Fall in zone 9bPhoto: George Chernilevsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 32456 (Port St. Joe, FL)
Average last spring and first fall frost dates with 10%, 50% and 90% odds, from NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the nearest weather station, Apalachicola AP, FL (17 miles away).
- Average last spring frostFeb 1550% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostDec 1850% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)307 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone9b25 to 30°F avg. coldest night
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This week in your yard
As of Oct 18, 2026, from your frost dates, zone and soil temperature. Lawn timing · Vegetables · Pruning · Plants
Soil temperature now
2-inch depth
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
4-inch depth
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
Fall: Texas A&M AgriLife times fall pre-emergent (for winter weeds such as annual bluegrass) to soil cooling to about 70°F for several days. The 50–55°F band is the spring trigger. Always read and follow the product label.
7-day forecast and frost risk
The latest National Weather Service 7-day forecast and any Frost Advisory or Freeze Warning for 32456 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
No soil reading near this ZIP. Typical extension timing for your region: spring late January to mid-February (south Florida: earlier; check local soil temps); fall October to early November.
Fertilizer window
Lawn region: Gulf Coast and peninsular Florida. Timing only; always follow the product label.
- St. Augustinegrass (warm-season): Spring: About 2–3 weeks after full green-up (May in the Carolinas; earlier in Florida and south Texas) (about Mar 26 here, using green-up about 3–4 weeks after your average last frost); Summer: Light feedings June–August where local rules allow; Last: No later than about mid-September in the Carolinas, about 6–8 weeks before first frost elsewhere. Avoid: Feeding before green-up or late in fall (feeds weeds and favors large patch and cold injury).
Plant now
- Lettuce: fall sowing Oct 9–Nov 6
- Kale: fall transplant Sep 25–Oct 23
- Collards: fall transplant Sep 25–Oct 23
- Kohlrabi: fall sowing Oct 9–23
- Swiss chard: fall sowing Oct 9–23
- Beet: fall sowing Oct 9–23
- Turnip: fall sowing Oct 9–23
- Green onion / scallion: fall sowing Oct 9–23
- Strawberry (plants): fall transplant Oct 9–Nov 6
Coming up in the next 3 weeks
- Lettuce: fall transplant Oct 23–Nov 13
- Spinach: fall sowing Oct 23–Nov 13
- Bok choy / Asian greens: fall sowing Oct 23–Nov 6
- Arugula: fall sowing Oct 23–Nov 20
- Mustard greens: fall sowing Oct 23–Nov 6
- Radish: fall sowing Nov 6–20
- Garlic: fall sowing Nov 6–Dec 4
- Shallot: fall sowing Nov 6–Dec 4
- Cilantro: fall sowing Oct 23–Nov 6
- Dill: fall sowing Oct 23–Nov 6
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Spring-flowering shrubs are pruned right after their flowers fade, not by date. See the pruning guide.
Last spring frost odds
| Chance of a 32°F freeze after this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 90% (early: most years still freeze after this) | Jan 17 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Feb 15 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Mar 11 |
Most gardeners plant frost-tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil) after the 50% date, and closer to the 10% date for less risk.
First fall frost odds
| Chance the first 32°F freeze has happened by this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 10% (early: 1 year in 10 freezes this soon) | Nov 21 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Dec 18 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Jan 17 (next year) |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Mar 3 | Nov 27 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Feb 15 | Dec 18 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Jan 31 | Jan 5 (next year) |
n/a means NOAA did not publish a date at that threshold for this station (usually because it rarely gets that cold).
Vegetable planting calendar for 32456
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Feb 15) and first fall frost (Dec 18). Half of years have a frost after the spring date, so give tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash) some slack.
