When to plant in Lake Wales, FL
USDA Zone 9bLake Wales, 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 -31 frost-free days, Lake Wales has a short season — start heat-lovers indoors early, favor quick-maturing varieties, and use row cover to stretch both ends. In zone 9b, frost is a minor factor for Lake Wales — most perennials thrive, and annual vegetables can go out early and stay late.
The average first fall frost in Lake Wales is now 6 days later than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →
Frost probability
MTN LAKE · 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 Lake Wales’s own odds, recorded at MTN LAKE.
| Threshold | SPRING 10% | SPRING 50% | SPRING 90% | FALL 10% | FALL 50% | FALL 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Mar 20 | Feb 25 | Jan 22 | Nov 29 | Dec 21 | Jan 17 |
| 32°F | Mar 11 | Feb 4 | Jan 1 | Dec 8 | Jan 4 | Feb 10 |
| 28°F | Feb 21 | Jan 20 | Dec 27 | Dec 17 | Jan 8 | Feb 14 |
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 Lake Wales, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.
Nearby weather stations
3 within 22 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.
Lake Wales planting FAQ
When is the last spring frost in Lake Wales, FL?
Lake Wales's average last spring frost falls near February 4 — 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 Lake Wales, FL?
The first fall frost in Lake Wales typically arrives around January 4 (50% probability at 32°F). Harvest or protect frost-sensitive crops before then.
What hardiness zone is Lake Wales in?
Lake Wales is in USDA hardiness zone 9b. In zone 9b, winters are mild — many tender perennials overwinter here.
How long is the growing season in Lake Wales?
Lake Wales has about -31 frost-free days — a short growing season — between the average last spring frost (February 4) and first fall frost (January 4).
When should I plant tomatoes in Lake Wales?
For Lake Wales, sow tomatoes indoors about December 10–December 24 and move the seedlings out around February 11, after the last spring frost.
Never miss a window in Lake Wales
An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Lake Wales’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.
Nearby cities
8 within reach- Cypress Gardens · 13 km
- Winter Haven · 19 km
- Haines City · 21 km
- Bartow · 22 km
- Poinciana · 25 km
- Davenport · 27 km
- Highland City · 28 km
- Auburndale · 29 km
Frost dates recorded at MTN LAKE, 2 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 Lake Wales, FL — Frost Dates & Zone 9b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00085973. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/florida/lake-wales.