Frost dates for Fort Walton Beach, 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 5
typical year
Safe to plant
March 4
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 28
typical year
Growing season
321 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 8 – 22 | – |
| Spinach | – | Dec 25 – Jan 15 | Nov 2 – 16 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 8 – 29 | Nov 2 – 16 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 8 – Feb 19 | Nov 16 – 30 |
| Onions | – | Jan 8 – 22 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Jan 15 – 29 | – |
| Carrots | – | Jan 15 – Feb 5 | Oct 5 – 19 |
| Beets | – | Jan 8 – 22 | Oct 19 – Nov 2 |
| Kale | Nov 27 – Dec 11 | Jan 8 – 22 | Oct 19 – Nov 2 |
| Broccoli | Nov 27 – Dec 11 | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Oct 19 – Nov 2 |
| Cabbage | Nov 13 – 27 | Jan 8 – 22 | Oct 19 – Nov 2 |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 16 – Dec 7 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 7 – 21 | Mar 4 – 18 | – |
| Peppers | Dec 31 – Jan 14 | Mar 11 – 25 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 4 – 25 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 4 – Apr 1 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 4 – 25 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 4 – Oct 19 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 4 – Apr 1 | – |
| Basil | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Mar 11 – 18 | – |
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 4 | February 5 | January 5 |
| Fall frost before | December 1 | December 28 | January 27 |
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 27 (February 25 in a late year), and the first one in fall around January 7.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 5 towns.
Fort Walton Beach, Destin, Mary Esther, Shalimar, Cinco Bayou
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station DESTIN FT WALTON AP, FL US (USW00053853), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 6 zip codes, all within 17 miles:
32459, 32541, 32544, 32548, 32550, 32579
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.