Melbourne, Florida: planting zone & frost dates
Melbourne 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 5 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 24 | Dec 20 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Feb 5 | Jan 1 |
| Median (50%) | Jan 24 | 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 MELBOURNE WFO, FL (USC00085612), 0.6 mi (0.9 km) from the city center and 7 ft higher than the city center (+2 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 29 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Melbourne
All 6 ZIP codes covering Melbourne are in zone 10a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Melbourne
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Feb 5, 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 11 – Dec 25 | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | — | — |
| Pepper | Nov 27 – Dec 11 | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | — | — |
| Lettuce Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 25 – Jan 8 | Jan 22 – Feb 12 | Jan 8 – Feb 19 | Oct 23 – Nov 20 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Feb 12 – Mar 19 | Oct 9 – Oct 23 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Feb 12 – Mar 12 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Jan 8 – Jan 15 | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | Feb 12 – Mar 5 | Oct 9 – Oct 23 |
| Cucumber | Jan 8 – Jan 15 | Feb 19 – Feb 26 | Feb 12 – Mar 5 | Oct 9 – Oct 23 |
| Carrot Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 15 – Feb 19 | Oct 9 – Oct 23 |
| Onion Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 13 – Nov 27 | Jan 8 – Jan 22 | — | — |
| Potato Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | Jan 8 – Jan 29 | — | — |
| Basil | Dec 25 – Jan 8 | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Feb 19 – Mar 12 | — |
| Spinach Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 25 – Jan 22 | Nov 6 – Dec 4 |
| Kale Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 11 – Dec 25 | Jan 8 – Jan 29 | Jan 8 – Jan 29 | Oct 23 – Nov 20 |
| Broccoli Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 11 – Dec 25 | Jan 22 – Feb 12 | — | Oct 9 – Oct 23 |
| Peas Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 25 – Jan 15 | Oct 23 – Nov 6 |
| Eggplant | Nov 27 – Dec 11 | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | — | — |
| Cabbage Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 11 – Dec 25 | Jan 8 – Jan 22 | — | Oct 9 – Oct 23 |
| Radish Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 1 – Feb 19 | Nov 20 – Dec 18 |
| Strawberry | — | Jan 8 – Jan 29 | — | — |
| Beets Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 15 – Feb 26 | Oct 23 – Nov 6 |
Nearby cities in Florida
- Palm Bay — zone 10a, last frost Jan 30, first frost Jan 6
- Orlando — zone 10a, last frost Feb 4, first frost Jan 1
- Kissimmee — zone 10a, last frost Feb 6, first frost Dec 30
- Port St. Lucie — zone 10a, last frost Jan 30, first frost Jan 10
- Deltona — zone 9b, last frost Feb 6, first frost Jan 2
- 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
Melbourne gardening questions
When is the last frost in Melbourne, FL?
Plan around Feb 5. At NOAA's Melbourne Wfo, FL station, 0.6 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 24, and after Feb 24 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Jan 15. 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 Melbourne, FL?
Start seeds indoors Dec 11 – Dec 25 and set transplants outside Feb 12 – Feb 26, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. With about 330 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 Melbourne?
About 359 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 316 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 11th longest of 20 Florida cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Melbourne?
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 10. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Melbourne's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Melbourne 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 Melbourne compare with Palm Bay, FL?
Both are in zone 10a. The typical last spring frost in Melbourne (Feb 5) comes about 6 days later than in Palm Bay, FL (Jan 30), 11 miles away, and the first fall frost is Jan 1 versus Jan 6. The two cities use different NOAA stations.