Seed Starting Calendar for Mississippi

Mississippi State University Extension Service plants Mississippi by region and month (see the months below), and transplants are sown 4 to 10 weeks ahead of the month they go out. Counted from the frost instead, Jackson's median last frost of March 6 puts spring 2027 tomato seeds at Jan 16 to Jan 30 and peppers at Jan 9 to Jan 23.

It depends on the station. The earliest median last spring freeze in Mississippi is February 12 at Biloxi; the latest is April 9 at Iuka. A median is a coin flip: at Jackson the last 32°F freeze comes after March 6 in half of years, and has passed by March 24 in 9 of 10 years (NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals).

UNH Extension sets tomatoes out 1 to 2 weeks after the last frost, which at Jackson is Mar 13 to Mar 20 in 2027. Tomatoes are frost tender, so the date to watch is March 24, when 9 of 10 springs at Jackson have had their last 32°F night. Hardening off starts two weeks before setting out (Feb 27 to Mar 13).

Mississippi State University Extension Service publishes planting months by region (Zone 1, Zone 2, Zone 3, Zone 4, Zone 5). For Zone 1, tomatoes go in during March, April, May, June, July and August. Seeds for transplants go in 4 to 10 weeks ahead of those months, depending on the crop.

Mississippi State University Extension Service's Planting Dates (with Planting Zones), Vegetable Gardens puts it this way: "The starting dates are 4 and 6 weeks before the last median frost date for the zone for cool-season vegetables, and 2 and 4 weeks after the last median frost date for warm-season vegetables." The guide is linked below with the date it was read (September 21, 2026).

UNH Extension gives 8 to 10 weeks from seed to transplant for both, and sets peppers out 2 weeks after the last frost and eggplant 2 to 3 weeks after, so the sowing date is 6 to 8 weeks before the median last frost. At Jackson that is Jan 9 to Jan 23 for peppers.

About two weeks. University of Missouri Extension: "Hardening should be started about two weeks before planting in the garden." University of Minnesota Extension adds that seedlings should go out on a cloudy day or in the late afternoon.

Biloxi on the Gulf Coast reaches its median last frost around Feb 12, Jackson around Mar 6, and Tupelo in the northeast hills around Mar 21; MSU plants by five zones set on that freeze date. Each station carries its own dates: Biloxi Feb 12 and Tupelo Mar 21 at the median.