Frost dates for Apalachicola, 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
February 20
typical year
Safe to plant
March 12
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 13
typical year
Growing season
299 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 | – | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 9 – 30 | Oct 18 – Nov 1 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 23 – Feb 13 | Oct 18 – Nov 1 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 23 – Mar 6 | Nov 1 – 15 |
| Onions | – | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | – |
| Carrots | – | Jan 30 – Feb 20 | Sep 20 – Oct 4 |
| Beets | – | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Oct 4 – 18 |
| Kale | Dec 12 – 26 | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Oct 4 – 18 |
| Broccoli | Dec 12 – 26 | Feb 6 – 20 | Oct 4 – 18 |
| Cabbage | Nov 28 – Dec 12 | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Oct 4 – 18 |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 1 – 22 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 15 – 29 | Mar 12 – 26 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 8 – 22 | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 12 – Apr 9 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 12 – Oct 4 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 12 – Apr 9 | – |
| Basil | Feb 5 – 19 | Mar 19 – 26 | – |
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 12 | February 20 | January 20 |
| Fall frost before | November 17 | December 13 | January 16 |
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 5 (March 1 in a late year), and the first one in fall around January 1.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Apalachicola
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station APALACHICOLA AIRPORT, FL US (USC00080211), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 1 zip code, all within 9 miles:
32328
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.