USDA Zone 11a Planting Calendar: What to Plant and When
Zone 11a means an average lowest winter temperature of 40 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit (4 to 7 Celsius).
Your growing region in zone 11a
Zone 11a runs through one of our regions, shown below. Its month by month sowing calendar is built on its own frost dates and summer heat, not on the zone number.
| Region | Zone range | Frost window |
|---|---|---|
| South Florida | 10a-11a | effectively frost free |
What to plant now in zone 11a: October 2026, region by region
Zone 11a runs through one of our regions, South Florida, which plants on its own calendar. These are the vegetables to sow or plant there this month, from the same data as the region calendar; follow the links for herbs, fruit and the full year.
| Region | Vegetables to sow this month | Calendars |
|---|---|---|
| South Florida | 56 vegetables, including Tomato, Bell Pepper, Chili Pepper, Eggplant, Zucchini, Squash, Cucumber, Pumpkin, Sweet Corn, Bush Beans, Peas, Snow Peas and 44 more. | October in South Florida South Florida vegetable planting calendar |
Zone 11a planting calendar: what to plant each month
Zone 11a covers one of our regions: South Florida. A zone shares a winter low, not a planting calendar, so this calendar follows each region's own sowing windows from our data. For each month, the second column lists the vegetables that every region in zone 11a can sow or plant, and the region columns give the number of vegetables each region can sow, linked to that region's month page with the full list. Each month name links to the national page for that month.
| Month | Vegetables to sow in every region of zone 11a | South Florida |
|---|---|---|
| January | 54 vegetables, including Tomato, Bell Pepper, Chili Pepper, Eggplant, Zucchini, Squash, Cucumber, Pumpkin, Sweet Corn, Bush Beans and 44 more. | 54 |
| February | 28 vegetables, including Tomato, Bell Pepper, Chili Pepper, Eggplant, Zucchini, Squash, Cucumber, Pumpkin, Sweet Corn, Bush Beans and 18 more. | 28 |
| March | 34 vegetables, including Zucchini, Squash, Cucumber, Sweet Corn, Bush Beans, Okra, Southern Peas, Swiss Chard, Sweet Potato, Watermelon and 24 more. | 34 |
| April | 20 vegetables, including Bush Beans, Southern Peas, Sweet Potato, Amaranth, Arrowroot, Brazilian Spinach, Cassava, Ginger, Hyacinth Bean (Lablab), Jicama and 10 more. | 20 |
| May | 8 vegetables: Sweet Potato, Amaranth, Arrowroot, Cassava, Ginger, Malabar Spinach, Taro and Turmeric. | 8 |
| June | 7 vegetables: Sweet Potato, Amaranth, Arrowroot, Cassava, Ginger, Malabar Spinach and Turmeric. | 7 |
| July | 6 vegetables: Sweet Potato, Amaranth, Cassava, Ginger, Malabar Spinach and Turmeric. | 6 |
| August | 14 vegetables, including Tomato, Bell Pepper, Chili Pepper, Eggplant, Pumpkin, Okra, Sweet Potato, Watermelon, Amaranth, Cassava and 4 more. | 14 |
| September | 41 vegetables, including Tomato, Bell Pepper, Chili Pepper, Eggplant, Zucchini, Squash, Cucumber, Pumpkin, Bush Beans, Okra and 31 more. | 41 |
| October | 56 vegetables, including Tomato, Bell Pepper, Chili Pepper, Eggplant, Zucchini, Squash, Cucumber, Pumpkin, Sweet Corn, Bush Beans and 46 more. | 56 |
| November | 58 vegetables, including Tomato, Bell Pepper, Chili Pepper, Eggplant, Zucchini, Squash, Cucumber, Pumpkin, Sweet Corn, Bush Beans and 48 more. | 58 |
| December | 54 vegetables, including Tomato, Bell Pepper, Chili Pepper, Eggplant, Zucchini, Squash, Cucumber, Pumpkin, Sweet Corn, Bush Beans and 44 more. | 54 |
Zone 11a planting dates by crop
The first and last months to sow or plant 36 popular vegetables, herbs and fruit in each region of zone 11a. A range such as Feb to Apr means you can sow from February through April, and two ranges mean a spring and a fall window. Where our data has a crop set out as transplants, the months are transplanting months. Each crop links to its plant page, which shows the calendar for any region.
