What Eats Onion in Mississippi, and When
Home gardens in Mississippi deal with a short, specific list of onion pests: armyworms, mole crickets, and vegetable weevils, all documented by the…
Gardening in Mississippi
Everything we have worked out for Mississippi: what to plant and when, which varieties finish in time, the pests that actually turn up here, and the jobs that pay off month by month. We also cover the rest of the property, from lawns and soil to home care and energy, because a garden rarely stops at the vegetable bed.
The numbers first, because everything else follows from them. Measured at the weather station in Jackson, the last spring freeze runs March 6 to March 22 and the first fall freeze runs November 7 to November 22, USDA zones 7b-9a, 6,057 growing degree days in the year.
Garlic does well: 13 weeks below 40 °F, comfortably past the six it needs to form a proper head.
Elsewhere on the property in Mississippi: the pests that turn up here.
Figures from NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals. A state is not one climate: elevation, a large lake or the coast can move these dates by two weeks either way, so check your own county with the extension service before you spend money.
What Eats Parsnip in Mississippi, and When
Three pests show up in the documented record for Mississippi parsnip beds: armyworms (both the beet and the yellowstriped kind), vegetable weevils, and…
What Eats Potato in Mississippi, and When
Four insects show up in Mississippi potato patches with enough regularity that Mississippi State University Extension tracks them in its home garden pest…
When to Overseed a Lawn in Mississippi
Mississippi lawns run on warm-season grass, and warm-season grass has one real overseeding window: when the soil warms to 65°F to 70°F and keeps climbing.
First and Last Frost Dates in Mississippi
Mississippi gardens typically clear their last spring frost between March 6 and March 22, and the first fall frost lands somewhere between November 7 and…
When to Pick Tomatoes in Mississippi, and Ripening the Rest
The short answer: pick when fruit shows the first blush of color, not when it’s fully red on the vine.
When to Harvest Garlic in Mississippi, and How to Cure It
Garlic planted in Mississippi the previous fall is ready to lift from late May through June, once the bottom third to half of the leaves have browned off.
When to Pick Apples in Mississippi, and How Long They Keep
Most Mississippi apple growers pick between mid-July and early October, depending on the variety, because the state’s mild winters push growers toward…
Does Insulation Keep a Home in Mississippi Cool?
Yes. In Mississippi, insulation is doing serious work against summer heat, not just holding warmth in during a mild winter.
Does a Wall in Mississippi Need a Vapor Barrier?
No. Under the 2021 International Residential Code, a vapor retarder is not required in Climate Zones 1, 2 and 3, and Mississippi’s 82 counties fall…