Growing Sweet Corn in Mississippi: Will It Ripen?
Yes, sweet corn can ripen fully in Mississippi. The state’s frost-free stretch runs long, roughly from the second week of March to the second week of…
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.
Growing Asparagus in Mississippi: Fifteen Years in One Spot
An asparagus bed in Mississippi can produce for 10 to 15 years, which means the spot you pick today is a decision you’ll live with for a decade and a half.
When to Sow Pumpkins in Mississippi
Mississippi gardeners should sow pumpkin seeds directly in the garden once soil temperatures hold at 65 F, which typically falls several weeks after the…
Will Pumpkins Ripen Before Frost in Mississippi?
Yes, most years, but only if flowers open by early October at the latest. Mississippi’s first fall frost lands anywhere from November 7 to November 22…
When to Sow Parsnips in Mississippi
Sow parsnips in Mississippi between mid-July and early August, timed so the roots mature during the cooler months rather than in summer heat.
Will Parsnips Sweeten in Mississippi?
Mississippi’s parsnip answer starts with one number: 36.6°F, the average nightly low of the coldest month at the Jackson reference station.
Growing Spinach in Mississippi: When Will It Bolt?
In Jackson, the sun stays up 14 hours and 7 minutes on the longest day of the year. Spinach doesn’t wait for the calendar to say “summer” to react to that.
Growing Pumpkins in Mississippi: Will They Ripen in Time?
If a pumpkin flower opens after early October in most of Mississippi, the fruit behind it is running out of daylight before frost arrives.
Will Carrots Fork in Mississippi Soil?
The Natchez series, Mississippi’s official state soil, is a well-drained silt loam with very little clay and almost no sand.
When to Sow Beets in Mississippi
Sow beet seed directly in the ground two to three weeks before Mississippi’s last spring frost, which the reference weather station places between March…