| Crop | Start indoors | Spring planting | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Dec 21–Jan 4 | Feb 22–Mar 8 (transplant) | Aug 21–Sep 18 (transplant) |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Dec 7–21 | Mar 1–15 (transplant) | Aug 28–Sep 18 (transplant) |
| Eggplant | Dec 7–21 | Mar 1–15 (transplant) | Aug 28–Sep 18 (transplant) |
| Tomatillo | Dec 21–Jan 4 | Feb 22–Mar 8 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Dec 21–Jan 4 | Jan 25–Feb 15 (transplant) Jan 18–Mar 1 (sow outdoors) | Oct 23–Nov 13 (transplant) Oct 9–Nov 6 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Jan 4–25 (sow outdoors) | Oct 23–Nov 13 (sowing) |
| Kale | Dec 21–Jan 4 | Jan 18–Feb 1 (transplant) Jan 18–Feb 1 (sow outdoors) | Sep 25–Oct 23 (transplant) Sep 11–Oct 9 (sowing) |
| Collards | Dec 21–Jan 4 | Jan 18–Feb 15 (transplant) Jan 18–Feb 15 (sow outdoors) | Sep 25–Oct 23 (transplant) Sep 11–Oct 9 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Dec 7–21 | Jan 18–Feb 1 (transplant) | Sep 11–Oct 9 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Dec 7–21 | Jan 18–Feb 1 (transplant) | Sep 11–Oct 9 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Dec 7–21 | Feb 1–15 (transplant) | Sep 11–Oct 9 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Nov 23–Dec 7 | Jan 18–Feb 1 (transplant) | Aug 28–Sep 18 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Dec 21–Jan 4 | Jan 18–Feb 1 (transplant) Jan 18–Feb 1 (sow outdoors) | Oct 9–23 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Jan 18–Feb 1 (sow outdoors) | Oct 23–Nov 6 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Jan 18–Feb 15 (sow outdoors) | Oct 23–Nov 20 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Jan 18–Feb 8 (sow outdoors) | Oct 23–Nov 6 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Jan 4–18 | Feb 1–22 (transplant) Feb 1–Mar 1 (sow outdoors) | Oct 9–23 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Jan 18–Feb 15 (sow outdoors) | Oct 9–23 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Jan 25–Feb 22 (sow outdoors) | Sep 25–Oct 9 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Jan 11–Feb 22 (sow outdoors) | Nov 6–20 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Jan 18–Feb 8 (sow outdoors) | Oct 9–23 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Jan 25–Feb 15 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Dec 21–Jan 18 (sow outdoors) | Sep 25–Oct 9 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Nov 23–Dec 7 | Jan 4–18 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Jan 4–Feb 1 (sow outdoors) | Oct 9–23 (sowing) |
| Leek | Nov 23–Dec 7 | Jan 18–Feb 1 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 6–Dec 4 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Jan 4–18 (transplant) | Nov 6–Dec 4 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Jan 18–Feb 1 (transplant) | Aug 28–Sep 11 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Mar 8–22 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Feb 22–Mar 8 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Feb 22–Mar 8 (sow outdoors) | Sep 25–Oct 9 (sowing) |
| Bean, pole | – | Feb 22–Mar 8 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Mar 1–15 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Mar 8–29 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Jan 18–25 | Feb 22–Mar 8 (transplant) Feb 22–Mar 8 (sow outdoors) | Sep 25–Oct 9 (sowing) |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Jan 18–25 | Feb 22–Mar 8 (transplant) Feb 22–Mar 8 (sow outdoors) | Sep 25–Oct 9 (sowing) |
| Winter squash | Jan 18–25 | Feb 22–Mar 8 (transplant) Feb 22–Mar 8 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Feb 22–Mar 8 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Jan 18–25 | Mar 1–15 (transplant) Mar 1–15 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Jan 18–25 | Mar 1–15 (transplant) Mar 1–15 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Jan 4–18 | Mar 1–15 (transplant) Mar 1–15 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Nov 23–Dec 7 | Feb 22–Mar 1 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Jan 4–18 | Feb 22–Mar 8 (transplant) Feb 22–Mar 8 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Feb 1–Mar 1 (sow outdoors) | Oct 23–Nov 6 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Dec 7–21 | Feb 1–15 (transplant) Jan 25–Feb 15 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Feb 15–Mar 1 (sow outdoors) | Oct 23–Nov 6 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Feb 15–Mar 1 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Jan 18–Feb 1 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Jan 18–Feb 1 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Jan 18–Feb 1 (transplant) | Oct 9–Nov 6 (transplant) |
Typical ranges from university extension planting calendars, adjusted to your frost dates. Probabilities, not guarantees. Fall windows that would overlap spring planting are left out, as are fall crops of frost-tender plants where the frost-free season is under 210 days.
Plants that do well here
Florida has a university or garden plant program: Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Plant Guide. Plant frost-tender annuals after February 15 here (the average last frost). Not affiliated with the program.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Apalachicola AP, FL (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USW00012832), elevation 19 ft, 17.3 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apalachicola Airport, FL | 18 mi | Feb 20 | Dec 13 |
| Wewahitchka, FL | 22 mi | Mar 1 | Nov 29 |
| Panama City Bay Co AP, FL | 35 mi | Feb 7 | Dec 24 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 25 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 32456
When is the last frost in 32456?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 32456 is February 15. For a more cautious planting date, use March 11, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 32456?
The average first fall freeze is December 18. In 1 year in 10 it comes by November 21.
What hardiness zone is 32456?
ZIP 32456 is in USDA zone 9b (25 to 30°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 32456 right now?
This page shows the latest 2-inch and 4-inch soil temperature from the nearest public soil station (USDA SCAN, NOAA USCRN or TexMesonet), or a labeled estimate when no station is close, against the 50–55°F spring pre-emergent band.
Nearby ZIP codes
32410 Mexico Beach 32465 Wewahitchka 32320 Apalachicola 32403 Tyndall AFB 32328 Eastpoint 32404 Panama City 32401 Panama City 32449
Other ZIP codes in Gulf County
32465 All Gulf County frost dates · Florida frost dates
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Free. One weekly email plus alerts when your ZIP has a frost or a soil-temperature change worth acting on. After you submit, Kit (our email provider) sends a confirmation email: check your email and click the link to confirm. You aren't subscribed until you do. We collect only your email address and ZIP, sent to Kit to deliver The Dial. Unsubscribe anytime.