Jacksonville, Florida planting calendar and frost dates
Jacksonville is in USDA hardiness zone 9b. The last spring frost typically comes around February 1 and the first fall frost around January 5, giving about 330 frost-free days a year.
- Typical last frost
- February 1
- Typical first frost
- January 5
- Frost-free season
- 330 days
Frost dates in Jacksonville
Last spring frost
- December 31Risky: frost later than this in 9 years out of 10
- February 1Typical: a later frost in half of years
- March 3Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10
First fall frost
- December 3Risky: frost earlier than this 1 year in 10
- January 5Typical: an earlier frost in half of years
- February 6Late: frost before this in 9 years out of 10
The growing season between the typical last and first frosts is about 330 days. Frost here means a low of 32°F at the weather station.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Jacksonville Nas, 6.9 miles S 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 Jacksonville
January
Start indoors: basil, cantaloupes, celery, cilantro, cucumbers, marigolds, nasturtiums, pumpkins, ranunculus, tomatoes, 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, poppies, potatoes, radishes, ranunculus, raspberries, rhubarb, roses, snapdragons, spinach, strawberries, sweet peas, swiss chard, tall fescue, turnips, wildflowers
Plant for fall: crocuses, daffodils, garlic, hyacinths, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, tulips
February
Start indoors: cosmos, cucumbers, okra, pumpkins, winter squash, zucchini
Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, avocados, basil, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, chives, cilantro, cucumbers, dahlias, dill, eggplants, figs, garden mums, ginger, gladioli, grapes, green beans, green onions, lavenders, leeks, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, oregano, parsley, peppers, petunias, pumpkins, ranunculus, rosemary, roses, sage, snapdragons, spinach, sunflowers, sweet corn, swiss chard, thyme, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini
March
Start indoors: zinnias
Plant or sow outdoors: avocados, bermudagrass, cantaloupes, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, cucumbers, eggplants, garden mums, green beans, green onions, okra, peanuts, peppers, pumpkins, st. augustinegrass, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zoysiagrass, zucchini
April
Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, okra, peanuts, st. augustinegrass, zinnias, zoysiagrass
September
Plant for fall: brussels sprouts, peppers, potatoes, sweet corn, tomatoes
October
Start indoors: onions
Plant for fall: bearded irises, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, collard greens, cucumbers, green beans, lettuce, peas, peppers, radishes, snapdragons, spinach, sweet corn, swiss chard, turnips, zucchini
November
Start indoors: broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, leeks, onions, oregano, parsley, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, snapdragons
Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, 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, swiss chard, tall fescue, tulips, turnips
December
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
Plant for fall: cabbages, cauliflower, crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hyacinths, kale, kentucky bluegrass, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, perennial ryegrass, radishes, saffron, spinach, tall fescue, tulips
Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Jacksonville
All 9 of Jacksonville's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Jacksonville Nas, so the dates on this page apply across the city. The hardiness zone is 9a in 32219, 32220, 32221, 32234, and 9b in 32218, 32225, 32226, 32244, 32256.
| ZIP code | Zone | Weather station | Typical last frost | Typical first frost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32218 | 9b | Jacksonville Nas, 6.9 mi S | Feb 1 | Jan 5 |
| 32219 | 9a | Jacksonville Nas, 6.9 mi S | Feb 1 | Jan 5 |
| 32220 | 9a | Jacksonville Nas, 6.9 mi S | Feb 1 | Jan 5 |
| 32221 | 9a | Jacksonville Nas, 6.9 mi S | Feb 1 | Jan 5 |
| 32225 | 9b | Jacksonville Nas, 6.9 mi S | Feb 1 | Jan 5 |
| 32226 | 9b | Jacksonville Nas, 6.9 mi S | Feb 1 | Jan 5 |
| 32234 | 9a | Jacksonville Nas, 6.9 mi S | Feb 1 | Jan 5 |
| 32244 | 9b | Jacksonville Nas, 6.9 mi S | Feb 1 | Jan 5 |
| 32256 | 9b | Jacksonville Nas, 6.9 mi S | Feb 1 | Jan 5 |
Planting dates for popular crops in Jacksonville
| Plant | Start indoors | Plant or sow outdoors | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomatoes | Dec 24 to Jan 7 | Feb 18 to Mar 4 | Sep 22 to 29 |
| Strawberries | — | Dec 21 to Jan 4 | — |
| Lettuce | Dec 7 to 21 | Jan 25 to Feb 8 | Oct 6 to Nov 10 |
| Cilantro | Dec 21 to Jan 4 | Feb 1 to 8 | — |
| Basil | Dec 31 to Jan 14 | Feb 18 to 25 | — |
| Potatoes | — | Jan 11 to 18 | Sep 15 to 22 |
| Garlic | — | Dec 21 to Jan 4 | Jan 5 to 19 |
| Onions | Oct 12 to Nov 23 | Jan 4 to 18 | — |
| Cucumbers | Jan 21 to Feb 4 | Feb 18 to Mar 4 | Oct 6 to 20 |
| Pumpkins | Jan 21 to Feb 4 | Feb 18 to Mar 4 | — |
| Peppers | Dec 3 to 31 | Feb 18 to Mar 4 | Sep 15 to Oct 13 |
| Carrots | — | Jan 11 to Feb 1 | Oct 13 to Nov 3 |
| Sweet Potatoes | — | Mar 19 to 26 | — |
| Watermelons | Jan 14 to 28 | Feb 18 to Mar 4 | — |
| Sweet Corn | — | Feb 1 to 15 | Sep 29 to Oct 13 |
| Green Beans | — | Feb 18 to Mar 4 | Oct 13 to 20 |
| Zucchini | Jan 21 to Feb 4 | Feb 18 to Mar 4 | Oct 13 to 27 |
| Broccoli | Nov 16 to Dec 7 | Jan 4 to 18 | Oct 20 to Nov 17 |
| Peas | — | Dec 21 to Jan 4 | Oct 13 to 27 |
| Spinach | Dec 21 to 28 | Jan 25 to Feb 8 | Oct 27 to Dec 1 |
| Sunflowers | — | Feb 1 to 22 | — |
| Zinnias | Mar 16 to 23 | Apr 13 to 27 | — |
| Tulips | — | — | Nov 24 to Jan 19 |
| Daffodils | — | — | Nov 24 to Jan 5 |
| Grass Seed | — | Dec 21 to Jan 4 | Nov 24 to Dec 8 |
Nearby cities
- Palm Coast, FL zone 9b, last frost Jan 24
- Gainesville, FL zone 9a, last frost Mar 3
- Ocala, FL zone 9a, last frost Feb 25
- Daytona Beach, FL zone 9b, last frost Jan 30
- Port Orange, FL zone 10a, last frost Jan 30
- Deltona, FL zone 9b, last frost Jan 26
Planting in FloridaAbout zone 9bPrintable calendar for Jacksonville
Questions
When is the last frost in Jacksonville?
Around February 1 in a typical year, based on NOAA's 1991-2020 records for Jacksonville Nas. There is still a 1 in 10 chance of frost after March 3.
What planting zone is Jacksonville in?
USDA hardiness zone 9b (2023 map), with parts of the city in zone 9a. The zone tells you which perennials survive the winter; planting dates depend on frost dates instead.
When should I plant tomatoes in Jacksonville?
Start seeds indoors December 24 to January 7 and set plants out February 18 to March 4; the safest date to plant out is after March 3.
When is the first frost in Jacksonville?
Around January 5 in a typical year, and before December 3 about 1 year in 10.