Frost dates for Fort Lauderdale, 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
January 22
typical year
Safe to plant
February 7
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
January 17
typical year
Growing season
365 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 11 – Jan 1 | Nov 22 – Dec 6 |
| Lettuce | – | Dec 25 – Jan 15 | Nov 22 – Dec 6 |
| Radishes | – | Dec 25 – Feb 5 | Dec 6 – 20 |
| Onions | – | Dec 25 – Jan 8 | – |
| Potatoes | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Carrots | – | Jan 1 – 22 | Oct 25 – Nov 8 |
| Beets | – | Dec 25 – Jan 8 | Nov 8 – 22 |
| Kale | Nov 13 – 27 | Dec 25 – Jan 8 | Nov 8 – 22 |
| Broccoli | Nov 13 – 27 | Jan 8 – 22 | Nov 8 – 22 |
| Cabbage | Oct 30 – Nov 13 | Dec 25 – Jan 8 | Nov 8 – 22 |
| Garlic | – | – | Dec 6 – 27 |
| 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 | February 7 | January 22 | December 31 |
| Fall frost before | December 31 | January 17 | February 5 |
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 n/a (n/a in a late year), and the first one in fall around n/a.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 41 towns.
Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Coral Springs, Pompano Beach, Davie, Boca Raton, Plantation, Sunrise, Deerfield Beach, Boynton Beach, Lauderhill, Tamarac, Delray Beach, Wellington, Margate, Coconut Creek, North Lauderdale, Oakland Park, Greenacres, Lake Worth Beach, Parkland, Lauderdale Lakes, Cooper City, Dania Beach, Palm Springs, Lantana, Wilton Manors, Lighthouse Point, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Highland Beach, Hypoluxo, Atlantis, Hillsboro Beach, Ocean Ridge, South Palm Beach, Gulf Stream, Sea Ranch Lakes, Briny Breezes, Manalapan, Golf and 1 more
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station LOXAHATCHEE NWR, FL US (USC00085184), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 74 zip codes, all within 34 miles:
33004, 33019, 33020, 33021, 33022, 33024, 33060, 33062, 33063, 33064, 33065, 33066, 33067, 33068, 33069, 33071, 33073, 33076, 33301, 33304, 33305, 33306, 33308, 33309, 33311, 33312, 33313, 33314, 33315, 33316, 33317, 33319, 33321, 33322, 33323, 33324, 33325, 33326, 33327, 33328, 33330, 33331, 33334, 33351, 33388, 33414, 33426, 33428, 33431, 33432, 33433, 33434, 33435, 33436, 33437, 33441, 33442, 33444, 33445, 33446, 33449, 33460, 33461, 33462, 33463, 33467, 33472, 33473, 33483, 33484, 33486, 33487, 33496, 33498
8 of these zip codes are more than 30 miles from the station, so their real frost dates may differ by a week or more.
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.