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When to plant in Brownsville, FL

USDA Zone 11a

Here are the average frost dates, USDA hardiness zone, and a month-by-month planting calendar for Brownsville, Florida — all computed from Brownsville's nearest NOAA weather station.

A ~-5-day frost-free window makes Brownsville a short-season garden: choose early varieties and start long-season crops indoors well ahead of the last frost. These dates come from a station roughly 33 km away, the closest with full normals; terrain around Brownsville (elevation, water, pavement) can move your real frost dates a few days either way. In zone 11a, frost is a minor factor for Brownsville — most perennials thrive, and annual vegetables can go out early and stay late.

Station · PERRINE 4W · 33.0 km
Last spring frost
January 18
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
January 13
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
-5 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for BrownsvilleA year-band from January to December for Brownsville: Brownsville is effectively frost-free at 32°F — no distinct frost season.
Brownsville is effectively frost-free at 32°F — no distinct frost season.

The average last spring frost in Brownsville is now 9 days later than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →

Frost probability

PERRINE 4W · 1991–2020

The date the last spring and first fall frost occur, by threshold and probability. A 90% date is later in spring — and earlier in fall — than a 10% date; the 50% · 32°F row is what most gardeners plan around. These are Brownsville’s own odds, recorded at PERRINE 4W.

Frost-probability curves for BrownsvilleProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around January 18 and the first fall frost around January 13, where a 32°F freeze is rare enough that there is effectively no distinct frost season.
Last spring frostFirst fall frostbold = 32°F · thin = 28°F / 36°F · dot = 50% date · band = 10–90% window
ThresholdSPRING 10%SPRING 50%SPRING 90%FALL 10%FALL 50%FALL 90%
36°FFeb 23Jan 25Dec 30Dec 20Jan 15Feb 13
32°FFeb 1Jan 18Dec 31Dec 31Jan 13Feb 1

Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.

What to plant now

TODAY · JULY 19

Nothing new to sow or transplant outdoors in the next few weeks — a seasonal lull. Check the full-year calendar below for the next window.

Add the next planting windows to your calendar (.ics) ↓

Full-year planting calendar

Start indoorsTransplantDirect sowFall sow

Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Brownsville, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Brownsville planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Brownsville, FL?

On average, the last spring frost in Brownsville is around January 18 (50% probability at 32°F, from 1991–2020 NOAA normals). Wait until after this date to set out tender plants like tomatoes and peppers.

When is the first fall frost in Brownsville, FL?

Expect Brownsville's first fall frost near January 13 — a 50% chance of 32°F by that date. Bring in or cover tender crops ahead of it.

What hardiness zone is Brownsville in?

Brownsville is in USDA hardiness zone 11a. In zone 11a, winters are mild — many tender perennials overwinter here.

How long is the growing season in Brownsville?

Brownsville has about -5 frost-free days — a short growing season — between the average last spring frost (January 18) and first fall frost (January 13).

When should I plant tomatoes in Brownsville?

For Brownsville, sow tomatoes indoors about November 23–December 7 and move the seedlings out around January 25, after the last spring frost.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Brownsville

An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Brownsville’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at PERRINE 4W, 33 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.

Cite this page
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in Brownsville, FL — Frost Dates & Zone 11a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00087020. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/florida/brownsville.