The rest of the country seems to be getting ready for winter. They’re unpacking their woolies and scarves and swooning over pumpkin spice lattes. But here in Florida, we’re still sweltering in the high 80s. And with Florida’s upside-down gardening schedule, you may be wondering what to plant in October.
Other Southern garden regions have the same dilemma. If you garden in New Orleans, Biloxi, or along coastal Texas, you know the gardening season has just really gotten underway.
That doesn’t mean it won’t get cold along the Gulf. It definitely will. But it usually doesn’t get cold enough to matter until late December or early January.
Last year threw us some curveballs. Temperatures dropped in Central Florida in late November, and it got REALLY cold in early December. Cold enough to matter. Cold enough to cover.
So, right now, in early October, the race is on to get roots in the ground and vegetables well established enough to survive any surprise cold snaps.
Knowing What to Plant in October
I’ve drawn data from several sources, especially the University of UF/IFAS website. But I’ve also been collecting data from other sources, including experienced gardeners and nurseries that include expanded selections far outside the limited one provided by UF.
There exists a plethora of exotic edibles from far-flung regions with the same climate and similar conditions. Why not take advantage of those resources?
Other regions that seem to mirror our unique gardening environment include parts of Southeast Asia, Central America, South America, and coastal areas in Australia.
I’ve drawn planting suggestions from gardeners and farmers in these regions as well, for those like me who like to experiment with new and interesting vegetable varieties.
North Florida
October begins the limits on planting out in North Florida, unless you have a greenhouse or a nurturing microclimate on the coast and a south-facing wall.
Cold-weather vegetables should do well, but be prepared to cover anything tender you planted out last month:
- arugula
- Asian cabbages
- beets
- broad beans
- broccoli
- cabbage
- carrots
- cauliflower
- celery
- chicory
- chives
- collards
- English peas
- fennel
- French tarragon
- green onions
- kale
- kohlrabi
- lettuce
- mizuna
- mustard onion
- sets
- parsley
- radish
- rapini
- rutabaga
- salsify
- shallots
- spinach
- strawberry crowns
- turnips
Central Florida
The weather is still fine in Central Florida, and still warm enough to sneak in a few warm-season crops like tomatoes, summer squash, and melons.
Thankfully, it also gets cool enough for those plants to begin fruiting, as well. It’s also cool enough to consider planting herbs, peas, and lettuces.
- arugula
- Asian cabbages
- beans, bush
- beans, climbing
- beets
- broad beans
- broccoli
- cabbage
- carrots
- cauliflower
- celery
- chives
- collards
- cucumbers
- daikon
- English peas
- fennel
- French tarragon
- green onions
- horseradish crowns
- kale
- kohlrabi
- lettuce
- mizuna
- mustard
- onion sets
- parsley
- potatoes
- pumpkins
- radish
- rapini
- rosemary
- salsify
- shallots
- snap peas
- snow peas
- spinach
- strawberry crowns
- summer squash
- thyme
- tomatoes
- turnips
- watermelons
South Florida
Summer vegetables are still a go-to for October gardening in South Florida. With few, if any, frosts, risk-taking gardeners can continue to plant out nearly anything their heart desires.
It’s still too warm for cold-loving plants like snap peas and some brassicas, but you can start these undercover to plant out next month if you like.
- Asian cabbages
- beans, climbing
- beets
- broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- cabbage
- carrots
- cauliflower
- celery
- chili peppers
- chives
- collards
- corn
- cucumbers
- eggplant
- English peas
- fennel
- green onions
- kale
- kohlrabi
- leeks
- lettuce
- mizuna
- mustard
- onion sets
- parsley
- peppers
- potatoes
- radish
- rapini
- rosemary
- sage
- shallots
- southern peas
- spinach
- strawberry crowns
- summer squash
- thyme
- tomatoes
- tropical spinach
- turnips
What to Plant in Florida Month-by-Month
For planning ahead for the Florida growing schedule, please check out my Florida Gardening Planner on Amazon. It provides a month-by-month list of edibles to plant out for every month of the year for the three regions of Florida (Zones 8, 9, 10), plus handy planning and garden design tools to help you move step by step for a productive gardening year.