What Grows in Webster County, Mississippi

USDA Zones 8a · 270K acres

Webster County, in Mississippi, sits in USDA hardiness zone 8a — room for a real mix of vegetables, fruit, and perennials matched to the local frost calendar.

Crops well matched to these conditions include pecan, okra, muscadine grape, and magnolia — though what thrives on any one site still turns on its specific soil, sun, and drainage.

Grounded in USDA PHZM 2023 · Growable Ground suitability scoring

Score your parcel · free

Webster County holds more than one microclimate.

Soils and elevations shift across Webster County, so your frost dates and drainage aren't the county average. Enter your address and we'll score 1,112 plants against your land's actual soil, sun, and frost.

We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.

No card required · your full report in seconds

Quick Facts

USDA Zones

8a

Last Frost (state avg.)

Feb 28 - Mar 30

First Frost (state avg.)

Oct 25 - Nov 20

County Area

270K acres

Hardiness Zone Range

8a8a
3a (Cold)13b (Hot)

Growing Season

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Last frost: Feb 28 - Mar 30First frost: Oct 25 - Nov 20

Zone maps are averages across Webster County. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.

Soil in Webster County

Across Webster County, the ground is predominantly Alfisols, where Providence, Sweatman, and Oaklimeter are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a silt loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 5.0–5.3, strongly acidic. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group C soils.

Soil order

Alfisols

Drainage

Well drained

Prime farmland

11%

Hydric soils

4%

Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.

Growing Challenges in Mississippi

What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.

Extreme summer heat and humidity

Run the garden on the generous spring and fall windows — and let summer belong to okra, peas, and sweet potatoes.

Heavy alluvial clay in the Delta region

Delta clay is rich but slow to drain — raised rows get roots above the wet while keeping that fertility in reach.

Frequent severe storms and flooding

Site beds on the high ground, mound the rows, and keep water moving — drainage planning is storm insurance.

For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Mississippi, the Mississippi State University Extension Service is the authoritative local source.

Safe to Grow Here?

What the federal record shows across Webster County — and how to grow with it.

Federal record: Elevated

We checked the federal record across Webster County104 documented sites across 6 of the 9 source types we track.

The most significant on record: 1 Superfund site. Sites tracked in EPA's Superfund program — from assessment-stage CERCLIS entries to confirmed National Priorities List cleanup sites.

There's a meaningful federal record across Webster County — worth a look before you plant food, not a reason to hold back from growing. Proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis of any one yard. A soil test before new food beds is the sensible precaution here, and the map shows exactly which sites sit where, so you can see what's actually near you.

Sources: EPA, USGS1.8M documented sites tracked nationwide across 9 federal source types.

Environmental Intelligence

Understanding what's nearby helps you make informed decisions about where and how to grow.

Total Sites

104

across Webster County

Risk Level

Elevated

Highest-severity

1 Superfund site

Severity Distribution

across Webster County

High2Moderate58Low44

Highest-Severity Sites

Allied Electroplating
Superfund · Superfund (Non-NPL)
City of Eupora
PFAS Sampling · PFAS Detected
155a0010 Webster
Nitrate Monitoring · Well
155a0010 Webster
Nitrate Monitoring · Well
155b0001 Webster
Nitrate Monitoring · Well

A note from Gnorman

What an experienced grower watches for around here

In and around Webster County, Nitrate runs higher than the national average — 40 sites nearby. It's not cause for alarm — it's worth knowing, and there's a sensible way to grow around it.

Nitrate: Nitrate contamination primarily comes from agricultural fertilizer runoff and failing septic systems.

Test well water for nitrate if you rely on a private well for irrigation (EPA standard: 10 mg/L).

Free Report

Check your specific parcel in Webster County

Get exact proximity distances to contamination sources for your specific parcel — plus soil, sun, drainage, and 1,112 plant recommendations.

Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:

Your soil pHYour frost-free daysYour sun & shade

We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.

25+ data sources analyzed in seconds

Your Specific Parcel Matters

Webster County Average

  • USDA Zones 8a
  • Generic soil type for the area
  • State-average frost dates

YOUR Parcel

  • Your exact hardiness zone
  • Your SSURGO soil type & pH
  • Your sun exposure, cast in 3D

See MY Growing Report

Free Report

Read your parcel in Webster County

Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Webster County, Mississippi — soil, sun, drainage, frost risk, and scored plant recommendations.

Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:

Your soil pHYour frost-free daysYour sun & shade

We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.

25+ data sources analyzed in seconds

Key Growing Facts for Webster County, Mississippi

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 8a (USDA PHZM 2023)
  • Last Spring Frost (state avg.): Feb 28 - Mar 30 (NOAA 30-Year Climate Normals)
  • First Fall Frost (state avg.): Oct 25 - Nov 20 (NOAA 30-Year Climate Normals)
  • County Land Area: 270K acres (US Census TIGER 2025)

Zone data: USDA ARS Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Climate data: NOAA NCEI. County boundaries: US Census TIGER/Line 2025.

Frost dates here are the Webster County average. Low spots and tree cover move them by days on any one yard — see your exact frost windows.

Frequently Asked Questions

What hardiness zone is Webster County, Mississippi?

Webster County sits in USDA hardiness zone 8a, per the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Zones reflect average annual extreme minimum temperatures from 1991–2020 weather data.

When does frost risk typically end in Webster County?

Webster County follows Mississippi's statewide frost window: last spring frost around Feb 28 - Mar 30 and first fall frost around Oct 25 - Nov 20, per NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020). Frost dates shift with elevation and local microclimate, so watch your own site's cold pockets.

What vegetables grow in Webster County?

Webster County's zone 8a supports a wide range — strong performers include Pecan, Okra, Muscadine Grape, Magnolia, and Sweet Potato. What actually takes on any one site comes down to its soil, sun, and drainage, and we score each plant against the real conditions at your address.

Which hardiness zone is Webster County, really?

Officially, Webster County sits in USDA zone 8a (USDA PHZM 2023) — but a zone is a 30-year average of winter's coldest night across an area, and it can't see any one yard. A south-facing slope, a tree line, or a low frost pocket can shift a single site by half a zone either way, which is why neighboring gardeners often quote different numbers. We read the conditions at your exact address — soil, sun, slope, and frost — and score 1,112 plants against what's actually there.

Is the soil safe to grow vegetables in Webster County?

The federal record around Webster County is a meaningful one — 104 documented sites — so a soil test before new food beds is a sensible precaution here, not a reason to hold back from growing. Remember that proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis of any one yard; the contamination map shows exactly what sits where.

Just moved to Webster County — what should I know before planting?

Start with three facts. Webster County sits in USDA zone 8a, which sets what survives winter; the statewide frost window runs about Feb 28 - Mar 30 to Oct 25 - Nov 20 (NOAA 30-year climate normals); and 104 documented sites sit on the federal record here, so a soil test before food beds is the smart first step. From there, matching plants to your actual soil and sun is the fun part.

Everything on this page is a Webster County average. Your yard writes its own version — we read soil, sun, drainage, and frost at your exact address. Try it for 14 days — no card required.

Will It Grow Here?

Zone fit is the first question — each answer below reads Mississippi's frost window, season length, and soil profile against the plant's real requirements.