Orlando, Florida: planting zone & frost dates
Orlando 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 4 and the first fall frost around Jan 1.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Feb 26 | Dec 18 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Feb 4 | Jan 1 |
| Median (50%) | Jan 25 | Jan 10 |
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 ORLANDO INTL AP, FL (USW00012815), 4.6 mi (7.4 km) from the city center and 10 ft higher than the city center (+3 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 28 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Orlando
All 18 ZIP codes covering Orlando are in zone 10a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Orlando
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Feb 4, first frost Jan 1). 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 10 – Dec 24 | Feb 11 – Feb 25 | — | — |
| Pepper | Nov 26 – Dec 10 | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | — | — |
| Lettuce Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 24 – Jan 7 | Jan 21 – Feb 11 | Jan 7 – Feb 18 | Oct 23 – Nov 20 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Feb 11 – Mar 18 | Oct 9 – Oct 23 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Feb 11 – Mar 11 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Jan 7 – Jan 14 | Feb 11 – Feb 25 | Feb 11 – Mar 4 | Oct 9 – Oct 23 |
| Cucumber | Jan 7 – Jan 14 | Feb 18 – Feb 25 | Feb 11 – Mar 4 | Oct 9 – Oct 23 |
| Carrot Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 14 – Feb 18 | Oct 9 – Oct 23 |
| Onion Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 12 – Nov 26 | Jan 7 – Jan 21 | — | — |
| Potato Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | Jan 7 – Jan 28 | — | — |
| Basil | Dec 24 – Jan 7 | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Feb 18 – Mar 11 | — |
| Spinach Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 24 – Jan 21 | Nov 6 – Dec 4 |
| Kale Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 10 – Dec 24 | Jan 7 – Jan 28 | Jan 7 – Jan 28 | Oct 23 – Nov 20 |
| Broccoli Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 10 – Dec 24 | Jan 21 – Feb 11 | — | Oct 9 – Oct 23 |
| Peas Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 24 – Jan 14 | Oct 23 – Nov 6 |
| Eggplant | Nov 26 – Dec 10 | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | — | — |
| Cabbage Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 10 – Dec 24 | Jan 7 – Jan 21 | — | Oct 9 – Oct 23 |
| Radish Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 31 – Feb 18 | Nov 20 – Dec 18 |
| Strawberry | — | Jan 7 – Jan 28 | — | — |
| Beets Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 14 – Feb 25 | Oct 23 – Nov 6 |
Nearby cities in Florida
- Kissimmee — zone 10a, last frost Feb 6, first frost Dec 30
- Deltona — zone 9b, last frost Feb 6, first frost Jan 2
- Melbourne — zone 10a, last frost Feb 5, first frost Jan 1
- Palm Bay — zone 10a, last frost Jan 30, first frost Jan 6
- Lakeland — zone 10a, last frost Feb 3, first frost Jan 1
- Daytona Beach — zone 9b, last frost Feb 9, first frost Dec 29
More: all Florida cities · other zone 10a cities: Los Angeles, CA, Oakland, CA, Tampa, FL, Riverside, CA, Corpus Christi, TX, Port St. Lucie, FL, Scottsdale, AZ, Santa Clarita, CA
Orlando gardening questions
When is the last frost in Orlando, FL?
Plan around Feb 4. At NOAA's Orlando Int'l Airport, FL station, 4.6 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 Jan 25, and after Feb 26 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Jan 16. Springs here are erratic: 58 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 Orlando, FL?
Start seeds indoors Dec 10 – Dec 24 and set transplants outside Feb 11 – Feb 25, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. With about 331 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 Orlando?
About 355 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 317 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 365 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Dec 18 and a 30% chance by Jan 1. That ranks 13th longest of 20 Florida cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Orlando?
Count back from the first fall frost (Jan 1): transplant broccoli Oct 9 – Oct 23; sow kale Oct 23 – Nov 20; sow lettuce Oct 23 – Nov 20; sow radishes Nov 20 – Dec 18. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Jan 13. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Orlando's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Orlando 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 Orlando compare with Kissimmee, FL?
Both are in zone 10a. The typical last spring frost in Orlando (Feb 4) comes about the same time as in Kissimmee, FL (Feb 6), 12 miles away, and the first fall frost is Jan 1 versus Dec 30. The two cities use different NOAA stations.