Port St. Lucie, Florida: planting zone & frost dates
Port St. Lucie 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 Jan 30 and the first fall frost around Jan 10.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Feb 10 | Jan 1 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Jan 30 | Jan 10 |
| Median (50%) | Jan 23 | Jan 18 |
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 STUART, FL (USC00088620), 11.1 mi (17.8 km) from the city center and 10 ft lower than the city center (-3 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 26 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Port St. Lucie
All 7 ZIP codes covering Port St. Lucie are in zone 10a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Port St. Lucie
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Jan 30, first frost Jan 10). 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 5 – Dec 19 | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | — | — |
| Pepper | Nov 21 – Dec 5 | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | — | — |
| Lettuce Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 19 – Jan 2 | Jan 16 – Feb 6 | Jan 2 – Feb 13 | Nov 1 – Nov 29 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Feb 6 – Mar 13 | Oct 18 – Nov 1 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Feb 6 – Mar 6 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Jan 2 – Jan 9 | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | Feb 6 – Feb 27 | Oct 18 – Nov 1 |
| Cucumber | Jan 2 – Jan 9 | Feb 13 – Feb 20 | Feb 6 – Feb 27 | Oct 18 – Nov 1 |
| Carrot Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 9 – Feb 13 | Oct 18 – Nov 1 |
| Onion Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 7 – Nov 21 | Jan 2 – Jan 16 | — | — |
| Potato Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | Jan 2 – Jan 23 | — | — |
| Basil | Dec 19 – Jan 2 | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | Feb 13 – Mar 6 | — |
| Spinach Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 19 – Jan 16 | Nov 15 – Dec 13 |
| Kale Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 5 – Dec 19 | Jan 2 – Jan 23 | Jan 2 – Jan 23 | Nov 1 – Nov 29 |
| Broccoli Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 5 – Dec 19 | Jan 16 – Feb 6 | — | Oct 18 – Nov 1 |
| Peas Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 19 – Jan 9 | Nov 1 – Nov 15 |
| Eggplant | Nov 21 – Dec 5 | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | — | — |
| Cabbage Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 5 – Dec 19 | Jan 2 – Jan 16 | — | Oct 18 – Nov 1 |
| Radish Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 26 – Feb 13 | Nov 29 – Dec 27 |
| Strawberry | — | Jan 2 – Jan 23 | — | — |
| Beets Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 9 – Feb 20 | Nov 1 – Nov 15 |
Nearby cities in Florida
- West Palm Beach — zone 10b, frost rare
- Palm Bay — zone 10a, last frost Jan 30, first frost Jan 6
- Boynton Beach — zone 10b, last frost Jan 31, first frost Jan 7
- Melbourne — zone 10a, last frost Feb 5, first frost Jan 1
- Boca Raton — zone 11a, frost rare
- Deerfield Beach — zone 11a, frost rare
More: all Florida cities · other zone 10a cities: Los Angeles, CA, Oakland, CA, Tampa, FL, Orlando, FL, Riverside, CA, Corpus Christi, TX, Scottsdale, AZ, Santa Clarita, CA
Port St. Lucie gardening questions
When is the last frost in Port St. Lucie, FL?
Plan around Jan 30. At NOAA's Stuart, FL station, 11.1 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 23, and after Feb 10 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. The 90% and 10% dates are 37 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Port St. Lucie, FL?
Start seeds indoors Dec 5 – Dec 19 and set transplants outside Feb 6 – Feb 20, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. With about 345 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 Port St. Lucie?
About 365 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 347 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 365 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Jan 1 and a 30% chance by Jan 10. That ranks 3rd longest of 20 Florida cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Port St. Lucie?
Count back from the first fall frost (Jan 10): transplant broccoli Oct 18 – Nov 1; sow kale Nov 1 – Nov 29; sow lettuce Nov 1 – Nov 29; sow radishes Nov 29 – Dec 27. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Port St. Lucie's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Port St. Lucie is zone 10a 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 Port St. Lucie compare with West Palm Beach, FL?
Port St. Lucie is zone 10a and West Palm Beach is zone 10b. Frost is rare in West Palm Beach, but Port St. Lucie (40 miles away) has a typical last frost around Jan 30 — see West Palm Beach, FL.