When to plant in Fruit Cove, FL
USDA Zone 9bFruit Cove, Florida frost dates, USDA zone, and a full-year planting calendar, drawn from the nearest NOAA station and tuned to the local season.
With only about -27 frost-free days, Fruit Cove has a short season — start heat-lovers indoors early, favor quick-maturing varieties, and use row cover to stretch both ends. Heads up: the nearest complete-normals station is about 16 km from Fruit Cove, so your yard's frost dates can differ — a low spot or a paved city center can shift them by a week. Zone 9b is warm enough that Fruit Cove can grow subtropical perennials, and the short (or absent) frost period barely limits the annual calendar.
The average first fall frost in Fruit Cove is now 15 days later than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →
Frost probability
JACKSONVILLE NAS · 1991–2020The 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 Fruit Cove’s own odds, recorded at JACKSONVILLE NAS.
| Threshold | SPRING 10% | SPRING 50% | SPRING 90% | FALL 10% | FALL 50% | FALL 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Mar 15 | Feb 18 | Jan 20 | Nov 20 | Dec 17 | Jan 22 |
| 32°F | Mar 3 | Feb 1 | Dec 31 | Dec 3 | Jan 5 | Feb 6 |
| 28°F | Feb 19 | Jan 22 | Dec 28 | Dec 19 | Jan 14 | Feb 12 |
Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.
What to plant now
TODAY · JULY 19Nothing new to sow or transplant outdoors in the next few weeks — a seasonal lull. Check the full-year calendar below for the next window.
Full-year planting calendar
Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Fruit Cove, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.
Nearby weather stations
3 within 31 km · complete 32°F normalsWhen 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.
Fruit Cove planting FAQ
When is the last spring frost in Fruit Cove, FL?
Fruit Cove's average last spring frost falls near February 1 — 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 Fruit Cove, FL?
Expect Fruit Cove's first fall frost near January 5 — a 50% chance of 32°F by that date. Bring in or cover tender crops ahead of it.
What hardiness zone is Fruit Cove in?
Fruit Cove is in USDA hardiness zone 9b. In zone 9b, winters are mild — many tender perennials overwinter here.
How long is the growing season in Fruit Cove?
There are roughly -27 frost-free days in Fruit Cove (a short growing season), running from the average last frost around February 1 to the first fall frost near January 5.
When should I plant tomatoes in Fruit Cove?
In Fruit Cove, start tomato seeds indoors around December 7–December 21, then transplant seedlings outdoors around February 8 once the danger of frost has passed.
Never miss a window in Fruit Cove
An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Fruit Cove’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.
Nearby cities
8 within reach- Fleming Island · 9 km
- Green Cove Springs · 14 km
- Bellair-Meadowbrook Terrace · 14 km
- Lakeside · 15 km
- Asbury Lake · 17 km
- World Golf Village · 19 km
- Nocatee · 20 km
- Oakleaf Plantation · 22 km
Frost dates recorded at JACKSONVILLE NAS, 16 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in Fruit Cove, FL — Frost Dates & Zone 9b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USW00093837. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/florida/fruit-cove.