The Almanac indicates that the last light freeze/frost of this season, based on previous averages, should occur in Jacksonville by Feb. 26 and Orlando by Jan. 30. The Almanac’s website states: “The possibility of a frost occurring after the spring dates and before the fall dates is 50 percent.”
Some northern Florida inland areas may have frosts/freezes even later. According to an article in The Gainesville Sun, “the last frost date for the area is March 15, which is the official date recommended to begin planting gardens.”
When you’re ready to start planting, make sure to use our searchable waterwise plant database to identify the right plants for the right places, and be sure to follow mandatory watering restrictions.
5 comments:
Thanks for the update. I started triming yesterday and have noticed new sprouts coming out of beautyberry, milkweed and polygonella. Just wondering though why the District did not post a drought-tolerant, Florida native plant picture in the article.
Thank you for your comment, and for raising such a good point about the photo, which featured the Chrysanthemum. While the Chrysanthemum is not a native species and does thrive best in moist to wet soils, the key to waterwise landscaping in Florida is choosing the right plant for the right place. In some cases, that may mean a plant that tolerates extremely dry conditions (such as in very sandy, well-drained soils). In other cases, it may mean plants that tolerate wetter conditions (such as in low areas with soils that don’t drain well).
All of that being said, a photo of a Chrysanthemum was probably not the best choice for this time of year. So, I’ve switched out the photo with one of Dotted Horsemint, which thrives in a variety of conditions, including dry, moist and wet soils.
Thanks again for pointing out the potential confusion!
Hi, I found your post when I was searching for planting guidelines, and I was wondering if you could help with a question. We live on the barrier island in Vero Beach, and our homeowners association is replanting a common area, and I was wondering if it will be too late to plant new plants successfully in late May? One of our members said it would be too hot to plant then. Also, if we're on city water, do we still need to follow the St. John's watering guidelines?
Thanks for any help you can give.
Planting in late May should be fine as long as your new plants receive adequate water to get them established. Some plants are more sensitive to heat than others, so you’ll want to keep an eye on them and their water needs until they take hold. Yes, the watering restrictions do apply to city water users.
Thanks--I'm glad I found this blog--will let others know about it.
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