Florida growing guide: zones, planting dates and where to start
How Florida zones change planting dates, with spring dates for its main growing region.
Not yet expert-reviewed. Written by BAU Farm Intelligence from public extension and agency sources. Check dates and program details with your local extension office.
Tax and grant program names checked against official state websites by BAU staff (October 2026). This is a fact check, not an expert review.
Zones across Florida
Florida covers USDA Zones 8b–9b on our calendar. A date that works in one part of the state can be weeks off in another, so plant by your zone, not the state.
- Zone 8b — Jacksonville and the north. Average last frost 03/15, first frost 11/15 (about 245 frost-free days).
- Zone 9a — Gainesville and the northern interior. Average last frost 02/25, first frost 12/01 (about 279 frost-free days).
- Zone 9b — Orlando, Tampa and the central and south coast. Average last frost 02/05, first frost 12/15 (about 313 frost-free days).
Spring dates for Orlando, Tampa and the central and south coast (Zone 9b)
- Tomatoes: set out February 12 – March 5; fall September 1 – September 22
- Peppers: set out February 19 – March 12; fall September 15 – October 6
- Watermelon: set out February 19 – March 12
- Sweet corn: seed February 5 – February 26; fall September 15 – October 6
- Summer squash: seed February 12 – March 5; fall October 6 – October 27
- Cucumbers: set out February 12 – March 5; fall September 29 – October 20
- Okra: seed February 19 – March 12
- Green beans (bush): seed February 5 – February 26; fall September 29 – October 20
These are averages worked out from frost dates, not a state extension schedule. Adjust for your field and the season.
Published costs per acre
- Constructing a Southwest Florida Tomato Enterprise Budget (FE1087) (UF/IFAS — Food & Resource Economics, 2020): about $14,073 per acre.
- Constructing a Southwest Florida Bell Peppers Enterprise Budget (FE1088) (UF/IFAS — Food & Resource Economics, 2020): about $14,881 per acre.
- Watermelon Production Budget for North Florida (FE1104) (UF/IFAS — Food & Resource Economics, 2021): about $4,278 per acre.
Where to sell in Florida
- State buy-local program: the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services runs Fresh From Florida. Members can be listed for grocery, restaurant and school buyers looking for in-state product — ask about joining and any marketing directories.
- Established market: The state farmers market network run by the department, including Plant City. Visit on a market morning and talk to the produce dealers before you plant, not after harvest.
- Farmers markets, CSAs and on-farm stands: the USDA Local Food Directories list them by state, so you can see who already sells near you and which markets still need your crop.
- Schools and institutions: ask your state's farm-to-school contact (usually through the agriculture or education department) what they buy and when.
- Buyers on BAU: buyers post what they need on the marketplace, and you can list your crop window there for free.
Call before you count on any buyer: programs and market hours change, and a price talked through in winter is worth more than one found at harvest.
Farm taxes in Florida
- Income tax: No state personal income tax; corporations pay a state corporate income tax.
- Sales tax on inputs: Farm inputs and equipment are exempt; show the vendor your Farm Tax Exempt Agricultural Materials (TEAM) Card, applied for with Form DR-1 TEAM from the Department of Revenue.
- Farmland property tax: Greenbelt agricultural classification: land in good-faith commercial farming is taxed on its farm use; apply through the county property appraiser with Form DR-482 by March 1.
Rates and forms change. Confirm with the state revenue department or a farm tax preparer before you file — this is a plain-language guide, not tax advice. Our farm tax estimator covers the federal deductions every state shares.
Grants and cost-share in Florida
- Specialty Crop Block Grant (Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services)
- FDACS Best Management Practices (BMP) Cost Share Program (Office of Agricultural Water Policy)
- Rural and Family Lands Protection Program easements
- USDA NRCS EQIP cost-share and FSA microloans through your county USDA service center
- Southern SARE farmer and rancher grants for on-farm trials
See the grant tracker for deadlines we follow.
Who to call
- UF/IFAS Extension and FAMU Cooperative Extension — county offices for soil tests, varieties and pest help
- Your county USDA service center (FSA and NRCS) for loans, cost-share and farm numbers
Sources
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map
- Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
- USDA Local Food Directories
- UF/IFAS — Food & Resource Economics — Constructing a Southwest Florida Tomato Enterprise Budget (FE1087) (2020)
- UF/IFAS — Food & Resource Economics — Constructing a Southwest Florida Bell Peppers Enterprise Budget (FE1088) (2020)
- UF/IFAS — Food & Resource Economics — Watermelon Production Budget for North Florida (FE1104) (2021)