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When to plant in Picayune, MS

USDA Zone 9a

Here are the average frost dates, USDA hardiness zone, and a month-by-month planting calendar for Picayune, Mississippi — all computed from Picayune's nearest NOAA weather station.

Picayune enjoys a long ~254-day frost-free season — you can succession-sow, fit in a second crop, and grow long-season heat-lovers with room to spare. Zone 9a is warm enough that Picayune can grow subtropical perennials, and the short (or absent) frost period barely limits the annual calendar.

Station · PICAYUNE · 3.3 km
Last spring frost
March 9
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
November 18
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
254 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for PicayuneA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Picayune: last spring frost around March 9, first fall frost around November 18, about 254 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

The average last spring frost in Picayune is now 5 days earlier than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →

Frost probability

PICAYUNE · 1991–2020

The 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 Picayune’s own odds, recorded at PICAYUNE.

Frost-probability curves for PicayuneProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around March 9 and the first fall frost around November 18, giving about 254 frost-free days.
Last spring frostFirst fall frostbold = 32°F · thin = 28°F / 36°F · dot = 50% date · band = 10–90% window
ThresholdSPRING 10%SPRING 50%SPRING 90%FALL 10%FALL 50%FALL 90%
36°FApr 16Mar 26Mar 3Oct 24Nov 7Nov 27
32°FMar 31Mar 9Feb 17Nov 3Nov 18Dec 11
28°FMar 16Feb 24Jan 27Nov 11Dec 3Jan 7

Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.

What to plant now

TODAY · JULY 19
Fall sowin 10 days
Brussels Sprouts
July 29August 12
Fall sowin 24 days
Rutabaga
August 12August 26

Add these crops to your calendar (.ics) ↓

Full-year planting calendar

Start indoorsTransplantDirect sowFall sow

Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Picayune, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 25 km · complete 32°F normals

When 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.

PICAYUNE
Primary
3 km · 20 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 9
FALL
Nov 18
BAY ST LOUIS NASA
19 km · 9 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 6
FALL
Nov 19
SLIDELL AP
25 km · 8 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 3
FALL
Nov 21

Picayune planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Picayune, MS?

On average, the last spring frost in Picayune is around March 9 (50% probability at 32°F, from 1991–2020 NOAA normals). Wait until after this date to set out tender plants like tomatoes and peppers.

When is the first fall frost in Picayune, MS?

The first fall frost in Picayune typically arrives around November 18 (50% probability at 32°F). Harvest or protect frost-sensitive crops before then.

What hardiness zone is Picayune in?

Picayune is in USDA hardiness zone 9a. In zone 9a, winters are mild — many tender perennials overwinter here.

How long is the growing season in Picayune?

There are roughly 254 frost-free days in Picayune (a long growing season), running from the average last frost around March 9 to the first fall frost near November 18.

When should I plant tomatoes in Picayune?

In Picayune, start tomato seeds indoors around January 12–January 26, then transplant seedlings outdoors around March 16 once the danger of frost has passed.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Picayune

An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Picayune’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at PICAYUNE, 3 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.

Cite this page
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in Picayune, MS — Frost Dates & Zone 9a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00226921. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/mississippi/picayune.
When to Plant in Picayune, MS — Frost Dates & Zone 9a — BlissGarden