Florida Planting Guide
Rooted in J's Florida Planting Guide
Month-by-Month Planting for Zones 8b–11b
🌴 Why Florida Gardening is Unique
Florida gardening is unlike anywhere else in the U.S. The long summers, mild winters, sandy soil, and tropical storms make timing everything. The key is to plant heat-tolerant crops in summer, cool-season crops in fall and winter, and to take advantage of our nearly year-round growing window.
📋 How to Use This Guide
- Find your Florida zone: 8b-9a in extreme north, 9b-10a in north-central, 10b-11a in south, 11b in Keys.
- Click on your zone below to expand the detailed planting calendar.
- Follow the month-by-month tasks for what to sow, transplant, and harvest.
- Use the fertilizer reminders and companion planting tips for better results.
- Enjoy your harvest with Florida-inspired kitchen connections!
Zone 8b-9a (Extreme North Florida)
Areas: Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Gainesville, northern border counties
January
Sow lettuce (Buttercrunch), kale (Vates), collards (Georgia Southern), carrots (Danvers 126), and beets (Detroit Dark Red). Transplant onions (Granex, Texas Early Grano) and brassicas (Broccoli Green Magic, Cabbage Bravo).
February
Sow beans (Contender), cucumbers (Straight Eight, Calypso), squash (Yellow Crookneck). Start tomatoes (Heatmaster, Florida 91) and peppers (Big Bertha, Jalapeño M) indoors.
March
Transplant tomatoes and peppers after last frost. Sow corn (Silver Queen, Truckers Favorite), cucumbers, melons (Sugar Baby watermelon, Ambrosia cantaloupe).
April
Sow southern peas (Pinkeye Purple Hull), okra (Clemson Spineless), and sweet potatoes (Beauregard, Covington). Plant sunflowers.
May
Sow heat lovers: okra, cowpeas, melons, and sweet potatoes. All frost danger past.
June
Maintain heat crops: okra, cowpeas, sweet potato vines. Begin summer succession plantings.
July
Sow cowpeas, okra, yardlong beans. Plant tropicals like papaya (Red Lady) in protected spots.
August
Start fall tomatoes, peppers, and brassicas indoors. Sow bush beans for fall harvest.
September
Transplant fall crops. Sow carrots, lettuce, and beets for winter harvest.
October
Sow spinach (Bloomsdale), broccoli, parsley, radish. Plant garlic cloves.
November
Sow collards, kale, mustard greens. Plant strawberries (Florida Brilliance, Sweet Charlie).
December
Sow carrots, lettuce, kale, radish. Cover crop unused beds. Protect tender plants from occasional frost.
🌱 Fertilizer Reminder
Sandy soils need organic matter. Add compost often, especially before spring planting. Watch for occasional frost.
Sandy soils need organic matter. Add compost often, especially before spring planting. Watch for occasional frost.
🍽️ Kitchen Connection
North Florida grows classic collards, beans, and strawberries for winter salads and southern comfort foods.
North Florida grows classic collards, beans, and strawberries for winter salads and southern comfort foods.
Zone 9b-10a (North-Central Florida)
Areas: Ocala, Gainesville, Orlando, Tampa, Lakeland, central counties
January
Sow lettuce (Buttercrunch), kale (Vates), collards (Georgia Southern), carrots (Danvers 126), beets (Detroit Dark Red), and radish (Cherry Belle). Transplant onions (Granex). Start strawberries (Florida Brilliance).
February
Sow beans (Contender), cucumbers (Straight Eight), squash (Yellow Crookneck). Start tomatoes (Heatmaster, Everglades) and peppers (Datil, Jalapeño M) indoors.
March
Transplant tomatoes, peppers, and basil (Genovese). Sow corn (Silver Queen), cucumbers, pole beans (Rattlesnake). Minimal frost risk.
April
Sow southern peas, okra (Burgundy, Clemson Spineless), and sweet potatoes (Okinawa Purple, Beauregard). Plant sunflowers and zinnias.
May
Sow heat crops: okra, roselle (Florida Cranberry), pigeon peas. Sweet potatoes thrive in warming soil.
June
Maintain okra, yardlong beans, Malabar spinach. Begin rainy season preparations.
July
Plant papaya (Red Lady), bananas (Dwarf Cavendish), and sugarcane. Keep okra and sweet potato greens going.
August
Start fall crops indoors: tomatoes, peppers, brassicas. Sow bush beans for fall harvest.
September
Transplant fall crops. Sow carrots, beets, lettuce, cilantro as temperatures moderate.
October
Sow spinach, kale, broccoli, parsley, radish. Garlic optional in northern areas of this zone.
November
Sow collards, kale, mustard greens, dill. Plant strawberries in cooler microclimates.
December
Sow carrots, beets, kale, lettuce. Cover crop beds. Rare frost possible in northern areas.
🌱 Fertilizer Reminder
Florida soil leaches nutrients quickly. Fertilize lightly but often. Add calcium for tomatoes and peppers.
