Frost dates for Alachua, FL
When the last spring frost and first fall frost usually come, and when to plant, from 30 years of NOAA weather records.
Last spring frost
March 4
typical year
Safe to plant
March 26
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 4
typical year
Growing season
274 days
frost-free, typical year
Frost watch this week
Tonight's and the next six nights' lows from the National Weather Service forecast for the station's location. Frost: 32°F or colder. Possible frost: 33–36°F, mostly in low spots on clear, still nights.
When to plant
Counted from this page's frost dates. Warm-season crops wait for the safe-to-plant date.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cool-season crops | |||
| Peas | – | Feb 4 – 18 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 21 – Feb 11 | Oct 9 – 23 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 4 – 25 | Oct 9 – 23 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 4 – Mar 18 | Oct 23 – Nov 6 |
| Onions | – | Feb 4 – 18 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 11 – 25 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 11 – Mar 4 | Sep 11 – 25 |
| Beets | – | Feb 4 – 18 | Sep 25 – Oct 9 |
| Kale | Dec 24 – Jan 7 | Feb 4 – 18 | Sep 25 – Oct 9 |
| Broccoli | Dec 24 – Jan 7 | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Sep 25 – Oct 9 |
| Cabbage | Dec 10 – 24 | Feb 4 – 18 | Sep 25 – Oct 9 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 23 – Nov 13 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Apr 2 – 16 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 26 – Apr 16 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 26 – Apr 23 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 26 – Apr 16 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 26 – Sep 25 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 26 – Apr 23 | – |
| Basil | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Apr 2 – 9 | – |
Onions: from sets. Green beans: until 10 weeks before the first fall frost. Garlic: harvest next summer.
The year at a glance
Start indoors Plant outside Fall planting
The chance of frost, by date
| 1 year in 10 | Half of years | 9 years in 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring frost after | March 26 | March 4 | February 3 |
| Fall frost before | November 10 | December 4 | January 6 |
Frost here means 32°F or colder. Read across: in 1 year in 10, spring frost carries on past the first date, which is why that date is the safe-to-plant date.
Hard freeze (28°F)
A hard freeze kills most garden plants, even hardy ones. The last one in spring usually comes around February 16 (March 15 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 24.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 4 towns.
Alachua, Newberry, Williston, Archer
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station GAINESVILLE 11 WNW, FL US (USC00083322), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 7 zip codes, all within 19 miles:
32606, 32607, 32608, 32618, 32653, 32669, 32696
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.