Tallahassee, Florida: planting zone & frost dates
Tallahassee is in USDA plant hardiness zone 9a, where the average coldest winter night reaches 20 to 25°F (-6.7 to -3.9°C). The typical last spring frost is around Mar 19 and the first fall frost around Nov 13.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Mar 30 | Nov 3 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Mar 19 | Nov 13 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 11 | Nov 21 |
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 TALLAHASSEE, FL (USW00093805), 6.0 mi (9.6 km) from the city center and 89 ft lower than the city center (-27 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 30 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Tallahassee
All 14 ZIP codes covering Tallahassee are in zone 9a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Tallahassee
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Mar 19, first frost Nov 13). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 8 – Jan 22 | Apr 2 – Apr 16 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Mar 5 – Mar 26 | Feb 19 – Apr 2 | Sep 4 – Oct 2 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Mar 26 – Apr 30 | Aug 21 – Sep 4 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Mar 26 – Apr 23 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Feb 19 – Feb 26 | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | Mar 26 – Apr 16 | Aug 21 – Sep 4 |
| Cucumber | Feb 19 – Feb 26 | Apr 2 – Apr 9 | Mar 26 – Apr 16 | Aug 21 – Sep 4 |
| Carrot | — | — | Feb 26 – Apr 2 | Aug 21 – Sep 4 |
| Onion | Dec 25 – Jan 8 | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Feb 19 – Mar 12 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Apr 2 – Apr 16 | Apr 2 – Apr 23 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 5 – Mar 5 | Sep 18 – Oct 16 |
| Kale | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Feb 19 – Mar 12 | Feb 19 – Mar 12 | Sep 4 – Oct 2 |
| Broccoli | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Mar 5 – Mar 26 | — | Aug 21 – Sep 4 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 5 – Feb 26 | Sep 4 – Sep 18 |
| Eggplant | Jan 8 – Jan 22 | Apr 2 – Apr 16 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | — | Aug 21 – Sep 4 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 12 – Apr 2 | Oct 2 – Oct 30 |
| Strawberry | — | Feb 19 – Mar 12 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Feb 26 – Apr 9 | Sep 4 – Sep 18 |
Nearby cities in Florida
- Gainesville — zone 9a, last frost Mar 13, first frost Nov 24
- Jacksonville — zone 9b, last frost Feb 15, first frost Dec 24
- Clearwater — zone 10a, last frost Jan 26, first frost Jan 6
- Largo — zone 10a, last frost Jan 26, first frost Jan 6
- Tampa — zone 10a, last frost Jan 31, first frost Jan 3
- St. Petersburg — zone 10b, last frost Jan 28, first frost Jan 7
More: all Florida cities · other zone 9a cities: San Antonio, TX, Austin, TX, Seattle, WA, Las Vegas, NV, Portland, OR, Tucson, AZ, Baton Rouge, LA, Mobile, AL
Tallahassee gardening questions
When is the last frost in Tallahassee, FL?
Plan around Mar 19. At NOAA's Tallahassee, FL station, 6.0 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 Mar 11, and after Mar 30 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Feb 25. The 90% and 10% dates are 40 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Tallahassee, FL?
Start seeds indoors Jan 22 – Feb 5 and set transplants outside Mar 26 – Apr 9, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 239 days between the 30% frost dates, enough for most varieties including 80–85-day slicers. More: tomato planting dates by zone.
How long is the growing season in Tallahassee?
About 255 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 226 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 286 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Nov 3 and a 30% chance by Nov 13. That is the shortest of the 20 Florida cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Tallahassee?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 13): transplant broccoli Aug 21 – Sep 4; sow kale Sep 4 – Oct 2; sow lettuce Sep 4 – Oct 2; sow radishes Oct 2 – Oct 30. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Dec 6. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Tallahassee's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Tallahassee was zone 8b on the 2012 map and is zone 9a 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.