North Port, Florida: planting zone & frost dates
North Port is in USDA plant hardiness zone 10a, where the average coldest winter night reaches 30 to 35°F (-1.1 to 1.7°C). The typical last spring frost is around Feb 11 and the first fall frost around Dec 28.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Mar 3 | Dec 5 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Feb 11 | Dec 28 |
| Median (50%) | Feb 1 | Jan 6 |
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 MYAKKA RVR SP, FL (USC00086065), 14.5 mi (23.3 km) from the city center and 3 ft higher than the city center (+1 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 28 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across North Port
All 7 ZIP codes covering North Port are in zone 10a.
Vegetable planting calendar for North Port
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Feb 11, first frost Dec 28). 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 17 – Dec 31 | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | — | — |
| Pepper | Dec 3 – Dec 17 | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | — | — |
| Lettuce Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 31 – Jan 14 | Jan 28 – Feb 18 | Jan 14 – Feb 25 | Oct 19 – Nov 16 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Feb 18 – Mar 25 | Oct 5 – Oct 19 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Feb 18 – Mar 18 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Jan 14 – Jan 21 | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Feb 18 – Mar 11 | Oct 5 – Oct 19 |
| Cucumber | Jan 14 – Jan 21 | Feb 25 – Mar 4 | Feb 18 – Mar 11 | Oct 5 – Oct 19 |
| Carrot Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 21 – Feb 25 | Oct 5 – Oct 19 |
| Onion Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 19 – Dec 3 | Jan 14 – Jan 28 | — | — |
| Potato Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | Jan 14 – Feb 4 | — | — |
| Basil | Dec 31 – Jan 14 | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Feb 25 – Mar 18 | — |
| Spinach Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 31 – Jan 28 | Nov 2 – Nov 30 |
| Kale Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 17 – Dec 31 | Jan 14 – Feb 4 | Jan 14 – Feb 4 | Oct 19 – Nov 16 |
| Broccoli Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 17 – Dec 31 | Jan 28 – Feb 18 | — | Oct 5 – Oct 19 |
| Peas Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 31 – Jan 21 | Oct 19 – Nov 2 |
| Eggplant | Dec 3 – Dec 17 | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | — | — |
| Cabbage Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 17 – Dec 31 | Jan 14 – Jan 28 | — | Oct 5 – Oct 19 |
| Radish Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 7 – Feb 25 | Nov 16 – Dec 14 |
| Strawberry | — | Jan 14 – Feb 4 | — | — |
| Beets Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 21 – Mar 4 | Oct 19 – Nov 2 |
Nearby cities in Florida
- Cape Coral — zone 10b, last frost Jan 28, first frost Jan 7
- Fort Myers — zone 10b, last frost Jan 28, first frost Jan 7
- St. Petersburg — zone 10b, last frost Jan 28, first frost Jan 7
- Tampa — zone 10a, last frost Jan 31, first frost Jan 3
- Lakeland — zone 10a, last frost Feb 3, first frost Jan 1
- Largo — zone 10a, last frost Jan 26, first frost Jan 6
More: all Florida cities · other zone 10a cities: Los Angeles, CA, Oakland, CA, Tampa, FL, Orlando, FL, Riverside, CA, Corpus Christi, TX, Port St. Lucie, FL, Scottsdale, AZ
North Port gardening questions
When is the last frost in North Port, FL?
Plan around Feb 11. At NOAA's Myakka Rvr Sp, FL station, 14.5 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 15. Springs here are erratic: 61 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 North Port, FL?
Start seeds indoors Dec 17 – Dec 31 and set transplants outside Feb 18 – Mar 4, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. With about 320 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 North Port?
About 336 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 301 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 365 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Dec 5 and a 30% chance by Dec 28. That ranks 17th longest of 20 Florida cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in North Port?
Count back from the first fall frost (Dec 28): transplant broccoli Oct 5 – Oct 19; sow kale Oct 19 – Nov 16; sow lettuce Oct 19 – Nov 16; sow radishes Nov 16 – Dec 14. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Jan 9. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did North Port's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of North Port was zone 9b on the 2012 map and is zone 10a 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.
How does North Port compare with Cape Coral, FL?
North Port is zone 10a and Cape Coral is zone 10b. The typical last spring frost in North Port (Feb 11) comes about 14 days later than in Cape Coral, FL (Jan 28), 31 miles away, and the first fall frost is Dec 28 versus Jan 7. The two cities use different NOAA stations.