Lakeland, Florida: planting zone & frost dates
Lakeland 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 3 and the first fall frost around Jan 1.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Feb 21 | Dec 20 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Feb 3 | Jan 1 |
| Median (50%) | Jan 26 | Jan 9 |
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 LAKELAND 2, FL (USC00084802), 5.7 mi (9.1 km) from the city center and 62 ft lower than the city center (-19 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 21 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Lakeland
Lakeland spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 9 ZIP codes): 10a (60%), 9b (40%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
Vegetable planting calendar for Lakeland
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Feb 3, first frost Jan 1). 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 9 – Dec 23 | Feb 10 – Feb 24 | — | — |
| Pepper | Nov 25 – Dec 9 | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | — | — |
| Lettuce Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 23 – Jan 6 | Jan 20 – Feb 10 | Jan 6 – Feb 17 | Oct 23 – Nov 20 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Feb 10 – Mar 17 | Oct 9 – Oct 23 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Feb 10 – Mar 10 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Jan 6 – Jan 13 | Feb 10 – Feb 24 | Feb 10 – Mar 3 | Oct 9 – Oct 23 |
| Cucumber | Jan 6 – Jan 13 | Feb 17 – Feb 24 | Feb 10 – Mar 3 | Oct 9 – Oct 23 |
| Carrot Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 13 – Feb 17 | Oct 9 – Oct 23 |
| Onion Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 11 – Nov 25 | Jan 6 – Jan 20 | — | — |
| Potato Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | Jan 6 – Jan 27 | — | — |
| Basil | Dec 23 – Jan 6 | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | Feb 17 – Mar 10 | — |
| Spinach Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 23 – Jan 20 | Nov 6 – Dec 4 |
| Kale Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 9 – Dec 23 | Jan 6 – Jan 27 | Jan 6 – Jan 27 | Oct 23 – Nov 20 |
| Broccoli Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 9 – Dec 23 | Jan 20 – Feb 10 | — | Oct 9 – Oct 23 |
| Peas Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 23 – Jan 13 | Oct 23 – Nov 6 |
| Eggplant | Nov 25 – Dec 9 | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | — | — |
| Cabbage Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 9 – Dec 23 | Jan 6 – Jan 20 | — | Oct 9 – Oct 23 |
| Radish Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 30 – Feb 17 | Nov 20 – Dec 18 |
| Strawberry | — | Jan 6 – Jan 27 | — | — |
| Beets Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 13 – Feb 24 | Oct 23 – Nov 6 |
Nearby cities in Florida
- Tampa — zone 10a, last frost Jan 31, first frost Jan 3
- Kissimmee — zone 10a, last frost Feb 6, first frost Dec 30
- St. Petersburg — zone 10b, last frost Jan 28, first frost Jan 7
- Orlando — zone 10a, last frost Feb 4, first frost Jan 1
- Clearwater — zone 10a, last frost Jan 26, first frost Jan 6
- Largo — zone 10a, last frost Jan 26, first frost Jan 6
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
Lakeland gardening questions
When is the last frost in Lakeland, FL?
Plan around Feb 3. At NOAA's Lakeland 2, FL station, 5.7 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 26, and after Feb 21 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Jan 17. 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 Lakeland, FL?
Start seeds indoors Dec 9 – Dec 23 and set transplants outside Feb 10 – Feb 24, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. With about 332 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 Lakeland?
About 349 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 313 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 365 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Dec 20 and a 30% chance by Jan 1. That ranks 14th longest of 20 Florida cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Lakeland?
Count back from the first fall frost (Jan 1): transplant broccoli Oct 9 – Oct 23; sow kale Oct 23 – Nov 20; sow lettuce Oct 23 – Nov 20; sow radishes Nov 20 – Dec 18. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Jan 13. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Lakeland's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Lakeland 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.
Is all of Lakeland in zone 10a?
No. Zone 10a covers about 60% of the city's land; the rest is in 9b (40%), measured across the city's 9 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.