You can plant in your garden all year round!
Florida has 4 short seasons that are divided and determined by two main events: frosts/freezes in winter and hot nighttime temperatures in summer. Our most extended planting season is in spring.
Exceptions: Microclimates, varieties, season extenders (shade cloths, greenhouses), Tower Gardens
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Winter: Late October – Mid-February
Greens | Arugula, Collards, Kale, Mustard, Lettuces, Tokyo Bekana, Tatsoi, Chijimisai, Mustard, Watercress, Chrysanthemum, Lemon Sorrel, Mizuna, Spinach, Chard, Komatsuna, Dandelion
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Fruits & Vegetables | Celery, Beet, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Sweet Corn, Snow Peas, English Peas, Cabbage, Chinese Cabbage, Pak Choi, Bok Choy, Sugarcane (through November), Fennel, Green Onions, Leek
Start Hot Weather Crops from seed around Feb. 1 (be sure to protect from freezes!): Tomato, Tomatillo, Pepper, Melons, Squash, Jamaican Sorrel, Cranberry Hibiscus, Poha Berry, Cucumber
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Roots & Tubers | Turnip, Carrot, Rutabaga, New Potato, Irish Potato, Onion, Shallots, Garlic, Kohlrabi, Parsnips, Radish, Celery Root. |
Herbs | Anise, Basil, Borage, Calendula, Catnip, Chamomile, Caraway, Chives, Cilantro, Comfrey, Dill, Echinacea, Lavender, Lemon Bee Balm, Lemon balm, Lemongrass, Mugwort, Oregano, Parsley, Sage, Tarragon, Toothache Plant, Thyme, and Yarrow
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Edible Flowers | Borage, Viola, Pansies Nasturtium, Toothache Plant, Yarrow, Petunia, Dianthus
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NOTES for Late October – Mid-February
Last frost date: Feb. 28, with a 30% chance of a frost happening after this date. Protect hot weather crops from frosts.
Brandywine & other late-season tomatoes take 80-90 days to mature, so they need plenty of time to mature before our overnight temperatures > 72F, so start them in mid-Jan- early Feb.
Late February – March
Time your tomatoes! Tomatoes won’t produce when nighttime temps > 72F (late June). See a nice list of early, middle, and late-season tomatoes at Tomato Growers (a Florida-based seed provider!).
Greens | Arugula, Collards, Kale, Mustard, Lettuces, Tokyo Bekana, Tatsoi, Chijimisai, Watercress, Chrysanthemum, Lemon Sorrel, Mizuna, Spinach, Chard, Komatsuna, Dandelion, Tropical Spinaches (Malabar Spinach, Okinawa Spinach, Longevity Spinach, New Zealand Spinach), Amaranth, Purslane
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Fruits & Vegetables | Chayote, Broccoli, Tropical Broccoli (Piracicaba), Sweet Corn, Pumpkin, Calabaza, Beet, Radish, Cabbage, Chinese Cabbage, Pak Choi, Bok Choy, Sugarcane, Fennel, Green Onions, Leek, Tomatoes, Tomatillo, Pepper, Melons, Winter & Summer Squash, Jamaican Sorrel, Cranberry Hibiscus, Lima Beans, Okra, Eggplant, Poha Berry, Bush & Pole Beans, Cowpea, Long/Noodle Beans, Southern Pea, Squash-Aehobak Korean, Squash Teot Bat Put Avocado, Tatume Squash, Cucumber
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Roots & Tubers | Carrot, Rutabaga, New Potato, Irish Potato, Sweet Potato, Peanut, Jicama, Tumeric, Ginger, Turnip
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Herbs | Anise, Basil, Borage, Calendula, Catnip, Chamomile, Caraway, Chives, Cilantro, Comfrey, Dill, Echinacea, Lavender, Lemon Bee Balm, Lemonbalm, Lemongrass, Mugwort, Oregano, Parsley, Sage, Tarragon, Toothache Plant, Thyme, and Yarrow
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Edible Flowers | Borage, Calendula, Marigold, Viola, Nasturtium, Toothache Plant, Yarrow, Sunflower
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Notes for late February – March
In March, if starting from seed, plant early fruiting varieties of tomatoes, like Early Girl (50 days), Sungold (57 days), and Black Cherry (64 Days).
March tends to be very dry in central Florida—plan to irrigate regularly.