| Crop | South Florida |
|---|---|
| Tomato | Aug to Feb |
| Bell Pepper | Aug to Feb |
| Chili Pepper | Aug to Feb |
| Eggplant | Aug to Feb |
| Zucchini | Sep to Mar |
| Squash | Sep to Mar |
| Cucumber | Sep to Mar |
| Pumpkin | Aug to Feb |
| Sweet Corn | Oct to Mar |
| Bush Beans | Sep to Apr |
| Peas | Oct to Jan |
| Snow Peas | Oct to Jan |
| Okra | Feb to Mar and Aug to Sep |
| Southern Peas | Mar to Apr and Sep |
| Lettuce | Sep to Jan |
| Spinach | Oct to Jan |
| Swiss Chard | Oct to Mar |
| Kale | Oct to Jan |
| Collard Greens | Nov to Jan |
| Broccoli | Sep to Jan |
| Cabbage | Sep to Jan |
| Cauliflower | Oct to Jan |
| Carrot | Sep to Feb |
| Beet | Oct to Jan |
| Radish | Oct to Jan |
| Turnip | Oct to Jan |
| Onion | Oct to Dec |
| Garlic | Oct to Jan |
| Potato | Sep to Jan |
| Sweet Potato | Feb to Oct |
| Basil | Aug to Feb |
| Cilantro | Oct to Jan |
| Parsley | Oct to Mar |
| Strawberry | Oct to Nov |
| Watermelon | Jan to Mar and Aug to Sep |
| Cantaloupe | Dec to Mar |
Frost dates in zone 11a
Frost dates, not the zone number, set the sowing windows above. These are the regional frost windows from our frost table, with the ZIP code records for a few places in each region. ZIP code figures come from the nearest weather station in the NOAA 1991 to 2020 Climate Normals at the 50 percent level, so in one year out of two the last frost comes later. Check your own ZIP code in the Frost Lookup.
| Region | Frost window | Growing season | ZIP code records |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Florida | Effectively frost free | Year round | Miami (33130): effectively frost free Fort Lauderdale (33301): effectively frost free Fort Myers (33901): effectively frost free Naples (34102): effectively frost free |
What zone 11a is good for
Any perennial, shrub or fruit tree rated to zone 11a or lower should survive a normal winter where you are. That is the question a zone answers well. For fruit trees there is a second number that matters just as much: winter chill hours, which decide whether a variety will set fruit at all. The free app checks both.
Find your dates
Match your zip code to a region, then check the frost dates table for your sowing window.
Questions about zone 11a
What temperature is USDA zone 11a?
Zone 11a has an average annual lowest winter temperature of 40 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit, which is 4 to 7 degrees Celsius.
What can I plant in zone 11a?
Any perennial or fruit tree rated to zone 11a or lower should survive a normal winter there. For annual vegetables the zone is the wrong tool: use your last and first frost dates instead, because they set the sowing window.
Does zone 11a tell me when to plant tomatoes?
No. Sowing dates come from your last spring frost, not your hardiness zone. Two gardens in zone 11a can have frost dates weeks apart.
What should I plant now in zone 11a?
Zone 11a runs through one of our regions, South Florida, so its calendar is the one to follow: a zone shares a winter low, not a calendar. The table on this page lists the vegetables to sow there this month and links to the South Florida month page and full vegetable planting calendar.
When to plant tomatoes in zone 11a?
In every region of zone 11a our calendars set out tomatoes in August to February. The planting dates table on this page lists the months for every popular crop.
When to plant peppers in zone 11a?
In every region of zone 11a our calendars plant peppers in August to February. The planting dates table on this page lists the months for every popular crop.
When to plant garlic in zone 11a?
In every region of zone 11a our calendars plant garlic in October to January. The planting dates table on this page lists the months for every popular crop.
When to plant potatoes in zone 11a?
In every region of zone 11a our calendars plant potatoes in September to January. The planting dates table on this page lists the months for every popular crop.
When is the last frost in zone 11a?
A zone does not set a frost date, so it depends on the region. In zone 11a, South Florida is effectively frost free. Check your own ZIP code in the Frost Lookup.