When to plant in Florida
Most of Florida sees its last spring frost between Feb 9 and Mar 10, and its first fall frost between Nov 22 and Dec 30. The middle of the state is around February 28 and December 5: that's what the dates below use.
Hardiness zones in Florida: 9a (19%), 9b (23%), 10a (30%), 10b (15%), 11a (11%).
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Harvest | Plant for fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 1 | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | May 31 – Aug 23 | — |
| Pepper | Jan 18 | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | Jun 5 – Aug 28 | — |
| Cucumber | — | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | May 16 – Jul 4 | — |
| Zucchini / Summer squash | — | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | May 11 – Jul 20 | — |
| Winter squash | — | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | Jun 25 – Jul 30 | — |
| Green beans (bush) | — | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | May 16 – Jun 27 | — |
| Peas | — | Jan 17 – Jan 31 | Mar 18 – Apr 22 | Sep 15 – Sep 29 |
| Sweet corn | — | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | Jun 5 – Jul 3 | — |
| Lettuce | — | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Mar 17 – Apr 28 | Oct 7 – Oct 21 |
| Spinach | — | Jan 17 – Jan 31 | Feb 26 – Apr 9 | Oct 26 – Nov 9 |
| Kale | Dec 20 | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Mar 27 – Jun 19 | Oct 25 – Nov 8 |
| Broccoli | Dec 27 | Feb 7 – Feb 21 | Apr 8 – May 13 | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Cabbage | Dec 20 | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Apr 11 – May 16 | Sep 26 – Oct 10 |
| Carrot | — | Feb 7 – Feb 21 | Apr 18 – May 30 | Sep 26 – Oct 10 |
| Beet | — | Feb 7 – Feb 21 | Apr 3 – May 15 | Oct 4 – Oct 18 |
| Radish | — | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | Feb 18 – Mar 18 | Oct 27 – Nov 10 |
| Onion (sets) | — | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | May 4 – Jun 8 | — |
| Garlic | — | Nov 15 – Dec 6 (fall) | May 25 – Jun 15 next year | — |
| Potato | — | Feb 7 – Feb 21 | May 8 – Jun 12 | — |
| Sweet potato | Feb 8 | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | Jun 30 – Jul 28 | — |
| Watermelon | — | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | Jun 15 – Jul 20 | — |
| Basil | Feb 8 | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | Apr 21 – Jul 28 | — |
| Strawberry (June-bearing) | — | Feb 7 – Feb 21 | Mar 28 – Apr 25 (once established) | — |
| Sunflower | — | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | Jun 10 – Jul 15 | — |
Dates for a typical spot in Florida. Colder and higher places plant later, warmer ones earlier: enter your ZIP code for yours, or see the calendar for your zone.
Frost dates around Florida
| Place | Zone | Last frost | First frost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami | 11a | rare | rare |
| Orlando | 10a | — | — |
| Tampa | 10a | Mar 1 | Dec 5 |
| Jacksonville | 9b | Feb 25 | Dec 7 |
| Fort Lauderdale | 11a | rare | rare |
| Saint Petersburg | 10b | — | — |
| Pensacola | 9a | Feb 17 | Dec 9 |
| West Palm Beach | 10b | — | — |
| Pompano Beach | 10b | — | — |
| Gainesville | 9a | Mar 3 | Dec 2 |
Average dates from the nearest NOAA weather stations (1991–2020). Click a place for its full planting calendar.