Tampa, Florida planting calendar and frost dates

Frost dates in Tampa

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 Tampa

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.

1. 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

2. 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

3. 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

4. April

   Plant: basil, chives, daylilies, ginger, green beans, marigolds, nasturtiums, okra, peanuts, pineapples, rosemary, sage, sweet corn, sweet potatoes, swiss chard, winter squash, zucchini

5. May

   Plant: basil, chives, ginger, okra, peanuts, pineapples, rosemary, sweet potatoes, swiss chard

6. June

   Plant: basil, chives, ginger, okra, pineapples, rosemary, sweet potatoes

7. July

   Plant: chives, ginger, gladioli, okra, pineapples, pumpkins, rosemary

8. August

   Plant: carrots, chives, eggplants, ginger, green beans, green onions, okra, peppers, pineapples, rosemary, tomatoes, winter squash, zucchini

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Tampa

Tampa's 14 main ZIP codes take their frost dates from 2 different NOAA stations. The hardiness zone is 10a in 33603, 33604, 33605, 33607, 33609, 33611, 33614, 33616, 33619, 33621, 33629, and 9b in 33610, 33612, 33647.

Tampa International Airport also supplies the frost dates for St. Petersburg and Clearwater, so their planting calendars match Tampa's.

Nearby cities

• Pinellas Park, FL zone 10a
• St. Petersburg, FL zone 10b
• Clearwater, FL zone 10a
• Largo, FL zone 10a
• Lakeland, FL zone 10a, last frost Jan 26
• Bradenton, FL zone 10a