Clearwater, Florida planting calendar and frost dates
Clearwater is in USDA hardiness zone 10a, and frost is rare: a 32°F night happens in about 35% of years.
Frost dates in Clearwater
A 32°F night is rare here: it happens in about 35% of years, so median frost dates do not describe a typical year.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Tampa International Airport, 5.1 miles WNW of the city center. Low-lying and rural spots often frost later in spring and earlier in fall than airports and city centers.
What to plant each month in Clearwater
The main vegetable season runs from August through March. Cool-season crops go in September-February, and warm crops like tomatoes and peppers get two shots, August-September and January-February. Occasional freezes mean tender plants need protection in winter. From June to August the heat and rain limit planting to tropical and heat-tolerant crops. The months below follow the planting calendar for Central Florida from the Cooperative Extension sources listed.
January
Plant: beets, blueberries, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbages, cantaloupes, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chives, cilantro, collard greens, cucumbers, eggplants, figs, garlic, grapes, green onions, kale, lettuce, parsley, peas, peppers, petunias, pineapples, potatoes, radishes, roses, sage, snapdragons, spinach, sweet corn, swiss chard, tomatoes, turnips, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini
February
Plant: azaleas, basil, beets, blueberries, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbages, cantaloupes, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chives, cilantro, collard greens, cucumbers, eggplants, figs, ginger, grapes, green beans, green onions, kale, lettuce, nasturtiums, okra, oregano, peas, peppers, petunias, pineapples, potatoes, radishes, sage, snapdragons, spinach, sweet corn, sweet potatoes, swiss chard, tomatoes, turnips, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini
March
Plant: basil, cantaloupes, carrots, celery, chives, cilantro, cucumbers, ginger, green beans, green onions, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, okra, oregano, peanuts, peppers, pineapples, radishes, rosemary, sage, spinach, sweet corn, sweet potatoes, swiss chard, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini
April
Plant: basil, chives, daylilies, ginger, green beans, marigolds, nasturtiums, okra, peanuts, pineapples, rosemary, sage, sweet corn, sweet potatoes, swiss chard, winter squash, zucchini
May
Plant: basil, chives, ginger, okra, peanuts, pineapples, rosemary, sweet potatoes, swiss chard
June
Plant: basil, chives, ginger, okra, pineapples, rosemary, sweet potatoes
July
Plant: chives, ginger, gladioli, okra, pineapples, pumpkins, rosemary
August
Plant: carrots, chives, eggplants, ginger, green beans, green onions, okra, peppers, pineapples, rosemary, tomatoes, winter squash, zucchini
September
Plant: basil, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chives, cilantro, collard greens, cucumbers, dill, eggplants, green beans, green onions, kale, lavenders, lettuce, mints, parsley, peppers, pineapples, radishes, rosemary, sage, spinach, strawberries, swiss chard, thyme, tomatoes, turnips, winter squash, zinnias, zucchini
October
Plant: basil, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chives, cilantro, collard greens, dill, garlic, green onions, kale, lavenders, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, onions, parsley, petunias, pineapples, radishes, sage, snapdragons, spinach, strawberries, swiss chard, thyme, turnips
November
Plant: beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chives, cilantro, collard greens, daylilies, dill, garlic, green onions, kale, lettuce, nasturtiums, parsley, peas, petunias, pineapples, potatoes, radishes, sage, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, thyme, turnips
December
Plant: beets, blueberries, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chives, cilantro, collard greens, dill, figs, garlic, grapes, green onions, kale, lettuce, parsley, peas, petunias, pineapples, potatoes, radishes, roses, sage, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, thyme, turnips
Sources for the Central Florida calendar
- Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide (SP103/VH021), Table 1 planting dates · UF/IFAS Extension (EDIS)
- Edibles to Plant in Florida: Text (month-by-month, North/Central/South) · UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions
- Central Florida Gardening Calendar (ENH1189/EP450) · UF/IFAS Extension (EDIS)
- Osceola County, FL Planting Calendar for Herbs, Spices & Edible Flowers · UF/IFAS Extension Osceola County
- Strawberries – Gardening Solutions · UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions
- Ginger – Gardening Solutions · UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions
- Peanuts – Gardening Solutions · UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions
- Dill – Gardening Solutions · UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions
- Blueberry Gardener's Guide (CIR1192/MG359) · UF/IFAS Extension (EDIS)
- The Fig (HS27/MG214) · UF/IFAS Extension (EDIS)
- Muscadine Grapes – Gardening Solutions · UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions
- Roses – Gardening Solutions · UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions
- Snapdragon – Gardening Solutions · UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions
- Petunias – Gardening Solutions · UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions
Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Clearwater
All 8 of Clearwater's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Tampa International Airport, so the dates on this page apply across the city. The hardiness zone is 10a in 33755, 33756, 33759, 33761, 33763, 33764, 33765, and 10b in 33767.
| ZIP code | Zone | Weather station | Typical last frost | Typical first frost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33755 | 10a | Tampa International Airport, 5.1 mi WNW | Rare | Rare |
| 33756 | 10a | Tampa International Airport, 5.1 mi WNW | Rare | Rare |
| 33759 | 10a | Tampa International Airport, 5.1 mi WNW | Rare | Rare |
| 33761 | 10a | Tampa International Airport, 5.1 mi WNW | Rare | Rare |
| 33763 | 10a | Tampa International Airport, 5.1 mi WNW | Rare | Rare |
| 33764 | 10a | Tampa International Airport, 5.1 mi WNW | Rare | Rare |
| 33765 | 10a | Tampa International Airport, 5.1 mi WNW | Rare | Rare |
| 33767 | 10b | Tampa International Airport, 5.1 mi WNW | Rare | Rare |
Tampa International Airport also supplies the frost dates for Tampa and St. Petersburg, so their planting calendars match Clearwater's.
Nearby cities
- Largo, FL zone 10a
- Pinellas Park, FL zone 10a
- St. Petersburg, FL zone 10b
- Tampa, FL zone 9b
- Bradenton, FL zone 10a
- Sarasota, FL zone 10a
Planting in FloridaAbout zone 10aCentral Florida planting calendarPrintable calendar for Clearwater
Questions
When is the last frost in Clearwater?
Frost is rare in Clearwater: a 32°F night happens in about 35% of years, so planting follows the Central Florida calendar on this page rather than frost dates.
What planting zone is Clearwater in?
USDA hardiness zone 10a (2023 map), with parts of the city in zone 10b. The zone tells you which perennials survive the winter; planting times follow the regional calendar instead.