When to Plant in Florida: Vegetable & Flower Planting Calendar

Florida spans USDA hardiness zones 8b–11b on the 2023 USDA map (by ZIP code, via PRISM). For the 573 of its 1013 ZIP codes where frost comes in most years, the nearest NOAA station’s median last spring frost (32°F, 1991–2020) is Feb 7 (middle 80% of ZIP codes: Jan 25 – Mar 8) and the median first fall frost is Dec 31 (Nov 23 – Jan 9). Use this guide to time seed-starting, transplanting and fall planting.

Where these dates come from: every date range is counted from the median (50% probability) 32°F last spring and first fall frost dates in NOAA’s 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals for the area shown. The rule under each date, such as “4–6 weeks before last frost,” shows how it was counted. These are averages: in about half of years a frost still comes after the spring date, and elevation, nearby water and microclimate can shift your yard by a week or more. For dates for your exact location, enter your ZIP code in the planner.

How we count planting dates: the weeks before or after frost for each crop come from university extension planting guides: UNH Extension, When to Plant Your Vegetable Garden; Rutgers FS787, Starting Vegetable Seeds Indoors; Virginia Tech 426-331, Home Garden Vegetable Planting Guide; University of Maryland Extension, Vegetable Planting Calendar; and University of Idaho CIS 1209 (marigolds and zinnias). Bulb windows approximate Rutgers’ rule to plant when soil falls below 60°F (FS1220), and garlic follows SDSU, Illinois and Virginia Tech. Temperature notes: UMD (potatoes), UMN (sweet corn), UC ANR (peppers, hardening off), UMN (eggplant), Colorado State (tomatoes) and SDSU (hardening off).

Frost is rare in part of Florida: for 440 of its 1013 ZIP codes (43%), the nearest NOAA station records 32°F in fewer than half of years, so there is no reliable frost date to count from. For those ZIP codes: UF/IFAS South Florida planting months (below).

Florida frost dates by zone area

Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, annual/seasonal freeze-date probabilities (32°F, 50% probability). Station-level medians; your yard may differ.

How this table is built: each Florida ZIP code is matched to its nearest NOAA 1991–2020 freeze-data station (within 60 miles) and grouped by its 2023 USDA hardiness zone; dates are medians across the ZIP codes in each group. Zone groups with fewer than 5% of ZIP codes (8 ZIP codes) are left out of the columns. Some nearest stations are across the state line (Atmore, AL, Bay Minette, AL, Florala Muni Airport, AL, Folkston 9 Sw, GA). For your own ZIP, use the planner.

Florida vegetable planting calendar

Planting dates for each zone area of Florida, counted from that area’s median frost dates (shown under each column). Rows run in calendar order. For your exact dates, enter your ZIP.

South Florida and other frost-rare ZIP codes: planting months

Where frost is rare, these are the outdoor planting months UF/IFAS lists for South Florida.

Source: UF/IFAS Extension, Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide (VH021), Table 1, “South” column (Florida south of State Road 70). These are planting months for seeds or transplants outdoors, not frost-based dates, so no harvest window is shown; the frost guide and our zone 10 guide use the same table.

Florida USDA zone guides: Zone 8 planting guide Zone 9 planting guide Zone 10 planting guide Zone 11 planting guide

How we count planting dates: the weeks before or after frost for each crop come from university extension planting guides: UNH Extension, When to Plant Your Vegetable Garden; Rutgers FS787, Starting Vegetable Seeds Indoors; Virginia Tech 426-331, Home Garden Vegetable Planting Guide; University of Maryland Extension, Vegetable Planting Calendar; and University of Idaho CIS 1209 (marigolds and zinnias). Bulb windows approximate Rutgers’ rule to plant when soil falls below 60°F (FS1220), and garlic follows SDSU, Illinois and Virginia Tech. Temperature notes: UMD (potatoes), UMN (sweet corn), UC ANR (peppers, hardening off), UMN (eggplant), Colorado State (tomatoes) and SDSU (hardening off).

Tips for Florida gardeners

• Watch soil temperature, not just the calendar — warm-season crops stall in cold soil. An inexpensive soil thermometer helps.
• Harden off transplants over 7–10 days before planting out (UC ANR, SDSU).
• Ask your local Cooperative Extension office about varieties and timing for your county; find it in the UF/IFAS Extension county offices or the USDA NIFA land-grant university directory.
• Keep weeds down early — see our weed identification guide.

Other state planting calendars

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