Frost dates for Tallahassee, 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 14
typical year
Safe to plant
April 3
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 23
typical year
Growing season
255 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 14 – 28 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 31 – Feb 21 | Sep 28 – Oct 12 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 14 – Mar 7 | Sep 28 – Oct 12 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 14 – Mar 28 | Oct 12 – 26 |
| Onions | – | Feb 14 – 28 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 21 – Mar 7 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 21 – Mar 14 | Aug 31 – Sep 14 |
| Beets | – | Feb 14 – 28 | Sep 14 – 28 |
| Kale | Jan 3 – 17 | Feb 14 – 28 | Sep 14 – 28 |
| Broccoli | Jan 3 – 17 | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | Sep 14 – 28 |
| Cabbage | Dec 20 – Jan 3 | Feb 14 – 28 | Sep 14 – 28 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 12 – Nov 2 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 6 – 20 | Apr 3 – 17 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Apr 10 – 24 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 3 – 24 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 3 – May 1 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 3 – 24 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 3 – Sep 14 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 3 – May 1 | – |
| Basil | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Apr 10 – 17 | – |
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 | April 3 | March 14 | February 20 |
| Fall frost before | November 4 | November 23 | December 17 |
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 March 1 (March 21 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 9.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station TALLAHASSEE AP, FL US (USC00088756), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 2 zip codes, all within 4 miles:
32304, 32310
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.