of U.S. ZIP codes. The shift comes from a newer 1991–2020 averaging period plus more weather stations and better mapping; it does not mean last frost comes earlier. Why the 2023 map is warmer.