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When to plant in Delray Beach, FL

USDA Zone 11a

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

Delray Beach's growing season is short at roughly -5 days, so succession planting is limited; lean on transplants over direct sowing for anything slow to mature. In zone 11a, frost is a minor factor for Delray Beach — most perennials thrive, and annual vegetables can go out early and stay late.

Station · LOXAHATCHEE NWR · 13.4 km
Last spring frost
January 22
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
January 17
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 Delray BeachA year-band from January to December for Delray Beach: Delray Beach is effectively frost-free at 32°F — no distinct frost season.
Delray Beach is effectively frost-free at 32°F — no distinct frost season.

Frost probability

LOXAHATCHEE NWR · 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 Delray Beach’s own odds, recorded at LOXAHATCHEE NWR.

Frost-probability curves for Delray BeachProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around January 22 and the first fall frost around January 17, 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 22Jan 26Jan 3Dec 28Jan 16Feb 13
32°FFeb 7Jan 22Dec 31Dec 31Jan 17Feb 5

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 Delray Beach, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 45 km · complete 32°F normals

When stations disagree by more than a few days, that spread is real microclimate variation — elevation, water, urban heat. Judge which station best matches your own yard.

LOXAHATCHEE NWR
Primary
13 km · 6 m elevation
SPRING
Jan 22
FALL
Jan 17
PALM BEACH GARDENS
42 km · 6 m elevation
SPRING
Jan 21
FALL
Jan 15
JUNO BEACH
45 km · 2 m elevation
SPRING
Jan 26
FALL
Jan 16

Delray Beach planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Delray Beach, FL?

Delray Beach's average last spring frost falls near January 22 — the 50% mark at 32°F in the 1991–2020 normals. Hold tender transplants until the risk has passed, then plant out.

When is the first fall frost in Delray Beach, FL?

In Delray Beach, the first 32°F freeze of fall lands around January 17 on average. Time your last harvests and any season-extension cover before it.

What hardiness zone is Delray Beach in?

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

How long is the growing season in Delray Beach?

Delray Beach has about -5 frost-free days — a short growing season — between the average last spring frost (January 22) and first fall frost (January 17).

When should I plant tomatoes in Delray Beach?

For Delray Beach, sow tomatoes indoors about November 27–December 11 and move the seedlings out around January 29, after the last spring frost.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Delray Beach

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at LOXAHATCHEE NWR, 13 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 Delray Beach, FL — Frost Dates & Zone 11a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00085184. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/florida/delray-beach.