Frost dates · USDA zone 8b
Frost dates for Jackson, MS
Jackson, MS sees its last 32 °F night of spring around March 6 and its first of fall around November 19 — a 258-day freeze-free season in a typical year.
Pick a sauce; the Plan Builder runs this station's dates and hands back the calendar, plant count and gear list.
Freeze odds, by date
| Odds | Last spring freeze after | First fall freeze before |
|---|---|---|
| 9 years in 10 | Feb 15 | Dec 10 |
| Median — 1 year in 2 | Mar 6 | Nov 19 |
| 1 year in 10 | Mar 24 | Nov 4 |
The top row is the risky edge: in 9 years of 10 a spring freeze still comes after it, so tender transplants set out then need cover. The bottom row is the cautious date — only 1 year in 10 freezes after it — and the one to plan uncovered tender transplants against. Freeze-free season: 258 days median, at least 236 in 9 years of 10, at least 289 days in 1 year of 10. NOAA ranks season length year by year, so it is not the gap between two rows above. A hard freeze (28 °F) has a median last date of Feb 19 and first of Dec 4.
Jackson planting calendar, 2027
Every row runs from the median last frost (Mar 6) and median first frost (Nov 19) above, using each cultivar's days to maturity. Same engine as the Plan Builder.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant | First harvest | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardneck GarlicSiberian (porcelain hardneck) | — | Oct 15prior fall | Jun 12 | 240 from sow |
| Spanish OnionYellow Sweet Spanish (long-day) | Dec 12 | Feb 6 | May 27 | 110 from transplant |
| Mustard greensGarnet Giant (Brassica juncea) | Direct sow | Mar 6 | Apr 5 | 30 from sow |
| CilantroSlow Bolt (Coriandrum sativum) | Feb 20 | Feb 20 | Apr 6 | 45 from sow |
| Genovese BasilGenovese | Feb 6 | Mar 20 | May 19 | 60 from transplant |
| CayenneLong Slim Cayenne (Capsicum annuum) | Jan 9 | Mar 13 | May 27 | 75 from transplant |
| HabaneroOrange Habanero (Capsicum chinense) | Dec 26 | Mar 20 | Jun 23 | 95 from transplant |
| JalapeñoEarly Jalapeño (Capsicum annuum) | Jan 9 | Mar 13 | May 27 | 75 from transplant |
| Marconi Red PepperMarconi Red (Capsicum annuum) | Jan 9 | Mar 13 | Jun 1 | 80 from transplant |
| SerranoSerrano Tampiqueño (Capsicum annuum) | Jan 9 | Mar 13 | Jun 1 | 80 from transplant |
| Nantes CarrotScarlet Nantes | Feb 20 | Feb 20 | May 1 | 70 from sow |
| TomatilloToma Verde | Jan 23 | Mar 13 | May 22 | 70 from transplant |
| Roma TomatoRoma VF (determinate paste) | Jan 23 | Mar 13 | May 27 | 75 from transplant |
| San Marzano TomatoSan Marzano (indeterminate paste) | Jan 23 | Mar 13 | Jun 1 | 80 from transplant |
Tight means first harvest lands within two weeks of the median first fall frost: start that crop indoors on time or cover it in fall.
What sauce can Jackson grow?
Each sauce, scheduled for a Jackson container garden: when the first seeds go in and when enough fruit has ripened for one batch.
Jackson frost questions
When is the last frost in Jackson, MS?
The median last 32 °F freeze at JACKSON HAWKINS FLD, MS is March 6: half of years see a later one. One year in ten, a freeze still comes after March 24; nine years in ten, it comes after February 15. Source: NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals.
When is the first frost in Jackson, MS?
The median first 32 °F freeze of fall is November 19. One year in ten it arrives before November 4; nine years in ten, before December 10.
How long is the growing season in Jackson, MS?
258 days between the last spring and first fall 32 °F freeze in a median year. Nine years in ten the season runs at least 236 days; one year in ten, at least 289 days.
What growing zone is Jackson, MS?
USDA hardiness zone 8b, per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map for ZIP 39203. A zone describes the coldest winter night, not when frost ends, so it is the wrong number for a planting calendar — the frost dates on this page are the right one.
When should I plant tomatoes in Jackson, MS?
Start Roma VF (determinate paste) seeds indoors around Jan 23 and transplant around Mar 13, 1 week after the median last frost. To cut the freeze risk to one year in ten, wait for Mar 24. First ripe fruit lands around May 27.
When should I plant peppers in Jackson, MS?
Sow jalapeño indoors on a heat mat around Jan 9; transplant no earlier than Mar 13, and wait past it until nights hold above 50 °F — that can run weeks later. First green pods around May 27.
Nearby in Mississippi
- Hattiesburglast frost Mar 7
- Gulfportlast frost Feb 12
- Biloxilast frost Feb 12
- Southavenlast frost Mar 16
- Olive Branchlast frost Mar 26
All Mississippi frost dates → · How frost-date math drives a sowing calendar →