Tampa, Florida: planting zone & frost dates
Tampa 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 31 and the first fall frost around Jan 3.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Feb 10 | Dec 23 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Jan 31 | Jan 3 |
| 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 TAMPA INTL AP, FL (USW00012842), 3.7 mi (6.0 km) from the city center and 16 ft higher than the city center (+5 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 28 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Tampa
Tampa spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 18 ZIP codes): 10a (63%), 9b (37%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
Vegetable planting calendar for Tampa
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Jan 31, first frost Jan 3). 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 6 – Dec 20 | Feb 7 – Feb 21 | — | — |
| Pepper | Nov 22 – Dec 6 | Feb 14 – Feb 28 | — | — |
| Lettuce Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 20 – Jan 3 | Jan 17 – Feb 7 | Jan 3 – Feb 14 | Oct 25 – Nov 22 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Feb 7 – Mar 14 | Oct 11 – Oct 25 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Feb 7 – Mar 7 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Jan 3 – Jan 10 | Feb 7 – Feb 21 | Feb 7 – Feb 28 | Oct 11 – Oct 25 |
| Cucumber | Jan 3 – Jan 10 | Feb 14 – Feb 21 | Feb 7 – Feb 28 | Oct 11 – Oct 25 |
| Carrot Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 10 – Feb 14 | Oct 11 – Oct 25 |
| Onion Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 8 – Nov 22 | Jan 3 – Jan 17 | — | — |
| Potato Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | Jan 3 – Jan 24 | — | — |
| Basil | Dec 20 – Jan 3 | Feb 14 – Feb 28 | Feb 14 – Mar 7 | — |
| Spinach Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 20 – Jan 17 | Nov 8 – Dec 6 |
| Kale Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 6 – Dec 20 | Jan 3 – Jan 24 | Jan 3 – Jan 24 | Oct 25 – Nov 22 |
| Broccoli Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 6 – Dec 20 | Jan 17 – Feb 7 | — | Oct 11 – Oct 25 |
| Peas Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 20 – Jan 10 | Oct 25 – Nov 8 |
| Eggplant | Nov 22 – Dec 6 | Feb 14 – Feb 28 | — | — |
| Cabbage Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 6 – Dec 20 | Jan 3 – Jan 17 | — | Oct 11 – Oct 25 |
| Radish Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 27 – Feb 14 | Nov 22 – Dec 20 |
| Strawberry | — | Jan 3 – Jan 24 | — | — |
| Beets Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 10 – Feb 21 | Oct 25 – Nov 8 |
Nearby cities in Florida
- St. Petersburg — zone 10b, last frost Jan 28, first frost Jan 7
- Clearwater — zone 10a, last frost Jan 26, first frost Jan 6
- Largo — zone 10a, last frost Jan 26, first frost Jan 6
- Lakeland — zone 10a, last frost Feb 3, first frost Jan 1
- North Port — zone 10a, last frost Feb 11, first frost Dec 28
- Kissimmee — zone 10a, last frost Feb 6, first frost Dec 30
More: all Florida cities · other zone 10a cities: Los Angeles, CA, Oakland, CA, Orlando, FL, Riverside, CA, Corpus Christi, TX, Port St. Lucie, FL, Scottsdale, AZ, Santa Clarita, CA
Tampa gardening questions
When is the last frost in Tampa, FL?
Plan around Jan 31. At NOAA's Tampa Int'l Airport, FL station, 3.7 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 10 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 Tampa, FL?
Start seeds indoors Dec 6 – Dec 20 and set transplants outside Feb 7 – Feb 21, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. With about 337 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 Tampa?
About 365 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 335 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 365 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Dec 23 and a 30% chance by Jan 3. That is the longest of the 20 Florida cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Tampa?
Count back from the first fall frost (Jan 3): transplant broccoli Oct 11 – Oct 25; sow kale Oct 25 – Nov 22; sow lettuce Oct 25 – Nov 22; sow radishes Nov 22 – Dec 20. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Tampa's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Tampa 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.
Is all of Tampa in zone 10a?
No. Zone 10a covers about 63% of the city's land; the rest is in 9b (37%), measured across the city's 18 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.