When to plant in Columbus, MS
USDA Zone 8bColumbus, Mississippi frost dates, USDA zone, and a full-year planting calendar, drawn from the nearest NOAA station and tuned to the local season.
Columbus enjoys a long ~244-day frost-free season — you can succession-sow, fit in a second crop, and grow long-season heat-lovers with room to spare. Zone 8b means many perennials and even some tender shrubs overwinter in Columbus, while your frost dates still decide when annuals go out.
The average last spring frost in Columbus is now 12 days earlier than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →
Frost probability
COLUMBUS · 1991–2020The date the last spring and first fall frost occur, by threshold and probability. A 90% date is later in spring — and earlier in fall — than a 10% date; the 50% · 32°F row is what most gardeners plan around. These are Columbus’s own odds, recorded at COLUMBUS.
| Threshold | SPRING 10% | SPRING 50% | SPRING 90% | FALL 10% | FALL 50% | FALL 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Apr 16 | Mar 30 | Mar 9 | Oct 19 | Nov 2 | Nov 17 |
| 32°F | Apr 2 | Mar 13 | Feb 19 | Oct 30 | Nov 12 | Dec 1 |
| 28°F | Mar 17 | Feb 26 | Jan 30 | Nov 7 | Nov 27 | Dec 23 |
Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.
What to plant now
TODAY · JULY 19Full-year planting calendar
Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Columbus, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.
Nearby weather stations
3 within 36 km · complete 32°F normalsWhen stations disagree by more than a few days, that spread is real microclimate variation — elevation, water, urban heat. Judge which station best matches your own yard.
Columbus planting FAQ
When is the last spring frost in Columbus, MS?
Columbus's average last spring frost falls near March 13 — the 50% mark at 32°F in the 1991–2020 normals. Hold tender transplants until the risk has passed, then plant out.
When is the first fall frost in Columbus, MS?
Expect Columbus's first fall frost near November 12 — a 50% chance of 32°F by that date. Bring in or cover tender crops ahead of it.
What hardiness zone is Columbus in?
Columbus is in USDA hardiness zone 8b. In zone 8b, winters are mild — many tender perennials overwinter here.
How long is the growing season in Columbus?
There are roughly 244 frost-free days in Columbus (a long growing season), running from the average last frost around March 13 to the first fall frost near November 12.
When should I plant tomatoes in Columbus?
In Columbus, start tomato seeds indoors around January 16–January 30, then transplant seedlings outdoors around March 20 once the danger of frost has passed.
Never miss a window in Columbus
An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Columbus’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.
Nearby cities
8 within reach- Starkville · 39 km
- Northport · 80 km
- Tuscaloosa · 87 km
- Tupelo · 90 km
- Jasper · 112 km
- Russellville · 127 km
- Meridian · 128 km
- Hueytown · 129 km
Frost dates recorded at COLUMBUS, 5 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in Columbus, MS — Frost Dates & Zone 8b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00221880. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/mississippi/columbus.