Data: 2023 USDA zones (PRISM/OSU) · NOAA 1991–2020 normals · updated

Planting zone for Gainesville, FL

Gainesville, FL is in USDA zone 9a across its 16 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is March 3 and the first fall frost December 2.

Gainesville on the zone map

Outlined: its 11 ZIP code areas · tap the map for the zone at any spot · scroll or pinch to zoom

Not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zones come from the 2023 USDA hardiness-zone data by the PRISM Group, Oregon State University; we re-mapped and recolored them. The official map is at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.

Zone9a20 to 25 °F
ZIP codes16
Last frostMar 3
First frostDec 2
Growing season277 days

9a 16 ZIPs

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Gainesville, FL…

Forecast data: National Weather Service (api.weather.gov), public domain. This is not a warning service — for official frost and freeze warnings see weather.gov.

Frost dates in Gainesville, FL

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMarch 3median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMarch 23only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostDecember 2median — 10% chance by Nov 12
Growing season277 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around February 12 and returns around December 25.

From the NOAA station Gainesville Regional Airport, FL, elevation 125 ft. NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, 32 °F threshold. Low spots and valleys can freeze later in spring than the station.

When to plant vegetables in Gainesville

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Jan 20 – Feb 3
SpinachSow outdoors · Jan 20 – Feb 10
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Dec 23 – Jan 6
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Feb 10 – Feb 24
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Feb 3 – Feb 17
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Feb 10 – Feb 24
LettuceSow outdoors · Feb 3 – Feb 17
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Feb 10 – Feb 24
TomatoesStart indoors · Jan 6 – Jan 20
TomatoesTransplant · Mar 10 – Mar 24
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Dec 23 – Jan 6
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Mar 17 – Mar 31
BeansSow outdoors · Mar 10 – Mar 24
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Mar 10 – Mar 24
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Mar 10 – Mar 24
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Oct 7 – Oct 21
GarlicPlant cloves · Nov 18 – Dec 23
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Mar 3) and first fall frost (Dec 2) with the rules of thumb U.S. extension services publish. Cool-season crops take a light frost; warm-season crops do best once the soil is above about 60 °F.

When spring arrived in 2026

In 2026, spring leaf-out near 32603 came on Jan 17 — 4 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 21).

JanFebMarAprMayJun

The Spring Index marks the day when accumulated warmth is enough for lilac and honeysuckle to leaf out — a widely used signal that the growing season has started. Source: USA National Phenology Network, www.usanpn.org — Spring Indices, first leaf, 2026 (data as of 2026-09-08) and 30-year average 1991–2020 (CC BY 4.0).

Native plants for zone 9a in Florida

473 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Florida, and rated by the USDA to survive 20 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 9a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 66

American basswood100 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican beech80 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −44 °FAmerican chestnut115 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican elm120 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican sycamore100 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −34 °FAtlantic white cedar50 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −36 °F

Shrubs 113

aloe yucca15 ft · blooms early summer · medium shade tolerance · to −1 °Falternateleaf dogwood25 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −47 °FAmerican beautyberry6 ft · blooms early summer · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °FAmerican holly40 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −20 °FAmerican hornbeam30 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −34 °FAmerican plum24 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 143

American bur-reed3 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican century plant6 ft · blooms indeterminate · high shade tolerance · to 12 °FAmerican eelgrass1 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican lotus3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −36 °FAmerican pokeweed7 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican spongeplant0.5 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −24 °F

Grasses 131

American cupscale3 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −18 °Fautumn bluegrass1.5 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °Fawlfruit sedge4 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fbeaked spikerush3 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °Fbig bluestem6 ft · blooms summer · high shade tolerance · to −46 °Fbig cordgrass8 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −3 °F

Vines 12

American wisteria50 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −3 °Fcatbird grape30 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −13 °Fcupseed30 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −3 °Fdevil's darning needles15 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Ffrost grape83 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −23 °Fgraybark grape50 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °F

Source: USDA, NRCS. 2026. The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov), National Plant Data Team — state distribution, native status and the “Temperature, Minimum” characteristic. Check light, moisture and soil needs before buying; local nurseries and your state native plant society can confirm what thrives in Gainesville, FL.

Soil in Gainesville, FL

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 32603 is Millhopper — sand, moderately well drained.

TextureSanddrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH5.5moderately acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageModerately well drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter1.25%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupAwater soaks in fast
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Millhopper-Urban land complex, 0 to 5 percent slopes.

Soil Survey Staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA. Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database, via Soil Data Access, accessed 2026-10-29. The soil at the center point of ZIP 32603; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Gainesville, FL

Summer high91 °Faverage high, July
Winter low43 °Faverage low, January
Hot days90days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights15nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days7,205base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 03 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day10 h 14 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growShort-daysummer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb
Precipitation54.6 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 67 °F, low 43 °F 67°43° JanFebruary: average high 71 °F, low 46 °F 71°46° FebMarch: average high 76 °F, low 50 °F 76°50° MarApril: average high 82 °F, low 56 °F 82°56° AprMay: average high 87 °F, low 63 °F 87°63° MayJune: average high 90 °F, low 70 °F 90°70° JunJuly: average high 91 °F, low 72 °F 91°72° JulAugust: average high 91 °F, low 72 °F 91°72° AugSeptember: average high 88 °F, low 69 °F 88°69° SepOctober: average high 82 °F, low 61 °F 82°61° OctNovember: average high 75 °F, low 51 °F 75°51° NovDecember: average high 69 °F, low 45 °F 69°45° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″2″4″6″8″January: 3.57 in precipitation 3.6 JanFebruary: 2.97 in precipitation 3.0 FebMarch: 3.61 in precipitation 3.6 MarApril: 3.11 in precipitation 3.1 AprMay: 3.58 in precipitation 3.6 MayJune: 7.95 in precipitation 8.0 JunJuly: 7.06 in precipitation 7.1 JulAugust: 8.13 in precipitation 8.1 AugSeptember: 6.19 in precipitation 6.2 SepOctober: 3.23 in precipitation 3.2 OctNovember: 2.05 in precipitation 2.0 NovDecember: 3.14 in precipitation 3.1 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Gainesville Regional Airport, FL (5 mi away); precipitation: Gainesville 1.7 Se, FL (2 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in Gainesville

326019a
20 to 25 °F
326029a
20 to 25 °F
326039a
20 to 25 °F
326049a
20 to 25 °F
326059a
20 to 25 °F
326069a
20 to 25 °F
326079a
20 to 25 °F
326089a
20 to 25 °F
326099a
20 to 25 °F
326109a
20 to 25 °F
326129a
20 to 25 °F
326149a
20 to 25 °F
326279a
20 to 25 °F
326359a
20 to 25 °F
326419a
20 to 25 °F
326539a
20 to 25 °F

Florida planting zones →

Questions about Gainesville

What planting zone is Gainesville, FL?

Gainesville, FL is in USDA hardiness zone 9a on the 2023 map (9a: 20 to 25 °F).

When is the last frost in Gainesville, FL?

The median last spring frost is March 3 and the median first fall frost is December 2 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Gainesville Regional Airport station).

When can I plant a garden in Gainesville, FL?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Jan 20 – Feb 10; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about Mar 10, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in Gainesville, FL?

Short-day onions: the longest day is 14 h 03 min, so summer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb.

How much rain and snow does Gainesville, FL get?

About 54.6 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).