Florida soil leaches nutrients quickly. Fertilize lightly but often. Add calcium for tomatoes and peppers.
🍽️ Kitchen Connection
Central Florida is perfect for salsa gardens, collards, and year-round salads with tropical touches.
Central Florida is perfect for salsa gardens, collards, and year-round salads with tropical touches.
Zone 10b-11a (South Florida)
Areas: Fort Myers, West Palm Beach, Miami-Dade, Broward, southern counties
January
Transplant tomatoes (Heatmaster, Everglades), peppers (Big Bertha, Datil), and basil. Sow beans (Contender) and cucumbers (Armenian). Cool season peak.
February
Sow melons (Sugar Baby, Jubilee), okra, corn, basil, roselle. Perfect weather for most crops.
March
Plant sweet potato slips (Beauregard, Okinawa Purple). Sow corn, beans, cucumbers, melons. Temperatures rising.
April
Sow roselle, okra, pigeon peas, ginger, turmeric. Heat-loving crops excel.
May
Plant taro and cassava where legal. Sow peanuts, pigeon peas, and cowpeas. Full tropical mode.
June
Plant cover crops like sunn hemp and cowpeas. Sow okra and roselle. Rainy season begins.
July
Maintain okra, roselle, amaranth, pigeon peas. Hurricane season preparations.
August
Plant papaya, pineapple crowns, and passion fruit. Sow beans and okra. Peak heat and humidity.
September
Sow lettuce, cilantro, and radish in cool spots. Transplant fall tomatoes in protected areas.
October
Sow spinach, kale, cilantro in shade. Transplant peppers and tomatoes as temperatures moderate.
November
Plant strawberries (Florida Brilliance) in containers. Sow lettuce, beets, radish in cooler spots.
December
Sow lettuce, cilantro, peas. Plant brassicas in cooler pockets and shaded areas.
🌱 Fertilizer Reminder
Use organic mulch to retain water in sandy soils. Fertilize tropicals regularly during growing season.
Use organic mulch to retain water in sandy soils. Fertilize tropicals regularly during growing season.
🍽️ Kitchen Connection
South Florida gardens shine with papaya smoothies, pineapple salsas, okra stews, and tropical fruit salads.
South Florida gardens shine with papaya smoothies, pineapple salsas, okra stews, and tropical fruit salads.
Zone 11b (Florida Keys & Extreme South)
Areas: Florida Keys, extreme southern Miami-Dade, truly tropical areas
January
Sow beans, cucumbers, lettuce in coolest pockets. Transplant tomatoes (Everglades, Florida 91) and peppers. Coolest month.
February
Sow watermelon (Sugar Baby), okra, corn, basil, roselle. Ideal growing weather.
March
Plant sweet potatoes. Sow corn, beans, melons, peppers. Warming rapidly.
April
Sow pigeon peas, ginger, turmeric, cassava where legal. Tropical crops thrive.
May
Plant taro and malanga. Sow okra, peanuts, cowpeas. Full tropical heat begins.
June
Sow sunn hemp, cowpeas, okra, roselle. Use shade cloth in wet season. Hurricane prep.
July
Keep okra, roselle, amaranth, pigeon peas, sweet potato greens going. Peak heat management.
August
Plant papaya, pineapple, passion fruit. Sow beans and okra. Extreme heat and humidity.
September
Sow lettuce, carrots, radish in coolest, shadiest spots. Transplant fall crops with protection.
October
Sow greens and cilantro in shade structures. Transplant tomatoes and peppers with care.
November
Plant strawberries (Sweet Charlie, Florida Brilliance) in containers. Sow lettuce, beets, radish in microclimates.
December
Sow lettuce, cilantro, peas in protected areas. Plant brassicas in heavily shaded beds only.
🌱 Fertilizer Reminder
Mulch heavily to conserve moisture. Tropicals need consistent feeding. Salt tolerance important near coast.
Mulch heavily to conserve moisture. Tropicals need consistent feeding. Salt tolerance important near coast.
🍽️ Kitchen Connection
Zone 11b is ideal for year-round papaya, bananas, sugarcane, coconuts, and fresh tropical greens.
Zone 11b is ideal for year-round papaya, bananas, sugarcane, coconuts, and fresh tropical greens.
🎯 Florida Companion Planting Cheatsheet
✅ Best Combinations
- Tomato + Basil - Enhanced flavor, pest deterrent
- Carrot + Onion - Scent confuses pests
- Cucumber + Dill - Attracts beneficial insects
- Beans + Marigold - Helps with nematodes
- Okra + Peppers - Heat lovers that support each other
❌ Avoid These Pairs
- Tomato + Potato - Disease pressure
- Onion + Beans - Growth conflict
- Cabbage + Strawberry - Nutrient competition
- Carrot + Dill - Root competition
- Cucumbers + Aromatics - Growth slowdown
🌿 Stay Connected
This Florida Planting Guide is designed to make your garden easier, fresher, and more productive. I'll update it often with new crops and seasonal advice.
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Toni