When to plant cauliflower in USDA Zone 9b

Plan your cauliflower planting around local frost risk and soil temperature, then work backward from the harvest week your buyers need. The calendar below is a starting point, not a field-level weather forecast.

Orlando, Tampa, San Antonio, southern LA coast. Average last spring frost February 5, first fall frost December 15 — a 313-day frost-free season.

Zone fit: good
Cool-season crops bolt fast under Zone 9b heat. Prioritize the fall planting window and use shade cloth for any spring succession.

Key dates

Start seeds indoors
December 18 – January 1
Transplant outdoors
January 8 – January 29
Expected first harvest
March 26 – April 23
Fall planting window
September 15 – October 6
Fall harvest window
December 1 – December 29

Windows are calculated from your zone's average frost dates. Adjust ±1 week for microclimates, elevation, and your own frost records.

Spacing and soil

Plant spacing
18″
Row spacing
30″
Seed depth
0.25″
Soil temperature
55–75°F
Frost tolerance
half-hardy
Days to harvest
70 days

Grower notes for Zone 9b

Blanch heads by folding outer leaves over developing curds when they reach 2 inches, unless growing a self-blanching variety.

Plant near: celery, onions

Keep away from: tomatoes, strawberries

Other brassicas for Zone 9b

Same crop, other zones

Track your own plantings

BAU Farm Intelligence turns these windows into per-field tasks — indoor seed-start reminders, transplant dates, harvest projections — using your farm's actual frost history.