Gainesville, Florida planting calendar and frost dates
Gainesville is in USDA hardiness zone 9a. The last spring frost typically comes around March 3 and the first fall frost around December 2, giving about 277 frost-free days a year.
- Hardiness zone
- Zone 9a
- Typical last frost
- March 3
- Typical first frost
- December 2
- Frost-free season
- 277 days
Frost dates in Gainesville
Last spring frost
- February 1Risky: frost later than this in 9 years out of 10
- March 3Typical: a later frost in half of years
- March 23Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10
First fall frost
- November 12Risky: frost earlier than this 1 year in 10
- December 2Typical: an earlier frost in half of years
- New yearLate: in about 1 year in 10, the first frost waits until after December 31
The growing season between the typical last and first frosts is about 277 days. Frost here means a low of 32°F at the weather station. A hard freeze (28°F), which damages most hardy crops too, typically ends around February 12 and returns around December 25.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Gainesville Rgnl Airport, 4.1 miles NE 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 Gainesville
January
Start indoors: basil, black-eyed susans, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, celery, chives, cilantro, collard greens, eggplants, ginger, leeks, lettuce, marigolds, nasturtiums, oregano, parsley, peppers, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, sage, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, tomatoes
Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, black-eyed susans, blueberries, garlic, grapes, grass seed, green onions, hollyhocks, kale, kentucky bluegrass, onions, peas, poppies, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, sweet peas, tall fescue, turnips, wildflowers
February
Start indoors: basil, cantaloupes, cilantro, cosmos, cucumbers, marigolds, nasturtiums, okra, pumpkins, ranunculus, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini
Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, collard greens, dahlias, dill, figs, garlic, gladioli, grapes, grass seed, green onions, hollyhocks, kale, kentucky bluegrass, leeks, lettuce, onions, parsley, peas, peppers, poppies, potatoes, radishes, ranunculus, raspberries, rhubarb, roses, snapdragons, spinach, strawberries, sweet peas, swiss chard, tall fescue, turnips, wildflowers
March
Start indoors: cosmos, okra, pumpkins, winter squash, zinnias
Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, basil, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, celery, chives, cilantro, cosmos, cucumbers, dahlias, dill, eggplants, figs, garden mums, ginger, gladioli, grapes, green beans, green onions, lavenders, leeks, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, okra, oregano, parsley, peanuts, peppers, petunias, pumpkins, ranunculus, rosemary, roses, sage, snapdragons, spinach, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet potatoes, swiss chard, thyme, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini
April
Start indoors: zinnias
Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, okra, peanuts, st. augustinegrass, sweet potatoes, zinnias, zoysiagrass
May
Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, centipedegrass, st. augustinegrass, zinnias, zoysiagrass
August
Plant for fall: brussels sprouts, peppers, potatoes, sweet corn, tomatoes
September
Plant for fall: bearded irises, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, collard greens, cucumbers, daylilies, green beans, kale, lettuce, peas, peppers, radishes, snapdragons, spinach, sweet corn, swiss chard, turnips, zucchini
October
Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, beets, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, clematis, coneflowers, crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hydrangeas, kale, kentucky bluegrass, lettuce, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, perennial ryegrass, radishes, roses, saffron, snapdragons, spinach, tall fescue, tulips, turnips
November
Start indoors: onions
Plant for fall: crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hyacinths, kale, kentucky bluegrass, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, perennial ryegrass, radishes, saffron, tall fescue, tulips
December
Start indoors: broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, leeks, onions, oregano, parsley, peppers, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, snapdragons
Plant for fall: crocuses, daffodils, garlic, hyacinths, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, tulips
Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Gainesville
All 7 of Gainesville's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Gainesville Rgnl Airport, so the dates on this page apply across the city. Every one of them is in zone 9a.
