Palm Bay, Florida: planting zone & frost dates
Palm Bay 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 Jan 30 and the first fall frost around Jan 6.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Feb 14 | Dec 27 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Jan 30 | Jan 6 |
| Median (50%) | Jan 20 | Jan 12 |
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 MELBOURNE INTL AP, FL (USW00012838), 10.2 mi (16.4 km) from the city center and about the same elevation as the city center (+0 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 16 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Palm Bay
All 7 ZIP codes covering Palm Bay are in zone 10a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Palm Bay
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Jan 30, first frost Jan 6). 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 5 – Dec 19 | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | — | — |
| Pepper | Nov 21 – Dec 5 | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | — | — |
| Lettuce Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 19 – Jan 2 | Jan 16 – Feb 6 | Jan 2 – Feb 13 | Oct 28 – Nov 25 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Feb 6 – Mar 13 | Oct 14 – Oct 28 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Feb 6 – Mar 6 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Jan 2 – Jan 9 | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | Feb 6 – Feb 27 | Oct 14 – Oct 28 |
| Cucumber | Jan 2 – Jan 9 | Feb 13 – Feb 20 | Feb 6 – Feb 27 | Oct 14 – Oct 28 |
| Carrot Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 9 – Feb 13 | Oct 14 – Oct 28 |
| Onion Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 7 – Nov 21 | Jan 2 – Jan 16 | — | — |
| Potato Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | Jan 2 – Jan 23 | — | — |
| Basil | Dec 19 – Jan 2 | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | Feb 13 – Mar 6 | — |
| Spinach Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 19 – Jan 16 | Nov 11 – Dec 9 |
| Kale Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 5 – Dec 19 | Jan 2 – Jan 23 | Jan 2 – Jan 23 | Oct 28 – Nov 25 |
| Broccoli Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 5 – Dec 19 | Jan 16 – Feb 6 | — | Oct 14 – Oct 28 |
| Peas Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 19 – Jan 9 | Oct 28 – Nov 11 |
| Eggplant | Nov 21 – Dec 5 | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | — | — |
| Cabbage Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 5 – Dec 19 | Jan 2 – Jan 16 | — | Oct 14 – Oct 28 |
| Radish Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 26 – Feb 13 | Nov 25 – Dec 23 |
| Strawberry | — | Jan 2 – Jan 23 | — | — |
| Beets Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 9 – Feb 20 | Oct 28 – Nov 11 |
Nearby cities in Florida
- Melbourne — zone 10a, last frost Feb 5, first frost Jan 1
- Port St. Lucie — zone 10a, last frost Jan 30, first frost Jan 10
- Orlando — zone 10a, last frost Feb 4, first frost Jan 1
- Kissimmee — zone 10a, last frost Feb 6, first frost Dec 30
- Deltona — zone 9b, last frost Feb 6, first frost Jan 2
- Lakeland — zone 10a, last frost Feb 3, first frost Jan 1
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
Palm Bay gardening questions
When is the last frost in Palm Bay, FL?
Plan around Jan 30. At NOAA's Melbourne Int'l Airport, FL station, 10.2 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 20, and after Feb 14 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. The 90% and 10% dates are 45 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Palm Bay, FL?
Start seeds indoors Dec 5 – Dec 19 and set transplants outside Feb 6 – Feb 20, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. With about 341 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 Palm Bay?
About 365 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 334 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 365 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Dec 27 and a 30% chance by Jan 6. That ranks 5th longest of 20 Florida cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Palm Bay?
Count back from the first fall frost (Jan 6): transplant broccoli Oct 14 – Oct 28; sow kale Oct 28 – Nov 25; sow lettuce Oct 28 – Nov 25; sow radishes Nov 25 – Dec 23. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Palm Bay's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Palm Bay 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 Palm Bay compare with Melbourne, FL?
Both are in zone 10a. The typical last spring frost in Palm Bay (Jan 30) comes about 6 days earlier than in Melbourne, FL (Feb 5), 11 miles away, and the first fall frost is Jan 6 versus Jan 1. The two cities use different NOAA stations.