Data: 2023 USDA zones (PRISM/OSU) · NOAA 1991–2020 normals · updated

Planting zone for Starkville, MS

Starkville, MS is in USDA zone 8a across its 2 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is March 23 and the first fall frost November 8.

Starkville on the zone map

Outlined: its 1 ZIP code areas · tap the map for the zone at any spot · scroll or pinch to zoom

Not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zones come from the 2023 USDA hardiness-zone data by the PRISM Group, Oregon State University; we re-mapped and recolored them. The official map is at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.

Zone8a10 to 15 °F
ZIP codes2
Last frostMar 23
First frostNov 8
Growing season233 days

8a 2 ZIPs

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Starkville, MS…

Forecast data: National Weather Service (api.weather.gov), public domain. This is not a warning service — for official frost and freeze warnings see weather.gov.

Frost dates in Starkville, MS

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMarch 23median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsApril 13only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostNovember 8median — 10% chance by Oct 27
Growing season233 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around March 7 and returns around November 22.

From the NOAA station State Univ, MS, elevation 184 ft. NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, 32 °F threshold. Low spots and valleys can freeze later in spring than the station.

When to plant vegetables in Starkville

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Feb 9 – Feb 23
SpinachSow outdoors · Feb 9 – Mar 2
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Jan 12 – Jan 26
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 2 – Mar 16
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Feb 23 – Mar 9
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 2 – Mar 16
LettuceSow outdoors · Feb 23 – Mar 9
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 2 – Mar 16
TomatoesStart indoors · Jan 26 – Feb 9
TomatoesTransplant · Mar 30 – Apr 13
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Jan 12 – Jan 26
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Apr 6 – Apr 20
BeansSow outdoors · Mar 30 – Apr 13
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Mar 30 – Apr 13
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Mar 30 – Apr 13
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 13 – Sep 27
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 25 – Nov 29
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Mar 23) and first fall frost (Nov 8) with the rules of thumb U.S. extension services publish. Cool-season crops take a light frost; warm-season crops do best once the soil is above about 60 °F.

When spring arrived in 2026

In 2026, spring leaf-out near 39760 came on Feb 12 — 3 days later than the 1991–2020 average (Feb 9).

JanFebMarAprMayJun

The Spring Index marks the day when accumulated warmth is enough for lilac and honeysuckle to leaf out — a widely used signal that the growing season has started. Source: USA National Phenology Network, www.usanpn.org — Spring Indices, first leaf, 2026 (data as of 2026-09-08) and 30-year average 1991–2020 (CC BY 4.0).

Native plants for zone 8a in Mississippi

508 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Mississippi, and rated by the USDA to survive 10 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 8a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 79

American basswood100 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican beech80 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −44 °FAmerican chestnut115 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican elm120 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican sycamore100 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −34 °FAtlantic white cedar50 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −36 °F

Shrubs 110

aloe yucca15 ft · blooms early summer · medium shade tolerance · to −1 °Falternateleaf dogwood25 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −47 °FAmerican beautyberry6 ft · blooms early summer · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °FAmerican hazelnut10 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican holly40 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −20 °FAmerican hornbeam30 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −34 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 160

American bur-reed3 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican eelgrass1 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican lotus3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −36 °FAmerican pokeweed7 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican spongeplant0.5 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −24 °FAmerican water horehound1.8 ft · blooms early summer · low shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Grasses 139

American cupscale3 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −18 °Fautumn bluegrass1.5 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °Fawlfruit sedge4 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fbig bluestem6 ft · blooms summer · high shade tolerance · to −46 °Fbig cordgrass8 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −3 °Fbitter panicgrass5 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −18 °F

Vines 13

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican wisteria50 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −3 °Fcatbird grape30 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −13 °Fcupseed30 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −3 °Fdevil's darning needles15 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Ffrost grape83 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −23 °F

Source: USDA, NRCS. 2026. The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov), National Plant Data Team — state distribution, native status and the “Temperature, Minimum” characteristic. Check light, moisture and soil needs before buying; local nurseries and your state native plant society can confirm what thrives in Starkville, MS.

Soil in Starkville, MS

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 39760 is Kipling — silty clay loam, somewhat poorly drained.

TextureSilty clay loamholds water and nutrients; slow to drain and warm up
pH4.8strongly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageSomewhat poorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter1.25%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupDwater soaks in very slowly
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Kipling and Sumter soils, 17 to 40 percent slopes, severely eroded.

Soil Survey Staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA. Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database, via Soil Data Access, accessed 2026-10-29. The soil at the center point of ZIP 39760; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Starkville, MS

Summer high92 °Faverage high, July
Winter low33 °Faverage low, January
Hot days78days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights58nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days5,710base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 22 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 56 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation58 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall1 inper year

Average high and low, by month

20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 54 °F, low 33 °F 54°33° JanFebruary: average high 59 °F, low 36 °F 59°36° FebMarch: average high 67 °F, low 43 °F 67°43° MarApril: average high 75 °F, low 51 °F 75°51° AprMay: average high 83 °F, low 61 °F 83°61° MayJune: average high 89 °F, low 69 °F 89°69° JunJuly: average high 92 °F, low 72 °F 92°72° JulAugust: average high 92 °F, low 71 °F 92°71° AugSeptember: average high 87 °F, low 64 °F 87°64° SepOctober: average high 77 °F, low 52 °F 77°52° OctNovember: average high 65 °F, low 42 °F 65°42° NovDecember: average high 57 °F, low 36 °F 57°36° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″2″4″6″January: 5.48 in precipitation, 0.3 in snowfall 5.5 JanFebruary: 6.18 in precipitation, 0.2 in snowfall 6.2 FebMarch: 5.37 in precipitation 5.4 MarApril: 6.07 in precipitation 6.1 AprMay: 4.23 in precipitation 4.2 MayJune: 4.59 in precipitation 4.6 JunJuly: 4.51 in precipitation 4.5 JulAugust: 4.21 in precipitation 4.2 AugSeptember: 3.74 in precipitation 3.7 SepOctober: 3.86 in precipitation 3.9 OctNovember: 4.42 in precipitation 4.4 NovDecember: 5.32 in precipitation 5.3 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: State Univ, MS (3 mi away); precipitation: State Univ, MS (3 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in Starkville

397598a
10 to 15 °F
397608a
10 to 15 °F

Mississippi planting zones →

Questions about Starkville

What planting zone is Starkville, MS?

Starkville, MS is in USDA hardiness zone 8a on the 2023 map (8a: 10 to 15 °F).

When is the last frost in Starkville, MS?

The median last spring frost is March 23 and the median first fall frost is November 8 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, State Univ station).

When can I plant a garden in Starkville, MS?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Feb 9 – Mar 2; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about Mar 30, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in Starkville, MS?

Intermediate onions: the longest day is 14 h 22 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.

How much rain and snow does Starkville, MS get?

About 58 inches of precipitation a year and 1 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).