Gainesville, Florida: planting zone & frost dates
Gainesville is in USDA plant hardiness zone 9a, where the average coldest winter night reaches 20 to 25°F (-6.7 to -3.9°C). The typical last spring frost is around Mar 13 and the first fall frost around Nov 24.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Mar 23 | Nov 12 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Mar 13 | Nov 24 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 3 | Dec 2 |
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 GAINESVILLE RGNL AP, FL (USW00012816), 4.3 mi (7.0 km) from the city center and 46 ft lower than the city center (-14 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 27 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Gainesville
All 11 ZIP codes covering Gainesville are in zone 9a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Gainesville
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Mar 13, first frost Nov 24). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Jan 16 – Jan 30 | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 2 – Jan 16 | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Feb 27 – Mar 20 | Feb 13 – Mar 27 | Sep 15 – Oct 13 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Mar 20 – Apr 24 | Sep 1 – Sep 15 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Mar 20 – Apr 17 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Feb 13 – Feb 20 | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | Sep 1 – Sep 15 |
| Cucumber | Feb 13 – Feb 20 | Mar 27 – Apr 3 | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | Sep 1 – Sep 15 |
| Carrot | — | — | Feb 20 – Mar 27 | Sep 1 – Sep 15 |
| Onion | Dec 19 – Jan 2 | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Feb 13 – Mar 6 | — | — |
| Basil | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Jan 30 – Feb 27 | Sep 29 – Oct 27 |
| Kale | Jan 16 – Jan 30 | Feb 13 – Mar 6 | Feb 13 – Mar 6 | Sep 15 – Oct 13 |
| Broccoli | Jan 16 – Jan 30 | Feb 27 – Mar 20 | — | Sep 1 – Sep 15 |
| Peas | — | — | Jan 30 – Feb 20 | Sep 15 – Sep 29 |
| Eggplant | Jan 2 – Jan 16 | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Jan 16 – Jan 30 | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | — | Sep 1 – Sep 15 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 6 – Mar 27 | Oct 13 – Nov 10 |
| Strawberry | — | Feb 13 – Mar 6 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Feb 20 – Apr 3 | Sep 15 – Sep 29 |
Nearby cities in Florida
- Jacksonville — zone 9b, last frost Feb 15, first frost Dec 24
- Palm Coast — zone 9b, last frost Feb 2, first frost Jan 1
- Daytona Beach — zone 9b, last frost Feb 9, first frost Dec 29
- Deltona — zone 9b, last frost Feb 6, first frost Jan 2
- Kissimmee — zone 10a, last frost Feb 6, first frost Dec 30
- Lakeland — zone 10a, last frost Feb 3, first frost Jan 1
More: all Florida cities · other zone 9a cities: San Antonio, TX, Austin, TX, Seattle, WA, Las Vegas, NV, Portland, OR, Tucson, AZ, Baton Rouge, LA, Tallahassee, FL
Gainesville gardening questions
When is the last frost in Gainesville, FL?
Plan around Mar 13. At NOAA's Gainesville Regional Airport, FL station, 4.3 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 Mar 3, and after Mar 23 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Feb 12. Springs here are erratic: 50 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 Gainesville, FL?
Start seeds indoors Jan 16 – Jan 30 and set transplants outside Mar 20 – Apr 3, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 256 days between the 30% frost dates, enough for most varieties including 80–85-day slicers. More: tomato planting dates by zone.
How long is the growing season in Gainesville?
About 277 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 246 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 310 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Nov 12 and a 30% chance by Nov 24. That ranks 19th longest of 20 Florida cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Gainesville?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 24): transplant broccoli Sep 1 – Sep 15; sow kale Sep 15 – Oct 13; sow lettuce Sep 15 – Oct 13; sow radishes Oct 13 – Nov 10. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Dec 25. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Gainesville's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Gainesville is zone 9a 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.
How does Gainesville compare with Jacksonville, FL?
Gainesville is zone 9a and Jacksonville is zone 9b. The typical last spring frost in Gainesville (Mar 13) comes about 26 days later than in Jacksonville, FL (Feb 15), 61 miles away, and the first fall frost is Nov 24 versus Dec 24. Gainesville sits about 165 ft higher, which explains part of the gap. The two cities use different NOAA stations.