My Planting Calendar

What to plant in September in Mississippi

In Mississippi (MS), September sits about 7 weeks before the average first fall frost (November 5). The state averages 230 frost-free days a year (last frost March 20, first frost November 5; USDA zones 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a).

27 crops have a sowing or planting window this month, including collard greens, endive & escarole, napa cabbage, parsley, pea, swiss chard - and 18 of those windows close during September.

Dates here come from Mississippi frost dates (last frost Mar 20, first frost Nov 5). For one crop in detail, see when to plant pea, swiss chard or beet in Mississippi.

Fall garden seasonSow or plant: 27Start indoors: 0Harvesting: 8

Mississippi: planting activity through the year

29
61
86
58
9
9
14
30
27
3
2
2
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Frost riskFrost-free: Mar 20 – Nov 5
Bars count the vegetables, herbs and fruit with a sowing or planting window in each month, from the state’s average frost dates. 27 have one in September; the busiest month is March (86).

Last chance in September

Collard Greens (sow for a fall crop, by Sep 3) · Endive & Escarole (sow for a fall crop, by Sep 3) · Napa Cabbage (sow for a fall crop, by Sep 3) · Parsley (sow for a fall crop, by Sep 3) · Pea (sow for a fall crop, by Sep 3) · Swiss Chard (sow for a fall crop, by Sep 3) · Beet (sow for a fall crop, by Sep 10) · Cilantro / Coriander (sow for a fall crop, by Sep 10) · Bok Choy / Pak Choi (sow for a fall crop, by Sep 17) · Borage (sow for a fall crop, by Sep 17) · Dill (sow for a fall crop, by Sep 17) · Fava Bean (Broad Bean) (sow for a fall crop, by Sep 17) · Green Onion / Scallion (sow for a fall crop, by Sep 17) · Kohlrabi (sow for a fall crop, by Sep 17) · Lettuce (sow for a fall crop, by Sep 17) · Mache (Corn Salad) (sow for a fall crop, by Sep 17) · Mizuna (sow for a fall crop, by Sep 17) · Rapini (Broccoli Raab) (sow for a fall crop, by Sep 17)

For fall and winter harvests (26)

Sowings counted back from Mississippi's first fall frost, so the crop matures before the cold - or, for garlic and similar, planted after it.

CropWhat to doWindowThis month
Collard GreensSow for a fall cropAug 17 – Sep 3Last chance - ends Sep 3
Endive & EscaroleSow for a fall cropAug 17 – Sep 3Last chance - ends Sep 3
Napa CabbageSow for a fall cropAug 17 – Sep 3Last chance - ends Sep 3
ParsleySow for a fall cropAug 17 – Sep 3Last chance - ends Sep 3
PeaSow for a fall cropAug 17 – Sep 3Last chance - ends Sep 3
Swiss ChardSow for a fall cropAug 17 – Sep 3Last chance - ends Sep 3
BeetSow for a fall cropAug 24 – Sep 10Last chance - ends Sep 10
Cilantro / CorianderSow for a fall cropAug 24 – Sep 10Last chance - ends Sep 10
Bok Choy / Pak ChoiSow for a fall cropAug 31 – Sep 17Last chance - ends Sep 17
BorageSow for a fall cropAug 31 – Sep 17Last chance - ends Sep 17
DillSow for a fall cropAug 31 – Sep 17Last chance - ends Sep 17
Fava Bean (Broad Bean)Sow for a fall cropAug 31 – Sep 17Last chance - ends Sep 17
Green Onion / ScallionSow for a fall cropAug 31 – Sep 17Last chance - ends Sep 17
KohlrabiSow for a fall cropAug 31 – Sep 17Last chance - ends Sep 17
LettuceSow for a fall cropAug 31 – Sep 17Last chance - ends Sep 17
Mache (Corn Salad)Sow for a fall cropAug 31 – Sep 17Last chance - ends Sep 17
MizunaSow for a fall cropAug 31 – Sep 17Last chance - ends Sep 17
Rapini (Broccoli Raab)Sow for a fall cropAug 31 – Sep 17Last chance - ends Sep 17
ChervilSow for a fall cropSep 7 – Sep 24Sep 7 – Sep 24
Mustard GreensSow for a fall cropSep 7 – Sep 24Sep 7 – Sep 24
SpinachSow for a fall cropSep 7 – Sep 24Sep 7 – Sep 24
TatsoiSow for a fall cropSep 7 – Sep 24Sep 7 – Sep 24
TurnipSow for a fall cropSep 7 – Sep 24Sep 7 – Sep 24
ArugulaSow for a fall cropSep 14 – Oct 1Opens Sep 14
WatercressSow for a fall cropSep 14 – Oct 1Opens Sep 14
RadishSow for a fall cropSep 21 – Oct 8Opens Sep 21

