Daytona Beach, Florida: planting zone & frost dates
Daytona Beach is in USDA plant hardiness zone 9b, where the average coldest winter night reaches 25 to 30°F (-3.9 to -1.1°C). The typical last spring frost is around Feb 9 and the first fall frost around Dec 29.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Feb 26 | Dec 10 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Feb 9 | Dec 29 |
| Median (50%) | Jan 30 | Jan 8 |
How to read this: after the spring "10% risk" date, a 32°F frost happens in only about 1 year in 10. In fall, the "10% risk" date is the early end — a frost before it happens about 1 year in 10.
Frost data comes from NOAA station DAYTONA BEACH INTL AP, FL (USW00012834), 3.0 mi (4.8 km) from the city center and 16 ft higher than the city center (+5 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 29 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Daytona Beach
Daytona Beach spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 6 ZIP codes): 9b (89%), 10a (11%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
Vegetable planting calendar for Daytona Beach
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Feb 9, first frost Dec 29). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Dec 15 – Dec 29 | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | — | — |
| Pepper | Dec 1 – Dec 15 | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | — | — |
| Lettuce Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 29 – Jan 12 | Jan 26 – Feb 16 | Jan 12 – Feb 23 | Oct 20 – Nov 17 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Feb 16 – Mar 23 | Oct 6 – Oct 20 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Feb 16 – Mar 16 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Jan 12 – Jan 19 | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Feb 16 – Mar 9 | Oct 6 – Oct 20 |
| Cucumber | Jan 12 – Jan 19 | Feb 23 – Mar 2 | Feb 16 – Mar 9 | Oct 6 – Oct 20 |
| Carrot Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 19 – Feb 23 | Oct 6 – Oct 20 |
| Onion Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 17 – Dec 1 | Jan 12 – Jan 26 | — | — |
| Potato Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | Jan 12 – Feb 2 | — | — |
| Basil | Dec 29 – Jan 12 | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Feb 23 – Mar 16 | — |
| Spinach Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 29 – Jan 26 | Nov 3 – Dec 1 |
| Kale Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 15 – Dec 29 | Jan 12 – Feb 2 | Jan 12 – Feb 2 | Oct 20 – Nov 17 |
| Broccoli Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 15 – Dec 29 | Jan 26 – Feb 16 | — | Oct 6 – Oct 20 |
| Peas Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 29 – Jan 19 | Oct 20 – Nov 3 |
| Eggplant | Dec 1 – Dec 15 | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | — | — |
| Cabbage Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 15 – Dec 29 | Jan 12 – Jan 26 | — | Oct 6 – Oct 20 |
| Radish Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 5 – Feb 23 | Nov 17 – Dec 15 |
| Strawberry | — | Jan 12 – Feb 2 | — | — |
| Beets Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 19 – Mar 2 | Oct 20 – Nov 3 |
Nearby cities in Florida
- Deltona — zone 9b, last frost Feb 6, first frost Jan 2
- Palm Coast — zone 9b, last frost Feb 2, first frost Jan 1
- Orlando — zone 10a, last frost Feb 4, first frost Jan 1
- Kissimmee — zone 10a, last frost Feb 6, first frost Dec 30
- Melbourne — zone 10a, last frost Feb 5, first frost Jan 1
- Jacksonville — zone 9b, last frost Feb 15, first frost Dec 24
More: all Florida cities · other zone 9b cities: Houston, TX, Phoenix, AZ, Jacksonville, FL, San Jose, CA, Fresno, CA, Sacramento, CA, Mesa, AZ, Bakersfield, CA
Daytona Beach gardening questions
When is the last frost in Daytona Beach, FL?
Plan around Feb 9. At NOAA's Daytona Beach Int'l Airport, FL station, 3.0 mi from the city center, there is a 30% chance of a 32°F frost after that date. Half of springs have their last frost by Jan 30, and after Feb 26 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Jan 17. Springs here are erratic: 57 days separate the 90% and 10% dates, versus a median of 36 days for cities on this site, so watch the forecast rather than the calendar.
When should I plant tomatoes in Daytona Beach, FL?
Start seeds indoors Dec 15 – Dec 29 and set transplants outside Feb 16 – Mar 2, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. With about 323 frost-free days, frost is not the main limit — fruit set drops when nights stay above about 75°F, so early plantings tend to do best. More: tomato planting dates by zone.
How long is the growing season in Daytona Beach?
About 340 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 306 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 365 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Dec 10 and a 30% chance by Dec 29. That ranks 16th longest of 20 Florida cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Daytona Beach?
Count back from the first fall frost (Dec 29): transplant broccoli Oct 6 – Oct 20; sow kale Oct 20 – Nov 17; sow lettuce Oct 20 – Nov 17; sow radishes Nov 17 – Dec 15. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Jan 10. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Daytona Beach's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Daytona Beach is zone 9b on both the 2012 and the 2023 USDA maps (PRISM/OSU ZIP listings). About 42% of U.S. ZIP codes kept their half-zone in 2023. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
Is all of Daytona Beach in zone 9b?
No. Zone 9b covers about 89% of the city's land; the rest is in 10a (11%), measured across the city's 6 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.