When to plant in Ocean Springs, MS
USDA Zone 9aOcean Springs, Mississippi frost dates, USDA zone, and a full-year planting calendar, drawn from the nearest NOAA station and tuned to the local season.
With about 305 frost-free days, Ocean Springs supports back-to-back plantings; stagger sowings every few weeks to keep beds productive spring through fall. These dates come from a station roughly 20 km away, the closest with full normals; terrain around Ocean Springs (elevation, water, pavement) can move your real frost dates a few days either way. Zone 9a is warm enough that Ocean Springs can grow subtropical perennials, and the short (or absent) frost period barely limits the annual calendar.
The average last spring frost in Ocean Springs is now 7 days earlier than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →
Frost probability
BILOXI · 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 Ocean Springs’s own odds, recorded at BILOXI.
| Threshold | SPRING 10% | SPRING 50% | SPRING 90% | FALL 10% | FALL 50% | FALL 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Mar 20 | Mar 1 | Feb 6 | Nov 6 | Nov 26 | Dec 23 |
| 32°F | Mar 11 | Feb 12 | Jan 18 | Nov 16 | Dec 14 | Jan 11 |
| 28°F | Feb 28 | Jan 27 | Jan 2 | Dec 2 | Jan 2 | Jan 27 |
Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.
What to plant now
TODAY · JULY 19Nothing new to sow or transplant outdoors in the next few weeks — a seasonal lull. Check the full-year calendar below for the next window.
Full-year planting calendar
Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Ocean Springs, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.
Nearby weather stations
3 within 28 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.
Ocean Springs planting FAQ
When is the last spring frost in Ocean Springs, MS?
Plan for the last spring frost in Ocean Springs around February 12 (the date it has a 50% chance of a 32°F freeze). Anything frost-sensitive should go out after it.
When is the first fall frost in Ocean Springs, MS?
In Ocean Springs, the first 32°F freeze of fall lands around December 14 on average. Time your last harvests and any season-extension cover before it.
What hardiness zone is Ocean Springs in?
Ocean Springs is in USDA hardiness zone 9a. In zone 9a, winters are mild — many tender perennials overwinter here.
How long is the growing season in Ocean Springs?
There are roughly 305 frost-free days in Ocean Springs (a long growing season), running from the average last frost around February 12 to the first fall frost near December 14.
When should I plant tomatoes in Ocean Springs?
In Ocean Springs, start tomato seeds indoors around December 18–January 1, then transplant seedlings outdoors around February 19 once the danger of frost has passed.
Never miss a window in Ocean Springs
An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Ocean Springs’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.
Nearby cities
8 within reach- D'Iberville · 11 km
- Gautier · 12 km
- Biloxi · 14 km
- Pascagoula · 23 km
- Moss Point · 25 km
- Gulfport · 27 km
- Long Beach · 36 km
- Bay St. Louis · 55 km
Frost dates recorded at BILOXI, 20 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 Ocean Springs, MS — Frost Dates & Zone 9a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00220792. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/mississippi/ocean-springs.