Keep sowing (succession)

Repeat sowings of crops already in the ground, for a steady harvest instead of a glut.

  • Basil: sow again on Sep 18

Harvesting in September

First harvests expected this month from crops sown or planted on time earlier in the season.

Zucchini / Summer Squash · Sep 17 – Oct 19Cucumber · Sep 22 – Oct 29Broccoli · Sep 25 – Nov 6Cauliflower · Sep 25 – Nov 11Cabbage · Sep 25 – Nov 21Bush Bean · Sep 29 – Oct 26Kale · Sep 29 – Oct 31Lettuce · Sep 30 – Nov 16

Planting dates for popular crops in Mississippi

Every crop has its own full-year dates for Mississippi: indoor start, transplant or direct sowing, and harvest.

When to plant pea in Mississippi →When to plant swiss chard in Mississippi →When to plant beet in Mississippi →When to plant lettuce in Mississippi →When to plant spinach in Mississippi →When to plant arugula in Mississippi →When to plant radish in Mississippi →When to plant tomato in Mississippi →Mississippi frost dates by zone →

Spring bulbs to plant in September in Mississippi

Tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and crocus are planted in fall, once the soil has cooled and before it freezes. The exact window depends on the state, so our bulb guide quotes what each extension service says.

Bulb planting guide by state, with depth and spacing →When to plant daffodils →When to plant tulips →

Fall garden season: September garden jobs in Mississippi

  1. The average first frost is November 5, about 7 weeks away. Pick tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash, beans) before it, or cover them on cold nights.
  2. Still time to sow or plant: collard greens, endive & escarole, napa cabbage, parsley, pea, swiss chard. Fast greens and radishes are the safest bets this late.
  3. Row cover buys 4-6°F of frost protection and weeks of extra harvest - see season extension.
  4. Pull finished crops and sow a cover crop (cereal rye or crimson clover) into empty beds before the soil gets cold.

USDA zone chart for Mississippi

Mississippi spans USDA zones 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a. Colder zones, usually higher or further inland, have a later last spring frost and an earlier first fall frost than the state average.

ZoneLast frostFirst frostSeason
Zone 7Apr 5Oct 25200 days
Zone 8Mar 20Nov 5230 days
Zone 9Feb 20Nov 30280 days

Questions gardeners ask

What vegetables can I plant in Mississippi in September?

27 crops have a window in September: collard greens, endive & escarole, napa cabbage, parsley, pea, swiss chard, beet, cilantro / coriander, bok choy / pak choi, borage and more. The tables above give the exact dates for each.

Is it too late to plant garlic in Mississippi in September?

Not too late - it's actually a little early. In Mississippi the next garlic window opens around November 16: plant in fall, after first frost.

Is it too late to plant tomatoes in Mississippi in September?

For this year, yes - the tomato windows in Mississippi have closed. The next step is to start seeds indoors from about January 23.

When is the first frost in Mississippi?

The statewide average first fall frost is around November 5 and the last spring frost around March 20. Your town can be a week or two either side - look yours up by ZIP code.

What can I harvest in Mississippi in September?

From plantings made on time: zucchini / summer squash, cucumber, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, bush bean, kale, lettuce.

← August in MississippiOctober in Mississippi →Full-year Mississippi planting calendar →Mississippi frost dates →

What to plant in September in other states

AlabamaArkansasFloridaLouisianaAlaskaArizonaCaliforniaColoradoAll states →

Dates are computed from Mississippi’s statewide average frost dates (from NOAA/NCEI climate normals) and each crop’s timing in our crop database. Your garden may be a week or two either side - for dates tuned to your ZIP code, use the planting calendar.