Kissimmee, Florida: planting zone & frost dates
Kissimmee is in USDA plant hardiness zone 10a, where the average coldest winter night reaches 30 to 35°F (-1.1 to 1.7°C). The typical last spring frost is around Feb 6 and the first fall frost around Dec 30.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Feb 25 | Dec 17 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Feb 6 | Dec 30 |
| Median (50%) | Jan 28 | Jan 6 |
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 KISSIMMEE 2, FL (USC00084625), 1.9 mi (3.0 km) from the city center and 10 ft lower than the city center (-3 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 24 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Kissimmee
All 4 ZIP codes covering Kissimmee are in zone 10a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Kissimmee
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Feb 6, first frost Dec 30). 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 12 – Dec 26 | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | — | — |
| Pepper | Nov 28 – Dec 12 | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | — | — |
| Lettuce Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 26 – Jan 9 | Jan 23 – Feb 13 | Jan 9 – Feb 20 | Oct 21 – Nov 18 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Feb 13 – Mar 20 | Oct 7 – Oct 21 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Feb 13 – Mar 13 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Jan 9 – Jan 16 | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | Feb 13 – Mar 6 | Oct 7 – Oct 21 |
| Cucumber | Jan 9 – Jan 16 | Feb 20 – Feb 27 | Feb 13 – Mar 6 | Oct 7 – Oct 21 |
| Carrot Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 16 – Feb 20 | Oct 7 – Oct 21 |
| Onion Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 14 – Nov 28 | Jan 9 – Jan 23 | — | — |
| Potato Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | Jan 9 – Jan 30 | — | — |
| Basil | Dec 26 – Jan 9 | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Feb 20 – Mar 13 | — |
| Spinach Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 26 – Jan 23 | Nov 4 – Dec 2 |
| Kale Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 12 – Dec 26 | Jan 9 – Jan 30 | Jan 9 – Jan 30 | Oct 21 – Nov 18 |
| Broccoli Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 12 – Dec 26 | Jan 23 – Feb 13 | — | Oct 7 – Oct 21 |
| Peas Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 26 – Jan 16 | Oct 21 – Nov 4 |
| Eggplant | Nov 28 – Dec 12 | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | — | — |
| Cabbage Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 12 – Dec 26 | Jan 9 – Jan 23 | — | Oct 7 – Oct 21 |
| Radish Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 2 – Feb 20 | Nov 18 – Dec 16 |
| Strawberry | — | Jan 9 – Jan 30 | — | — |
| Beets Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 16 – Feb 27 | Oct 21 – Nov 4 |
Nearby cities in Florida
- Orlando — zone 10a, last frost Feb 4, first frost Jan 1
- Lakeland — zone 10a, last frost Feb 3, first frost Jan 1
- Deltona — zone 9b, last frost Feb 6, first frost Jan 2
- Melbourne — zone 10a, last frost Feb 5, first frost Jan 1
- Palm Bay — zone 10a, last frost Jan 30, first frost Jan 6
- Daytona Beach — zone 9b, last frost Feb 9, first frost Dec 29
More: all Florida cities · other zone 10a cities: Los Angeles, CA, Oakland, CA, Tampa, FL, Orlando, FL, Riverside, CA, Corpus Christi, TX, Port St. Lucie, FL, Scottsdale, AZ
Kissimmee gardening questions
When is the last frost in Kissimmee, FL?
Plan around Feb 6. At NOAA's Kissimmee 2, FL station, 1.9 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 28, and after Feb 25 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Jan 16. Springs here are erratic: 56 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 Kissimmee, FL?
Start seeds indoors Dec 12 – Dec 26 and set transplants outside Feb 13 – Feb 27, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. With about 327 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 Kissimmee?
About 342 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 305 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 365 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Dec 17 and a 30% chance by Dec 30. That ranks 15th longest of 20 Florida cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Kissimmee?
Count back from the first fall frost (Dec 30): transplant broccoli Oct 7 – Oct 21; sow kale Oct 21 – Nov 18; sow lettuce Oct 21 – Nov 18; sow radishes Nov 18 – Dec 16. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Jan 12. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Kissimmee's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Kissimmee was zone 9b on the 2012 map and is zone 10a on the 2023 map — half a zone warmer, like about 56% of U.S. ZIP codes. The shift comes from a newer 1991–2020 averaging period plus more weather stations and better mapping; it does not mean last frost comes earlier. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
How does Kissimmee compare with Orlando, FL?
Both are in zone 10a. The typical last spring frost in Kissimmee (Feb 6) comes about the same time as in Orlando, FL (Feb 4), 12 miles away, and the first fall frost is Dec 30 versus Jan 1. The two cities use different NOAA stations.