Frost dates for Arcadia, 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 7
typical year
Safe to plant
March 10
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
January 4
typical year
Growing season
324 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 | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Spinach | – | Dec 27 – Jan 17 | Nov 9 – 23 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 10 – 31 | Nov 9 – 23 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 10 – Feb 21 | Nov 23 – Dec 7 |
| Onions | – | Jan 10 – 24 | – |
| Potatoes | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Carrots | – | Jan 17 – Feb 7 | Oct 12 – 26 |
| Beets | – | Jan 10 – 24 | Oct 26 – Nov 9 |
| Kale | Nov 29 – Dec 13 | Jan 10 – 24 | Oct 26 – Nov 9 |
| Broccoli | Nov 29 – Dec 13 | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | Oct 26 – Nov 9 |
| Cabbage | Nov 15 – 29 | Jan 10 – 24 | Oct 26 – Nov 9 |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 23 – Dec 14 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Peppers | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Cucumbers | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Zucchini | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Pumpkins | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Green beans | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Sweet corn | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Basil | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
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 10 | February 7 | January 8 |
| Fall frost before | December 8 | January 4 | February 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 January 28 (February 26 in a late year), and the first one in fall around January 11.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Arcadia
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station ARCADIA, FL US (USC00080228), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 4 zip codes, all within 10 miles:
34266, 34267, 34268, 34269
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.