When to plant in North Tunica, MS
Planting dates worked out from North Tunica's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Last spring frost
- Early · riskyMar 59 years in 10 still get a later frost
- TypicalMar 22about half of years get a later frost
- Safe to plant outApr 71 year in 10 gets a later frost
Hardy crops like peas and spinach are timed from the typical date. Wait for the safe date before planting out tomatoes, peppers and squash.
First fall frost
- EarlyNov 11 year in 10 has frost by then
- TypicalNov 16about half of years have had frost
- LateNov 309 years in 10 have had frost by then
A typical year has 236 frost-free days. Plan for tender crops to be ripe by the early date.
Station used: Tunica 2 N · 3.2 km away · station 63 m, town 59 m. How we match towns to stations
Plan your garden.
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant out or sow | Harvest from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 10 – Feb 24 | Apr 7 – Apr 21 | Jun 1 |
| Sweet pepper | Jan 27 – Feb 10 | Apr 7 – Apr 21 | Jun 6 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Jan 18 – Jan 25 | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | Apr 3 |
| Peas | — | Feb 8 – Mar 8 | Apr 4 |
| Bush beans | — | Mar 31 – Apr 21 | May 20 |
| Carrot | — | Mar 1 – Apr 12 | Apr 30 |
| Beet | — | Feb 22 – Apr 5 | Apr 13 |
| Potato | — | Mar 1 – Mar 22 | May 10 |
| Kale | Jan 11 – Jan 25 | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | Apr 6 |
| Broccoli | Jan 11 – Jan 25 | Feb 22 – Mar 15 | Apr 23 |
| Cucumber | Mar 10 – Mar 17 | Apr 7 – Apr 21 | May 27 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Mar 10 – Mar 17 | Apr 7 – Apr 21 | May 22 |
| Winter squash | Mar 10 – Mar 17 | Apr 7 – Apr 21 | Jun 26 |
| Sweet corn | — | Mar 31 – Apr 21 | May 30 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Feb 22 – Mar 15 | May 23 |
| Garlic | — | Nov 2 – Nov 30 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Feb 8 – Mar 8 | Mar 18 |
| Basil | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Apr 7 – Apr 21 | Jun 3 |
North Tunica's weather over time
How the growing season has shifted here, year by year, from the station's own records.
See the data as a table
| Year | Last spring frost |
|---|---|
| 1959 | Mar 24 |
| 1960 | Mar 27 |
| 1961 | Mar 10 |
| 1962 | Apr 17 |
| 1963 | Mar 22 |
| 1965 | Mar 27 |
| 1966 | Mar 25 |
| 1967 | Mar 19 |
| 1968 | Mar 25 |
| 1969 | Mar 15 |
| 1970 | Mar 27 |
| 1971 | Apr 7 |
| 1972 | Mar 26 |
| 1973 | Feb 28 |
| 1974 | Mar 25 |
| 1975 | Mar 15 |
| 1976 | Mar 17 |
| 1977 | Feb 28 |
| 1978 | Mar 18 |
| 1979 | Mar 26 |
| 1980 | Mar 18 |
| 1981 | Mar 9 |
| 1982 | Mar 8 |
| 1983 | Mar 29 |
| 1984 | Mar 11 |
| 1985 | Feb 28 |
| 1986 | Mar 22 |
| 1987 | Apr 4 |
| 1988 | Mar 16 |
| 1989 | Apr 11 |
| 1990 | Apr 7 |
| 1991 | Mar 30 |
| 1992 | Apr 3 |
| 1993 | Apr 3 |
| 1994 | Apr 7 |
| 1995 | Apr 1 |
| 1996 | Apr 10 |
| 1998 | Mar 13 |
| 1999 | Mar 15 |
| 2000 | Mar 12 |
| 2001 | Mar 25 |
| 2005 | Mar 11 |
| 2006 | Mar 26 |
| 2007 | Apr 8 |
| 2008 | Mar 24 |
| 2009 | Mar 4 |
| 2010 | Mar 5 |
| 2012 | Feb 20 |
| 2013 | Mar 27 |
| 2014 | Mar 26 |
| 2015 | Mar 7 |
| 2016 | Mar 22 |
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1959 | 226 |
| 1960 | 207 |
| 1961 | 230 |
| 1962 | 197 |
| 1963 | 221 |
| 1965 | 211 |
| 1966 | 215 |
| 1967 | 222 |
| 1968 | 229 |
| 1969 | 234 |
| 1970 | 233 |
| 1971 | 213 |
| 1972 | 207 |
| 1973 | 254 |
| 1974 | 234 |
| 1975 | 243 |
| 1976 | 232 |
| 1977 | 256 |
| 1978 | 235 |
| 1979 | 225 |
| 1980 | 226 |
| 1981 | 228 |
| 1982 | 241 |
| 1984 | 245 |
| 1985 | 276 |
| 1986 | 235 |
| 1987 | 200 |
| 1988 | 260 |
| 1989 | 206 |
| 1990 | 212 |
| 1991 | 216 |
| 1992 | 217 |
| 1993 | 210 |
| 1994 | 202 |
| 1995 | 206 |
| 1996 | 206 |
| 1998 | 270 |
| 1999 | 259 |
| 2000 | 247 |
| 2001 | 240 |
| 2005 | 250 |
| 2006 | 221 |
| 2007 | 221 |
| 2008 | 236 |
| 2009 | 267 |
| 2010 | 265 |
| 2012 | 276 |
| 2013 | 230 |
| 2014 | 220 |
| 2015 | 259 |
| 2016 | 242 |
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1959 | 23.4 °C |
| 1960 | 23.1 °C |
| 1961 | 21.9 °C |
| 1962 | 22.8 °C |
| 1963 | 23.4 °C |
| 1964 | 23.3 °C |
| 1965 | 23.8 °C |
| 1966 | 22.4 °C |
| 1967 | 22.4 °C |
| 1968 | 22.8 °C |
| 1969 | 23.5 °C |
| 1970 | 23.6 °C |
| 1971 | 22.9 °C |
| 1972 | 23.5 °C |
| 1973 | 23.3 °C |
| 1974 | 22.7 °C |
| 1975 | 23.2 °C |
| 1976 | 22.5 °C |
| 1977 | 24.8 °C |
| 1978 | 23.9 °C |
| 1979 | 22.5 °C |
| 1980 | 24.2 °C |
| 1981 | 23.7 °C |
| 1982 | 22.8 °C |
| 1984 | 22.8 °C |
| 1985 | 23.8 °C |
| 1986 | 24.7 °C |
| 1987 | 24.2 °C |
| 1988 | 24.0 °C |
| 1989 | 22.9 °C |
| 1990 | 23.1 °C |
| 1991 | 24.2 °C |
| 1992 | 22.2 °C |
| 1993 | 22.8 °C |
| 1994 | 22.8 °C |
| 1995 | 23.0 °C |
| 1996 | 22.7 °C |
| 1998 | 25.8 °C |
| 1999 | 24.8 °C |
| 2000 | 24.7 °C |
| 2001 | 24.9 °C |
| 2003 | 23.6 °C |
| 2005 | 24.5 °C |
| 2006 | 24.6 °C |
| 2007 | 24.5 °C |
| 2008 | 23.7 °C |
| 2009 | 23.5 °C |
| 2010 | 25.8 °C |
| 2012 | 24.9 °C |
| 2013 | 23.5 °C |
| 2014 | 23.3 °C |
| 2015 | 24.4 °C |
| 2016 | 24.1 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1959, North Tunica's last spring frost has come about 1 day earlier per decade, on average. The frost-free season has grown by about 4 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Tunica 2 N (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.