Seed Starting Calendar for Florida

University of Florida IFAS Extension plants Florida by region and month (see the months below), and transplants are sown 4 to 10 weeks ahead of the month they go out. Counted from the frost instead, Orlando's median last frost of January 17 puts spring 2027 tomato seeds at Nov 29 to Dec 13 and peppers at Nov 22 to Dec 6.

It depends on the station. The earliest median last spring freeze in Florida is January 15 at Sarasota Bradenton Airport; the latest is March 21 at Crestview Bob Sikes Airport. A median is a coin flip: at Orlando the last 32°F freeze comes after January 17 in half of years, and has passed by February 9 in 9 of 10 years (NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals).

UNH Extension sets tomatoes out 1 to 2 weeks after the last frost, which at Orlando is Jan 24 to Jan 31 in 2027. Tomatoes are frost tender, so the date to watch is February 9, when 9 of 10 springs at Orlando have had their last 32°F night. Hardening off starts two weeks before setting out (Jan 10 to Jan 24).

University of Florida IFAS Extension publishes planting months by region (North Florida, Central Florida, South Florida). For North Florida, tomatoes go in during March, April and August. Seeds for transplants go in 4 to 10 weeks ahead of those months, depending on the crop.

University of Florida IFAS Extension's Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide puts it this way: "Vegetables can be grown year-round in Florida if attention is paid to the appropriate planting dates (Table 1)." The guide is linked below with the date it was read (September 21, 2026).

UNH Extension gives 8 to 10 weeks from seed to transplant for both, and sets peppers out 2 weeks after the last frost and eggplant 2 to 3 weeks after, so the sowing date is 6 to 8 weeks before the median last frost. At Orlando that is Nov 22 to Dec 6 for peppers.

About two weeks. University of Missouri Extension: "Hardening should be started about two weeks before planting in the garden." University of Minnesota Extension adds that seedlings should go out on a cloudy day or in the late afternoon.

Miami records no spring freeze at all, Orlando's median last frost is around Jan 17, and Tallahassee in the Big Bend waits until about Mar 11; UF/IFAS plants by region and month rather than by frost. Each station carries its own dates: Orlando Jan 17 and Tallahassee Mar 11 at the median.