April - Early May
Greens | Arugula, Collards, Kale, Mustard, Lettuces (Muir for the heat), Tokyo Bekana, Tatsoi, Chijimisai, Watercress, Chrysanthemum, Lemon Sorrel, Mizuna, Chard, Komatsuna, Tropical Spinaches (Malabar Spinach, Okinawa Spinach, Longevity Spinach, New Zealand Spinach), Amaranth, Purslane
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Fruits & Vegetables | Chayote, Tropical Broccoli (Piracicaba), Everglades Tomatoes, Pumpkin, Calabaza (incl. Seminole Pumpkin), Cabbage, Chinese Cabbage, Pak Choi, Bok Choy, Fennel, Green Onions, Leek, Tomatillo, Pepper, Melons, Winter & Summer Squash, Jamaican Sorrel, Cranberry Hibiscus, Lima Beans, Okra, Peanut, Eggplant, Poha Berry, Cowpea, Long/Noodle Beans, Rattlesnake Beans, Southern Pea, Squash-Aehobak Korean, Squash Teot Bat Put Avocado, Tatume Squash, Bush & Pole Beans can be planted In April. Note: Heat resistant cucumbers, like Summer Dance Cucumber, can be planted now.
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Roots & Tubers | New Kuroda Carrot, Boniato, Cassava, Sweet Potato, Peanut, Jicama, Tumeric, Ginger, Dasheen, Taro, Yam, Beet
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Herbs | Anise, Basil, Borage, Calendula, Catnip, Chamomile, Caraway, Chives, Cilantro, Comfrey, Dill, Echinacea, Lavender, Lemon Bee Balm, Lemonbalm, Lemongrass, Mugwort, Oregano, Parsley, Sage, Tarragon, Toothache Plant, Thyme and Yarrow
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Edible Flowers | Borage, Calendula, Marigold, Nasturtium, Toothache Plant, Yarrow, Sunflower
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Notes for April – Early May
Plant bolt-resistant lettuces like Muir, Simpson Elite, & Jericho.
You'll want to time your crops of tomatoes, bell peppers, & tomatoes so that you are harvesting by June 1. Read the seed packet for days to harvest.
Summer: Late May - Mid-August
Listen to Episode 166 of Better Lawns & Gardens - gardening expert Teresa Watkins interviews Leah Brooks all about summer gardening!
Greens | Arugula, Collards, Kale, Mustard, Muir Lettuce, Tokyo Bekana, Lemon Sorrel, Mizuna, Chard, Tropical Spinaches (Malabar Spinach, Okinawa Spinach, Longevity Spinach, New Zealand Spinach), Amaranth, Purslane
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Fruits & Vegetables | Chayote, Pumpkin, Calabaza (incl. Seminole Pumpkin), Hot Pepper, Melons, Jamaican Sorrel, Cranberry Hibiscus, Lima Beans, Okra, Peanut, Eggplant, Poha Berry, Cowpea, Long/Noodle Beans, Everglades Tomatoes
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Roots & Tubers | Boniato, Cassava, Sweet Potato, Peanut, Jicama, Turmeric, Ginger, Dasheen, Taro (Plant roots & tubers through July) |
Herbs | Basil, Marjoram, Oregano, Chives, Dill
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Edible Flowers | Borage, Calendula, Marigold, Nasturtium, Toothache Plant, Yarrow, Sunflower
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Notes | Plant bolt-resistant lettuces like Muir, Simpson Elite, & Jericho early in the season. Muir lettuce can be grown all summer in the Tower Garden. |
Fall: Late August – Early October
Greens | Arugula, Collards, Kale, Mustard, Lettuce, Tokyo Bekana, Lemon Sorrel, Mizuna, Chard, Tropical Spinaches (Malabar Spinach, Okinawa Spinach, Longevity Spinach, New Zealand Spinach), Amaranth, Purslane
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Fruits & Vegetables | Chayote, Broccoli, Tropical Broccoli (Piracicaba), Sweet Corn, Cabbage, Chinese Cabbage, Pak Choi, Bok Choy, Sugarcane, Fennel, Green Onions, Leek, Early Season Tomato, Tomatillo, Pepper, Melons, Winter & Summer Squash, Jamaican Sorrel, Cranberry Hibiscus, Lima Beans, Okra, Eggplant, Poha Berry, Bush & Pole Beans, Cowpea, Long/Noodle Beans, Southern Pea, Squash-Aehobak Korean, Squash Teot Bat Put Avocado, Tatume Squash, Cauliflower, Sugarcane, Cucumber
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Roots & Tubers | Carrot (New Kuroda is sub-tropical), Rutabaga, New Potato, Irish Potato, Sweet Potato, Peanut, Jicama, Turmeric, Ginger, Turnip, Beet, Radish
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Herbs | Anise, Basil, Borage, Calendula, Catnip, Chamomile, Caraway, Chives, Cilantro, Comfrey, Dill, Echinacea, Lavender, Lemon Bee Balm, Lemonbalm, Lemongrass, Mugwort, Oregano, Parsley, Sage, Tarragon, Toothache Plant, Thyme and Yarrow
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Edible Flowers | Borage, Calendula, Marigold, Viola, Nasturtium, Toothache Plant, Yarrow, Sunflower
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Notes | 1) Plant Muir lettuce in the Tower Garden throughout the summer |
Happy Planting!
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me here.
~ Leah Brooks
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