Rice Planting Dates in Mississippi

Usual rice planting and harvest periods in Mississippi, shown as ranges with their source. Use them to frame a plan, then adjust for your own frost dates and soil temperature.

Rice dates in Mississippi
Activity	Window	Source	Last verified
Planting	Apr 6 to May 24 usual (most active Apr 18 to May 16)	source	2026-11-11
Harvest	Aug 29 to Oct 20 usual (most active Sep 5 to Oct 6)	source	2026-11-11

Rice calendar for Mississippi
Item	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Planting				Planting window, most active in April	Planting window, most active in May
Harvest								Harvest window in August	Harvest window, most active in September	Harvest window, most active in October

What these dates mean in Mississippi

Planting usually runs about 49 days, from Apr 6 to May 24.

That start date is close to the middle of the 6 places in this data set that report rice planting dates (Apr 6).

Harvest usually runs about 53 days, from Aug 29 to Oct 20.

From the start of the planting window to the start of the harvest window is about 145 days in Mississippi, a rough guide to how long the crop occupies the bed or field.

Frost-date caveat: these are published ranges for Mississippi. A northern or high-elevation site will run later than a southern or low one, and a cold wet spring can push planting past the window. Frost dates and local conditions vary; NASS state-level usual dates from 20-year progress data (Oct 2010 edition), begin ~5% and end ~95% complete. Check your last spring frost and soil temperature, and confirm with your county extension office.

Related guides

Rice Planting Calendar by Region

Rice dates in other places

Other crops in Mississippi

Last reviewed: November 2026. Source: USDA NASS, Field Crops Usual Planting and Harvesting Dates (October 2010 edition, copy hosted by Cornell University Mann Library). Dates are the usual start and end of the period when about 5% to 95% of the crop is planted or harvested, from long-run state progress data. They are historic averages, not a forecast.