Frost dates for Charleston, MS
When the last spring frost and first fall frost usually come, and when to plant, from 30 years of NOAA weather records.
Last spring frost
March 17
typical year
Safe to plant
April 5
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 7
typical year
Growing season
233 days
frost-free, typical year
Frost watch this week
Tonight's and the next six nights' lows from the National Weather Service forecast for the station's location. Frost: 32°F or colder. Possible frost: 33–36°F, mostly in low spots on clear, still nights.
When to plant
Counted from this page's frost dates. Warm-season crops wait for the safe-to-plant date.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cool-season crops | |||
| Peas | – | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 3 – 24 | Sep 12 – 26 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 17 – Mar 10 | Sep 12 – 26 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 17 – Mar 31 | Sep 26 – Oct 10 |
| Onions | – | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 24 – Mar 17 | Aug 15 – 29 |
| Beets | – | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
| Kale | Jan 6 – 20 | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
| Broccoli | Jan 6 – 20 | Mar 3 – 17 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
| Cabbage | Dec 23 – Jan 6 | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 26 – Oct 17 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 8 – 22 | Apr 5 – 19 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 1 – 15 | Apr 12 – 26 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 5 – 26 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 5 – May 3 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 5 – 26 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 5 – Aug 29 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 5 – May 3 | – |
| Basil | Mar 1 – 15 | Apr 12 – 19 | – |
Onions: from sets. Green beans: until 10 weeks before the first fall frost. Garlic: harvest next summer.
The year at a glance
Start indoors Plant outside Fall planting
The chance of frost, by date
| 1 year in 10 | Half of years | 9 years in 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring frost after | April 5 | March 17 | February 28 |
| Fall frost before | October 22 | November 7 | November 27 |
Frost here means 32°F or colder. Read across: in 1 year in 10, spring frost carries on past the first date, which is why that date is the safe-to-plant date.
Hard freeze (28°F)
A hard freeze kills most garden plants, even hardy ones. The last one in spring usually comes around March 5 (March 24 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 20.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 7 towns.
Charleston, Marks, Lambert, Crowder, Sledge, Sumner, Falcon
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station LAMBERT 1W, MS US (USC00224869), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 9 zip codes, all within 16 miles:
38622, 38623, 38639, 38643, 38646, 38670, 38957, 38963, 38964
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.