Bield:Farm
State × crop calendar

Buckwheat planting in Mississippi.

Secondary cropZone 8a225-day seasonLast frost March 25Cover CropFrost Sensitive

Buckwheat planting in Mississippi is shaped by the state's 8a dominant hardiness zone, last frost date around March 25, and a 225-day growing season. Buckwheat is grown in Mississippi but is not a dominant crop — works for home gardens, food plots, and some commercial production.

Planting dates on this page are climatological estimates from USDA frost-date norms and zone-typical planting offsets. Verify against Mississippi State University Extension Service for variety- and county-specific guidance.

Planting calendar — 2026

Buckwheat · Mississippi · planting calendar
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeclast frostfirst frostSPRING PLANTING
Ideal windowEarliest / latest tailsFrost zone

Planting windows shift earlier in southern parts of the state and later in northern parts. Use last frost date in your specific county as the reference.

Planting windows

Spring planting

Buckwheat
Earliest
April 29
Ideal start
May 20
Ideal end
June 17
Latest
July 8
Soil-temp triggerWait for 50°F minimum soil temp. Plant summer for 70-90 day cover crop or food plot rotation.

Harvest window

Typical start
July 29
Typical end
August 18

Harvest timing varies with planting date and seasonal weather — these dates are typical for the ideal planting window.

Growing notes

Buckwheat can be successfully grown in Mississippi with attention to variety selection. The state's 225-day growing season requires choosing varieties appropriate for the growing window.

Buckwheat is grown in Mississippi but is not a dominant crop — works for home gardens, food plots, and some commercial production.

Agronomy reference

Soil-temp minimum
50°F
Soil-temp optimum
60–80°F
Days to maturity
70–90
Water (in/wk)
0.5–1"
Soil pH
5.5–7
Nitrogen demand
low

Short-season warm-weather cover crop — frost-sensitive, but matures fast enough to fit summer planting windows after winter wheat harvest.

Common pests to watch

  • Aphids
  • Japanese beetle (on flowers)

Pest pressure varies by region and year. Confirm current outbreaks with Mississippi State University Extension Service.

Common diseases

  • Powdery mildew
  • Leaf spot

Resistance varieties shift each year. Check the current variety trial report for your state.

Variety selection

Variety selection

Buckwheat varieties for Mississippi live with your extension service.

Variety performance is micro-regional and changes with each year’s trial cycle. We don’t republish variety lists — instead, we point directly at the source.

Search the extension site for “buckwheatvariety trial” or “recommended buckwheat varieties” to find the current report.

Yield varies significantly by variety, soil, fertility, and management. Consult your state extension service for variety performance trials in your region.

Beyond the harvest

Hunting use · food plot

Buckwheat as a hunting food plot.

Buckwheat is a top dove-hunting cover crop — flowers attract pollinators all summer, then seed-out in late summer brings doves to the field. Time planting 70-80 days before opening day of dove season.

Attractsmourning dovewild turkey
Farm pond · ecosystem

Buckwheat and your farm pond.

Buckwheat flowers attract pollinators which support insect populations that feed bass fingerlings and bluegill in your farm pond.

Buckwheat timing. Live alerts.

Bield: Farm ties weather and soil-temperature stations in your county to crop planting thresholds — get notified the day soil temp clears your target window.