Florida planting calendar

When to plant tomatoes in Florida — sow, transplant & harvest dates

Florida is mostly USDA zone 9b (range 8a-11b). Dates below are derived from tomatoes's frost tolerance and Florida's frost window — not generic national averages.

Tomatoes planting timetable for Florida

Stage	When in Florida	Anchor
Start seeds indoors (spring crop)	mid-January (January 14)	6 weeks before the last frost (late February (north) to no frost (south))
Transplant outside (spring crop)	early March (March 7)	10 days after the last frost (late February (north) to no frost (south))
Spring-crop harvest	late May onward, before peak summer heat	75-day crop — finishes before mid-summer
Plant the fall crop	mid-September (September 17) — once the worst heat breaks	~89 days before the first fall frost (mid-December (north) to no frost (south))
Fall-crop harvest	early December into early winter	75-day crop — often the more productive of the two

Dates are state-wide averages for the dominant zone. Local microclimates — elevation, urban heat, coastal moderation — can shift the window by 1-2 weeks. Use the frost-date calculator for a date tuned to your town.

Why Florida's climate shifts the tomatoes dates

Florida's long hot summer shuts down fruit set, so locals run two short crops — a spring planting and a fall planting — around a deliberate mid-summer pause, instead of one long northern-style season. Florida is the warmest state in the contiguous US, with subtropical to tropical conditions. The growing constraint is summer heat, humidity, and rain — not cold.

Wait until soil has warmed to at least 16 °C and night temperatures stay above 10 °C. Tomatoes set fruit poorly below 13 °C at night and stop above 32 °C, which is why hot-zone gardeners run a spring + fall crop instead of one long summer.

Frost-risk note

A light frost in the western Panhandle near Tallahassee (zone 8a) can clip an early spring planting; the bigger risk is mid-summer heat sterilising flowers.

Regional variation within Florida

the Florida Keys (zone 11b) can start the spring crop weeks earlier and may garden almost year-round; the western Panhandle near Tallahassee (zone 8a) runs a shorter, more northern-style single season.

Miami — USDA zone 11a
Orlando — USDA zone 10a
Tampa — USDA zone 10a
Jacksonville — USDA zone 9a
Tallahassee — USDA zone 8b

What else to plant in Florida around then

Pair the spring slot with other heat-lovers (peppers, squash, beans); use the cool October–February window for greens and brassicas.

Quick-grow guide

Sun: Full sun — 6+ hours direct.
Soil temperature for germination: 21-27 °C (70-80 °F).
Spacing: 24-36 inches (60-90 cm) between plants.
Days to harvest: ~75 days from planting out.

Frequently asked questions

When is the best time to plant tomatoes in Florida?

In Florida (mostly USDA zone 9b), sow tomatoes indoors around mid-January, set the spring crop out early March, harvest before peak summer heat, then plant a second crop mid-September for an autumn harvest. Avoid mid-summer. Tomatoes are frost-tender — a single light frost kills seedlings, so they only go outside once frost danger has fully passed and the soil is warm.

What USDA zone is Florida?

Most of Florida sits in USDA hardiness zone 9b, with the state spanning roughly 8a-11b from the western Panhandle near Tallahassee (zone 8a) to the Florida Keys (zone 11b). The last spring frost averages late February (north) to no frost (south) and the first fall frost mid-December (north) to no frost (south).

Can you grow tomatoes in Florida?

Yes. Florida's dominant zone 9b supports tomatoes — the key is timing. Tomatoes are frost-tender — a single light frost kills seedlings, so they only go outside once frost danger has fully passed and the soil is warm.

Does the planting date change across Florida?

What else can I plant in Florida around the same time?

Pair the spring slot with other heat-lovers (peppers, squash, beans); use the cool October–February window for greens and brassicas.

Source and methodology

State zone spans from the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023); frost-date averages from NOAA Climate Data Online. Hot-state two-season timing cross-checked against the UF/IFAS Florida Gardening Calendar and the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension planting calendar. Curated by the Growli editorial team.