Jackson, MS · zone 8b · ~254 frost-free days
When to plant in Jackson: frost dates and zone 8b.
In Jackson, the typical last spring frost lands around Mar 8 and the first fall frost around Nov 17, giving you about 254 frost-free days. Cool-season crops go out before the last frost; warm-season crops wait until after it.
The 2026 windows
Sow dates for Jackson, keyed to your frost.
| Crop | Start indoors | Spring sow / set out | Fall sow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato, slicing | Feb 1 to Apr 3 | Mar 15 to May 15 | — |
| Lettuce, leaf | — | Jan 29 to Mar 15 | Sep 3 to Nov 2 |
| Carrot | — | Jan 29 to Mar 3 | Aug 22 to Sep 17 |
| Bush Bean | — | Mar 8 to Apr 28 | Aug 3 to Sep 5 |
| Cucumber, slicing | — | Mar 15 to Jun 14 | Jul 17 to Aug 17 |
| Pepper, bell | Feb 10 to Apr 3 | Mar 24 to May 15 | — |
| Kale | Dec 18 to Jan 15 | Jan 29 to Feb 26 | Aug 17 to Oct 2 |
| Spinach | — | Jan 15 to Feb 26 | Sep 3 to Oct 22 |
Jackson sits in Zone 8b, but two gardens in the same city can be a week or two apart. The planner works from your ZIP code's frost dates, not the zone, so the dates land right for your block, not the metro average.
Build your Jackson garden plan.
Tell the free planner what you want to eat and who you're feeding. It returns plant counts, spacing, and frost-safe sow dates for ZIP 39201 in about 60 seconds.
Jackson planting questions
What planting zone is Jackson, MS?+
Jackson is in USDA hardiness zone 8b. Growing zone, gardening zone, and planting zone all mean the same thing: the USDA number, 8b here. It tells you what survives winter, not when to plant. Frost dates set your planting time, and the free planner uses your exact ZIP code's frost dates, which can differ by weeks across one metro.
When is the last frost date in Jackson?+
The typical last spring frost in Jackson, MS is around Mar 8. That is an average from local history, not a guarantee, so tender crops like tomatoes and peppers are safer with a week of buffer after it.
When is the first frost date in Jackson?+
The typical first fall frost in Jackson, MS arrives around Nov 17, closing a growing season of roughly 254 frost-free days. Count backward from it to find the last date a fall crop can still finish.
What can I plant now in Jackson?+
It depends on the date. Cool-season crops like lettuce, kale, and spinach go out weeks before the last frost; warm-season crops like tomatoes and peppers wait until after Mar 8. The table above shows each crop's window; the free planner turns your ZIP into an exact, dated calendar.