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

Planting zone for Lake City, FL

Lake City, FL is in USDA zone 9a across its 4 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is March 1 and the first fall frost November 28.

Lake City on the zone map

Outlined: its 3 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 codes4
Last frostMar 1
First frostNov 28
Growing season273 days

9a 4 ZIPs

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Lake City, 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 Lake City, FL

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMarch 1median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMarch 24only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostNovember 28median — 10% chance by Nov 11
Growing season273 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around February 13 and returns around December 15.

From the NOAA station Lake City 2 E, FL, elevation 194 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 Lake City

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Jan 18 – Feb 1
SpinachSow outdoors · Jan 18 – Feb 8
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Dec 21 – Jan 4
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Feb 8 – Feb 22
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Feb 1 – Feb 15
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Feb 8 – Feb 22
LettuceSow outdoors · Feb 1 – Feb 15
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Feb 8 – Feb 22
TomatoesStart indoors · Jan 4 – Jan 18
TomatoesTransplant · Mar 8 – Mar 22
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Dec 21 – Jan 4
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Mar 15 – Mar 29
BeansSow outdoors · Mar 8 – Mar 22
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Mar 8 – Mar 22
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Mar 8 – Mar 22
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Oct 3 – Oct 17
GarlicPlant cloves · Nov 14 – Dec 19
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Mar 1) and first fall frost (Nov 28) 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 32056 came on Jan 16 — 7 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Jan 23).

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 Lake City, FL.

Soil in Lake City, FL

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 32056 is Alpin — fine sand, excessively drained.

TextureFine sanddrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH5.2strongly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageExcessively drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter1.62%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupAwater soaks in fast
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Alpin fine sand, 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 32056; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Lake City, FL

Summer high90 °Faverage high, July
Winter low41 °Faverage low, January
Hot days83days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights14nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days6,534base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 05 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day10 h 12 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growShort-daysummer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb
Precipitation54 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 63 °F, low 41 °F 63°41° JanFebruary: average high 67 °F, low 44 °F 67°44° FebMarch: average high 73 °F, low 49 °F 73°49° MarApril: average high 79 °F, low 55 °F 79°55° AprMay: average high 85 °F, low 62 °F 85°62° MayJune: average high 88 °F, low 68 °F 88°68° JunJuly: average high 90 °F, low 70 °F 90°70° JulAugust: average high 89 °F, low 70 °F 89°70° AugSeptember: average high 86 °F, low 67 °F 86°67° SepOctober: average high 79 °F, low 59 °F 79°59° OctNovember: average high 71 °F, low 49 °F 71°49° NovDecember: average high 66 °F, low 44 °F 66°44° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″2″4″6″8″January: 4.27 in precipitation 4.3 JanFebruary: 3.23 in precipitation 3.2 FebMarch: 4.29 in precipitation 4.3 MarApril: 3.55 in precipitation 3.5 AprMay: 3.47 in precipitation 3.5 MayJune: 7.55 in precipitation 7.5 JunJuly: 7.16 in precipitation 7.2 JulAugust: 7.28 in precipitation 7.3 AugSeptember: 5.86 in precipitation 5.9 SepOctober: 2.50 in precipitation 2.5 OctNovember: 1.91 in precipitation 1.9 NovDecember: 2.91 in precipitation 2.9 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Lake City 2 E, FL (2 mi away); precipitation: Lake City 2 E, FL (2 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in Lake City

320249a
20 to 25 °F
320259a
20 to 25 °F
320559a
20 to 25 °F
320569a
20 to 25 °F

Florida planting zones →

Questions about Lake City

What planting zone is Lake City, FL?

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

When is the last frost in Lake City, FL?

The median last spring frost is March 1 and the median first fall frost is November 28 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Lake City 2 E station).

When can I plant a garden in Lake City, FL?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Jan 18 – Feb 8; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about Mar 8, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in Lake City, FL?

Short-day onions: the longest day is 14 h 05 min, so summer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb.

How much rain and snow does Lake City, FL get?

About 54 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).