Palm Coast, Florida: planting zone & frost dates
Palm Coast 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 2 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 18 | Dec 19 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Feb 2 | Jan 1 |
| Median (50%) | Jan 24 | Jan 11 |
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 PALM COAST 6NE, FL (USC00086767), 6.9 mi (11.1 km) from the city center and 23 ft lower than the city center (-7 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 16 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Palm Coast
All 4 ZIP codes covering Palm Coast are in zone 9b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Palm Coast
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Feb 2, 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 8 – Dec 22 | Feb 9 – Feb 23 | — | — |
| Pepper | Nov 24 – Dec 8 | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | — | — |
| Lettuce Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 22 – Jan 5 | Jan 19 – Feb 9 | Jan 5 – Feb 16 | Oct 23 – Nov 20 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Feb 9 – Mar 16 | Oct 9 – Oct 23 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Feb 9 – Mar 9 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Jan 5 – Jan 12 | Feb 9 – Feb 23 | Feb 9 – Mar 2 | Oct 9 – Oct 23 |
| Cucumber | Jan 5 – Jan 12 | Feb 16 – Feb 23 | Feb 9 – Mar 2 | Oct 9 – Oct 23 |
| Carrot Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 12 – Feb 16 | Oct 9 – Oct 23 |
| Onion Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 10 – Nov 24 | Jan 5 – Jan 19 | — | — |
| Potato Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | Jan 5 – Jan 26 | — | — |
| Basil | Dec 22 – Jan 5 | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Feb 16 – Mar 9 | — |
| Spinach Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 22 – Jan 19 | Nov 6 – Dec 4 |
| Kale Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 8 – Dec 22 | Jan 5 – Jan 26 | Jan 5 – Jan 26 | Oct 23 – Nov 20 |
| Broccoli Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 8 – Dec 22 | Jan 19 – Feb 9 | — | Oct 9 – Oct 23 |
| Peas Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 22 – Jan 12 | Oct 23 – Nov 6 |
| Eggplant | Nov 24 – Dec 8 | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | — | — |
| Cabbage Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 8 – Dec 22 | Jan 5 – Jan 19 | — | Oct 9 – Oct 23 |
| Radish Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 29 – Feb 16 | Nov 20 – Dec 18 |
| Strawberry | — | Jan 5 – Jan 26 | — | — |
| Beets Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 12 – Feb 23 | Oct 23 – Nov 6 |
Nearby cities in Florida
- Daytona Beach — zone 9b, last frost Feb 9, first frost Dec 29
- Deltona — zone 9b, last frost Feb 6, first frost Jan 2
- Jacksonville — zone 9b, last frost Feb 15, first frost Dec 24
- Gainesville — zone 9a, last frost Mar 13, first frost Nov 24
- Orlando — zone 10a, last frost Feb 4, first frost Jan 1
- Kissimmee — zone 10a, last frost Feb 6, first frost Dec 30
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
Palm Coast gardening questions
When is the last frost in Palm Coast, FL?
Plan around Feb 2. At NOAA's Palm Coast 6NE, FL station, 6.9 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 24, and after Feb 18 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Jan 19. Springs here are erratic: 49 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 Palm Coast, FL?
Start seeds indoors Dec 8 – Dec 22 and set transplants outside Feb 9 – Feb 23, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. With about 333 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 Palm Coast?
About 356 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 320 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 365 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Dec 19 and a 30% chance by Jan 1. That ranks 12th longest of 20 Florida cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Palm Coast?
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 16. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Palm Coast's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Palm Coast was zone 9a on the 2012 map and is zone 9b 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 Palm Coast compare with Daytona Beach, FL?
Both are in zone 9b. The typical last spring frost in Palm Coast (Feb 2) comes about 7 days earlier than in Daytona Beach, FL (Feb 9), 25 miles away, and the first fall frost is Jan 1 versus Dec 29. The two cities use different NOAA stations.