Gulfport, MS Frost Dates
Average frost dates, USDA hardiness zone, and growing season length for Gulfport, Mississippi.
Gardening in Gulfport
Mississippi's Gulf Coast grows food in near-tropical conditions. The beach community's resort character doesn't diminish a food garden heritage rooted in coastal Mississippi culture.
Zone 8b with 265 frost-free days. Gulf moderation keeps temperatures mild year-round. Sandy coastal soil drains fast and needs amendment. Hurricane season requires respect and planning.
Gulfport's recovery from Katrina included garden rebuilding as community restoration. The Gulf Coast's seafood heritage complements a food garden culture that grows the vegetables to accompany the catch.
What This Means for Gulfport Gardeners
The average last spring frost in Gulfport is around February 28, and the average first fall frost arrives around November 20. That gives you approximately 265 frost-free days to work with.
265 days is a long, productive season that supports two full rounds of warm-season crops plus continuous cool-season production through your mild winter. Most frost-sensitive crops can be transplanted by February 28, giving them months to produce before fall. Your winter garden is the real advantage — growing fresh vegetables in December and January while northern gardeners browse seed catalogs.
These dates are based on NOAA 30-year Climate Normal data for the Gulfport area. Your actual frost dates could shift 2-3 weeks in either direction in any given year. Learn more about our data sources.
What to Grow in Gulfport
Gulfport's 265-day growing season is generous — long enough for two full growing windows (spring and fall) with warm-season crops between them. You can grow the full range of vegetables, herbs, and flowers with proper timing. Focus on heat-tolerant varieties for midsummer and cool-season crops for extended fall harvests. Recommended starting points: tomatoes, peppers, beans, cucumbers, squash, garlic, kale, and sunflowers.
See the full Mississippi planting guide for all 40 plants: Mississippi Planting Calendar. Or enter your zip code for exact planting dates personalized to Gulfport.
More About Zone 8B
Gulfport is in USDA Hardiness Zone 8B, which means average annual extreme minimum temperatures between 15°F to 20°F. View the full Zone 8B planting guide.
See the complete planting calendar for Mississippi: Mississippi Planting Calendar.
Other Cities in Mississippi
Frequently Asked Questions
These dates are based on NOAA's 30-year Climate Normal data for the Gulfport area. They represent historical averages, not predictions. In any given year, the actual last frost could be 2-3 weeks earlier or later. Microclimates within Gulfport (urban heat islands, hilltops, low-lying valleys) can also shift your local frost dates by a week or more.
Cool-season crops go in 3-4 weeks before your last frost (February 28). Warm-season crops wait until 2 weeks after. You have time for a fall round too — plant cool-season crops again in late summer for harvest into autumn. Enter your zip code for exact dates.