Frost dates for Palm Coast, Florida
Palm Coast doesn't get a freezing night every winter: about 57 years in 100 have one. In those years, half have had their last frost by January 24 and half their first by January 11.
Frost dates for
Palm Coast, Florida
Last spring frost
January 24
Not every winter has one: about 57 years in 100 have a freezing night here. In those years, half have their last frost by this date, and 1 in 10 still have one after February 18.
First fall frost
January 11
In years with a freeze, half have their first one by this date, and 1 in 10 by December 19.
Growing season
356 days
Frost-free days in a typical year. 9 years in 10 get at least 320.
Hardiness zone
9b
2023 USDA map: the coldest night of winter averages 25°F to 30°F. On the 2012 map it was 9a, half a zone colder. All 2 ZIP codes within about 6 miles of the city's center are in zone 9b.
Print a year planner for Palm Coast
Frost risk through the year
How sure are these dates?
A frost date is a probability, not a promise. NOAA worked out, from 30 years of nightly lows, how often the last spring frost and the first fall frost fall on each date. The middle column is the typical year. The outer columns are the early and late years that come about once a decade.
| Early year 1 in 10 | Typical year 1 in 2 | Late year 1 in 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last frost in spring | December 31 | January 24 | February 18 |
| First frost in fall | December 19 | January 11 | February 7 |
The frost-free season between them runs 356 days in a typical year. In 1 year in 10 there is no freeze at all, and in 1 year in 10 it is 320 days or shorter.
- Hard freeze (28°F): about 20 years in 100 have one. In those years the last typically comes on January 19 and the first on January 16. It is a harder freeze than the 32°F frost line, cold enough to damage many garden plants; how hardy a crop is decides whether it comes through. (The National Weather Service's own hard-freeze threshold varies from office to office.)
- Frost possible (36°F at the station): about 88 years in 100 have one. In those years the last typically comes on February 4 and the first on January 3. On clear, still nights the ground can be several degrees colder than the thermometer, so frost can form on plants when the official reading is in the mid-30s.
Planting calendar for Palm Coast
These dates count from the typical last and first frosts, using the planting rules published by Colorado State University Extension (spring), Virginia Cooperative Extension (fall crops) and University of Minnesota Extension (garlic, where winters are hard). Weather in any one year can run early or late, so check the forecast before you plant tender crops.
Frost doesn't come every year here: about 57 years in 100 have at least one freezing night. The calendar is built on the dates for the years that do.
We don't give a garlic date here. The rule we use, from the University of Minnesota Extension, counts from the first killing frost, and it works where a hard freeze comes every year before the ground freezes. Your county's extension office can tell you when to plant garlic in your climate.
Your typical last frost comes before mid-February. Where winters are this mild, summer heat limits the garden as much as frost does, and most planting happens in fall and late winter. Your county's extension office publishes a calendar made for your climate.
| When | What to do | Why then |
|---|---|---|
| January | ||
| January 10 to 24 | Beets, carrots, potatoes, Swiss chard Plant outdoors, as early as | semi-hardy crops: up to 2 weeks before the typical last frost |
| January 10 to 24 | Cauliflower Plant out, as early as | semi-hardy: up to 2 weeks before the typical last frost |
| January 24 | Snap beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, summer squash Sow outdoors around | tender crops: around the typical last frost date |
| February | ||
| February 7 | Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant Plant out from | very tender: 2 weeks or more after the typical last frost |
| February 7 | Melons, winter squash, pumpkins, lima beans Sow outdoors from | very tender: 2 weeks or more after the typical last frost |
| August | ||
| August 16 to 30 | Cabbage for fall Start seeds | set the plants out by October 4 |
| September | ||
| September 5 to 19 | Broccoli for fall Start seeds | set the plants out by October 24 |
| October | ||
| October 15 | Snap beans for fall Last date to sow | 60 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth, plus 2 weeks because frost kills it |
| October 19 | Carrots for fall Last date to sow | 70 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| October 20 | Cucumbers for fall Last date to sow | 55 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth, plus 2 weeks because frost kills it |
| October 24 | Peas for fall Last date to sow | 65 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| October 25 | Summer squash for fall Last date to sow | 50 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth, plus 2 weeks because frost kills it |
| October 29 | Leaf lettuce and beets for fall Last date to sow | 60 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| November | ||
| November 8 to December 6 | Broccoli and cabbage Start seeds indoors | 5 to 7 weeks before planting them out |
| November 8 | Turnips and kohlrabi for fall Last date to sow | 50 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| November 18 | Spinach for fall Last date to sow | 40 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| November 22 to December 20 | Cauliflower Start seeds indoors | 5 to 7 weeks before planting out |
| November 28 | Radishes for fall Last date to sow | 30 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| December | ||
| December 6 to 27 | Eggplant Start seeds indoors | 6 to 9 weeks before planting out |
| December 13 to 27 | Peppers Start seeds indoors | 6 to 8 weeks before planting out |
| December 19 | Tomatoes, peppers, squash, melons, cucumbers Watch the forecast from | in 1 fall in 10 the first frost comes by this date; pick tender crops before a frost |
| December 20 to January 3 | Tomatoes Start seeds indoors | 5 to 7 weeks before planting out |
| December 27 to January 10 | Peas, spinach, lettuce, radishes, onion sets, turnips Sow outdoors, as early as | hardy crops: 2 to 4 weeks before the typical last frost |
| December 27 to January 10 | Broccoli and cabbage Plant out, as early as | hardy crops: 2 to 4 weeks before the typical last frost |
Want more insurance? Shift every spring date 25 days later. That plans around February 18, the date after which only 1 spring in 10 has a frost.
For spring bulbs such as tulips and daffodils, plant once the soil has cooled to about 50 to 55°F and keep going until a couple of weeks before the ground freezes. Our guide to fall planting explains how to tell.
Where these numbers come from
These dates come from NOAA's weather station Palm Coast 6 NE (station USC00086767), 7 miles from the center of Palm Coast. It sits at about the same elevation, at sea level. NOAA rates this station's record as representative: at least 10 of the 30 years, with the gaps filled from nearby stations.
Our ZIP code lookup matches these 4 ZIP codes to the same station, so they get the same dates: 32086, 32136, 32137, 32164. Hardiness zones are worked out separately for each ZIP code.
The nearest other places with pages
- Jacksonville, Florida: frost not every year (60 miles away)
- Gainesville, Florida: last frost around March 3, first frost around December 2 (65 miles away)
- Orlando, Florida: frost not every year (75 miles away)
See frost dates across Florida, or look up your own ZIP code for the station nearest you. Want the background? Read what a last frost date really means.