Jacksonville, Florida: planting zone & frost dates
Jacksonville is in USDA plant hardiness zone 9b, where the average coldest winter night reaches 25 to 30°F (-3.9 to -1.1°C). The typical last spring frost is around Feb 15 and the first fall frost around Dec 24.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Mar 3 | Dec 3 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Feb 15 | Dec 24 |
| Median (50%) | Feb 1 | Jan 5 |
How to read this: after the spring "10% risk" date, a 32°F frost happens in only about 1 year in 10. In fall, the "10% risk" date is the early end — a frost before it happens about 1 year in 10.
Frost data comes from NOAA station JACKSONVILLE NAS, FL (USW00093837), 7.1 mi (11.5 km) from the city center and 16 ft higher than the city center (+5 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 23 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Jacksonville
Jacksonville spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 34 ZIP codes): 9b (68%), 9a (32%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
ZIP codes in Jacksonville and their zones
| ZIP | Zone | Share of city land |
|---|---|---|
| 32218 | 9b | 12.9% |
| 32226 | 9b | 11.5% |
| 32219 | 9a | 9.6% |
| 32234 | 9a | 9.0% |
| 32256 | 9b | 8.2% |
| 32221 | 9a | 6.4% |
| 32220 | 9a | 5.1% |
| 32225 | 9b | 3.5% |
| 32244 | 9b | 3.2% |
| 32210 | 9b | 2.9% |
| 32224 | 9b | 2.6% |
| 32246 | 9b | 2.6% |
| 32258 | 9b | 2.4% |
| 32216 | 9b | 1.7% |
| 32254 | 9b | 1.7% |
| 32257 | 9b | 1.6% |
| 32207 | 9b | 1.5% |
| 32208 | 9b | 1.5% |
| 32222 | 9a | 1.5% |
| 32223 | 9b | 1.5% |
| 32209 | 9b | 1.2% |
| 32211 | 9b | 1.1% |
| 32205 | 9b | 1.0% |
| 32277 | 9b | 1.0% |
| 32233 | 9b | 0.9% |
| 32206 | 9b | 0.8% |
| 32212 | 9b | 0.7% |
| 32217 | 9b | 0.7% |
| 32204 | 9b | 0.4% |
| 32202 | 9b | 0.3% |
| 32227 | 9b | 0.1% |
| 32203 | 9b | 0.0% |
| 32214 | 9b | 0.0% |
| 32228 | 9b | 0.0% |
Vegetable planting calendar for Jacksonville
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Feb 15, first frost Dec 24). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Dec 21 – Jan 4 | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | — | — |
| Pepper | Dec 7 – Dec 21 | Mar 1 – Mar 15 | — | — |
| Lettuce Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Jan 4 – Jan 18 | Feb 1 – Feb 22 | Jan 18 – Mar 1 | Oct 15 – Nov 12 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Feb 22 – Mar 29 | Oct 1 – Oct 15 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Feb 22 – Mar 22 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Jan 18 – Jan 25 | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | Feb 22 – Mar 15 | Oct 1 – Oct 15 |
| Cucumber | Jan 18 – Jan 25 | Mar 1 – Mar 8 | Feb 22 – Mar 15 | Oct 1 – Oct 15 |
| Carrot Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 25 – Mar 1 | Oct 1 – Oct 15 |
| Onion Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 23 – Dec 7 | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | — | — |
| Potato Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | Jan 18 – Feb 8 | — | — |
| Basil | Jan 4 – Jan 18 | Mar 1 – Mar 15 | Mar 1 – Mar 22 | — |
| Spinach Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 4 – Feb 1 | Oct 29 – Nov 26 |
| Kale Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 21 – Jan 4 | Jan 18 – Feb 8 | Jan 18 – Feb 8 | Oct 15 – Nov 12 |
| Broccoli Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 21 – Jan 4 | Feb 1 – Feb 22 | — | Oct 1 – Oct 15 |
| Peas Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 4 – Jan 25 | Oct 15 – Oct 29 |
| Eggplant | Dec 7 – Dec 21 | Mar 1 – Mar 15 | — | — |
| Cabbage Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 21 – Jan 4 | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | — | Oct 1 – Oct 15 |
| Radish Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 11 – Mar 1 | Nov 12 – Dec 10 |
| Strawberry | — | Jan 18 – Feb 8 | — | — |
| Beets Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 25 – Mar 8 | Oct 15 – Oct 29 |
Nearby cities in Florida
- Palm Coast — zone 9b, last frost Feb 2, first frost Jan 1
- Gainesville — zone 9a, last frost Mar 13, first frost Nov 24
- Daytona Beach — zone 9b, last frost Feb 9, first frost Dec 29
- Deltona — zone 9b, last frost Feb 6, first frost Jan 2
- Orlando — zone 10a, last frost Feb 4, first frost Jan 1
- Kissimmee — zone 10a, last frost Feb 6, first frost Dec 30
More: all Florida cities · other zone 9b cities: Houston, TX, Phoenix, AZ, San Jose, CA, Fresno, CA, Sacramento, CA, Mesa, AZ, Bakersfield, CA, New Orleans, LA
Jacksonville gardening questions
When is the last frost in Jacksonville, FL?
Plan around Feb 15. At NOAA's Jacksonville NAS, FL station, 7.1 mi from the city center, there is a 30% chance of a 32°F frost after that date. Half of springs have their last frost by Feb 1, and after Mar 3 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Jan 22. Springs here are erratic: 62 days separate the 90% and 10% dates, versus a median of 36 days for cities on this site, so watch the forecast rather than the calendar.
When should I plant tomatoes in Jacksonville, FL?
Start seeds indoors Dec 21 – Jan 4 and set transplants outside Feb 22 – Mar 8, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. With about 312 frost-free days, frost is not the main limit — fruit set drops when nights stay above about 75°F, so early plantings tend to do best. More: tomato planting dates by zone.
How long is the growing season in Jacksonville?
About 330 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 299 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 365 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Dec 3 and a 30% chance by Dec 24. That ranks 18th longest of 20 Florida cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Jacksonville?
Count back from the first fall frost (Dec 24): transplant broccoli Oct 1 – Oct 15; sow kale Oct 15 – Nov 12; sow lettuce Oct 15 – Nov 12; sow radishes Nov 12 – Dec 10. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Jan 14. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Jacksonville's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Jacksonville was zone 9a on the 2012 map and is zone 9b on the 2023 map — half a zone warmer, like about 56% of U.S. ZIP codes. The shift comes from a newer 1991–2020 averaging period plus more weather stations and better mapping; it does not mean last frost comes earlier. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
Is all of Jacksonville in zone 9b?
No. Zone 9b covers about 68% of the city's land; the rest is in 9a (32%), measured across the city's 34 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.