| ZIP code | Zone | Weather station | Typical last frost | Typical first frost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32601 | 9a | Gainesville Rgnl Airport, 4.1 mi NE | Mar 3 | Dec 2 |
| 32605 | 9a | Gainesville Rgnl Airport, 4.1 mi NE | Mar 3 | Dec 2 |
| 32607 | 9a | Gainesville Rgnl Airport, 4.1 mi NE | Mar 3 | Dec 2 |
| 32608 | 9a | Gainesville Rgnl Airport, 4.1 mi NE | Mar 3 | Dec 2 |
| 32609 | 9a | Gainesville Rgnl Airport, 4.1 mi NE | Mar 3 | Dec 2 |
| 32641 | 9a | Gainesville Rgnl Airport, 4.1 mi NE | Mar 3 | Dec 2 |
| 32653 | 9a | Gainesville Rgnl Airport, 4.1 mi NE | Mar 3 | Dec 2 |
Planting dates for popular crops in Gainesville
| Plant | Start indoors | Plant or sow outdoors | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomatoes | Jan 6 to 20 | Mar 3 to 17 | Aug 19 to 26 |
| Strawberries | — | Jan 20 to Feb 3 | — |
| Lettuce | Jan 6 to 20 | Feb 24 to Mar 10 | Sep 2 to Oct 7 |
| Cilantro | Jan 20 to Feb 3 | Mar 3 to 10 | — |
| Basil | Jan 20 to Feb 3 | Mar 10 to 17 | — |
| Potatoes | — | Feb 10 to 17 | Aug 12 to 19 |
| Garlic | — | Jan 20 to Feb 3 | Dec 2 to 16 |
| Onions | Nov 11 to Dec 23 | Feb 3 to 17 | — |
| Cucumbers | Feb 10 to 24 | Mar 10 to 24 | Sep 2 to 16 |
| Pumpkins | Feb 17 to Mar 3 | Mar 17 to 31 | — |
| Peppers | Dec 23 to Jan 20 | Mar 10 to 24 | Aug 12 to Sep 9 |
| Carrots | — | Feb 10 to Mar 3 | Sep 9 to 30 |
| Sweet Potatoes | — | Mar 30 to Apr 6 | — |
| Watermelons | Feb 3 to 17 | Mar 10 to 24 | — |
| Sweet Corn | — | Mar 3 to 17 | Aug 26 to Sep 9 |
| Green Beans | — | Mar 3 to 17 | Sep 9 to 16 |
| Zucchini | Feb 10 to 24 | Mar 10 to 24 | Sep 9 to 23 |
| Broccoli | Dec 16 to Jan 6 | Feb 3 to 17 | Sep 16 to Oct 14 |
| Peas | — | Jan 20 to Feb 3 | Sep 9 to 23 |
| Spinach | Jan 20 to 27 | Feb 24 to Mar 10 | Sep 23 to Oct 28 |
| Sunflowers | — | Mar 3 to 24 | — |
| Zinnias | Mar 26 to Apr 2 | Apr 23 to May 7 | — |
| Tulips | — | — | Oct 21 to Dec 16 |
| Daffodils | — | — | Oct 21 to Dec 2 |
| Grass Seed | — | Jan 20 to Feb 3 | Oct 21 to Nov 4 |
Nearby cities
- Ocala, FL zone 9a, last frost Feb 25
- Jacksonville, FL zone 9b, last frost Feb 1
- Palm Coast, FL zone 9b, last frost Jan 24
- Daytona Beach, FL zone 9b, last frost Jan 30
- Apopka, FL zone 9b, last frost Feb 24
- Deltona, FL zone 9b, last frost Jan 26
Planting in FloridaAbout zone 9aPrintable calendar for Gainesville
Questions
When is the last frost in Gainesville?
Around March 3 in a typical year, based on NOAA's 1991-2020 records for Gainesville Rgnl Airport. There is still a 1 in 10 chance of frost after March 23.
What planting zone is Gainesville in?
USDA hardiness zone 9a (2023 map). The zone tells you which perennials survive the winter; planting dates depend on frost dates instead.
When should I plant tomatoes in Gainesville?
Start seeds indoors January 6 to 20 and set plants out March 3 to 17; the safest date to plant out is after March 23.
When is the first frost in Gainesville?
Around December 2 in a typical year, and before November 12 about 1 year in 10.