Grow with confidence

Horn Lake Vegetable Planting Calendar

Use Horn Lake climate patterns to see this month’s garden tasks and crop-by-crop planting windows for the northern Mississippi loess plains near Memphis.

Official 2023 USDA Mississippi Plant Hardiness Zone Map
USDA Zones 8aMost Horn Lake neighborhoods fall in USDA Zones 8a
Last spring frostTypical date: April 5
First fall frostTypical date: October 25
Cool season

Plant through winter

Broccoli, lettuce, peas, carrots, radishes and leafy greens perform best from fall through early spring.

Warm season

Use spring warmth

Use Mississippi State University Extension Planting Zone 1 dates. Match planting to the local median freeze window, current soil temperature, rainfall, and neighborhood conditions.

Late summer

Restart the cool garden

Begin fall brassicas indoors and prepare beds for direct-sown roots and greens as temperatures moderate.

Local dates, crop by crop

Horn Lake Planting Dates

Choose a season and search for a crop to see when to start seeds indoors, move plants outside, direct sow and finish planting in the Horn Lake area.

Horn Lake–DeSoto CountyUSDA Zones 8a · typical last frost April 5 · typical first frost October 25

What to plant this month

September in Horn Lake

These crops overlap the current month. Use the detailed date table and current weather before planting.

Fall 2026 planting

Planting Dates for the Fall Garden

Mississippi State University Extension Planting Zone 5 provides the baseline for Horn Lake. Local drainage, urban heat, cold pockets and current weather can shift planting and harvest windows. Always check soil temperature and the 10-day forecast before planting.

Crop Start seeds indoors Transplant or plant outdoors Direct sow outdoors Last recommended planting Shop
BeansGood for direct sowing Not recommended Not recommended Jul 1–1 Jul 1–1 Shop Beans →
BeetsGood for direct sowing Not recommended Not recommended Aug 1–Sep 1 Aug 1–Sep 1 Shop Beets →
BroccoliUsually transplanted or planted May 28–Jul 9 Jul 17–Aug 17 Not recommended Jul 17–Aug 17 Shop Broccoli →
Brussels SproutsUsually transplanted or planted Apr 21–Jun 9 Jun 16–Jul 17 Not recommended Jun 16–Jul 17 Shop Brussels Sprouts →
CabbageUsually transplanted or planted Jun 4–Jul 9 Jul 17–Aug 17 Not recommended Jul 17–Aug 17 Shop Cabbage →
CarrotsGood for direct sowing Not recommended Not recommended Aug 1–Sep 1 Aug 1–Sep 1 Shop Carrots →
CauliflowerUsually transplanted or planted May 28–Jul 9 Jul 17–Aug 17 Not recommended Jul 17–Aug 17 Shop Cauliflower →
Swiss ChardGood for direct sowing Jun 11–Jul 9 Jul 17–Aug 17 Jul 17–Aug 17 Jul 17–Aug 17 Shop Swiss Chard →
CollardsGood for direct sowing Jun 4–Jul 9 Jul 17–Aug 17 Jul 17–Aug 17 Jul 17–Aug 17 Shop Collards →
GarlicUsually transplanted or planted Not recommended Sep 16–Oct 17 Not recommended Sep 16–Oct 17 Shop Garlic →
GreensGood for direct sowing Not recommended Not recommended Aug 1–Sep 16 Aug 1–Sep 16 Shop Greens →
KaleGood for direct sowing Jun 4–Jul 9 Jul 17–Sep 1 Jul 17–Sep 1 Jul 17–Sep 1 Shop Kale →
KohlrabiGood for direct sowing Jun 19–Jul 24 Aug 1–Sep 1 Aug 1–Sep 1 Aug 1–Sep 1 Shop Kohlrabi →
LettuceGood for direct sowing Jun 26–Jul 24 Aug 1–Sep 16 Aug 1–Sep 16 Aug 1–Sep 16 Shop Lettuce →
PeasGood for direct sowing Not recommended Not recommended Jul 17–Aug 17 Jul 17–Aug 17 Shop Peas →
RadishesGood for direct sowing Not recommended Not recommended Aug 1–Sep 16 Aug 1–Sep 16 Shop Radishes →
SpinachGood for direct sowing Not recommended Not recommended Aug 17–Sep 16 Aug 17–Sep 16 Shop Spinach →
TurnipsGood for direct sowing Not recommended Not recommended Aug 1–Sep 16 Aug 1–Sep 16 Shop Turnips →

Use the dates with confidence

How to Read This Calendar

1

Start indoors

Sow in trays under strong light. The window is timed so seedlings reach transplant size without becoming root-bound.

2

Transplant or plant

Harden seedlings off for about a week. Perennial crowns, sets and seed potatoes are included in this column.

3

Direct sow

Plant seed directly into prepared soil. Cool-season crops can begin before frost; heat-loving crops need warm soil.

4

Last planting

This is the practical end of the selected window—not a guarantee. Variety maturity and unusual weather can move it.

Horn Lake soil checkpoints

Let Soil Temperature Be the Final Check

Calendar dates start the conversation. A simple soil thermometer helps confirm that the seedbed is actually ready.

40–50°FPeas, spinach, radishes and other hardy crops
55–60°FBeans, corn and many moderately warm crops
65°F+Cucumbers, squash, melons, okra and other heat lovers
Current Horn Lake soil temperatureLoading…Modeled near 2½ inches deep
Checking current conditions

Use this modeled reading as a local reference, then confirm conditions in your own garden with a soil thermometer.

Weather data by Open-Meteo

Selected for the current planting window

Seeds to Plant Now

Garland Serrate Leaf, Specialty Greens Seed
Plant now · Greens

Garland Serrate Leaf, Specialty Greens Seed

Selected from Urban Farmer’s current greens collection for this city’s planting window.

Shop this seed →
Green Salad Bowl, Lettuce Seed
Plant now · Lettuce

Green Salad Bowl, Lettuce Seed

Selected from Urban Farmer’s current lettuce collection for this city’s planting window.

Shop this seed →
Bloomsdale, Organic Spinach Seed
Plant now · Spinach

Bloomsdale, Organic Spinach Seed

Selected from Urban Farmer’s current spinach collection for this city’s planting window.

Shop this seed →

References: Mississippi State University Extension Vegetable Gardener’s Guide and Planting Zone chart, with locally adjusted frost-date planning estimates; USDA 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map; and Open-Meteo modeled soil-temperature data. the northern Mississippi loess plains near Memphis contains meaningful neighborhood microclimates, so dates and live conditions are planning estimates, not guarantees.