Brought to you by garden.gg Brought to you by garden.gg USDA zone 11 is effectively frost-free year-round (average annual minimums 40-50°F), with a tropical to subtropical climate where the limiting factors are extreme summer heat, humidity, heavy rainfall, and intense pest and disease pressure rather than cold. The cool, drier "winter" months are the prime productive growing season, while high summer is the difficult off-season.
States & regions in Zone 11: South Florida (Miami-Dade, the Florida Keys, Homestead), Hawaii (lower elevations), Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Warmest desert pockets of southern Arizona and the lower Colorado Desert of California
Zone 11 is frost-free, so cold never ends your garden. The real limits are summer heat, humidity, heavy rain, and relentless pests. The cool, drier winter months are when this zone shines — that's when the most productive growing happens.
Pro tip: Treat the cool season as your main garden. Through high summer, focus on heat-loving tropicals and stay ahead of pests and disease.
Start tracking your zone 11 garden — free
The right crops and methods for each season, based on zone 11's climate and frost timing.
Spring (March-May) transitions from the productive cool season into building heat and the start of the rainy season. It is the main window to establish warm-season crops so they bear before midsummer disease pressure peaks, while finishing the last cool-season harvests early on.
Early Mar
Last reliable transplant date; get fruit set before May heat and rains shut pollination down.
Mar
Tolerates building heat better than tomatoes; will keep producing into summer.
Mar - Apr
Heat-loving; one of the few solanaceous crops that carries through summer.
Mar - May
Loves heat and humidity; a premier zone-11 summer producer, sow once soil is warm.
Mar - May
Plant slips for a long warm-season crop; extremely well adapted to the tropics.
Mar - May
Heat- and humidity-proof legume; ideal as warmth ramps up.
Mar - May
Trellised tropical bean that thrives in heat where common beans fail.
Mar - Apr
Warm-season legume; sow early so pods set before peak humidity.
Mar - Apr
Direct-sow in warm soil for an early-summer harvest.
Mar - May
Long warm season suits zone 11; needs loose soil for pegging.
Mar - Apr
Catalog name 'Corn (Sweet)'; sow in blocks early to beat summer pests.
Mar - Apr
Sow early; downy mildew arrives with the summer rains, so aim for an early harvest.
Mar - Apr
Fast producer; harvest before vine borers and mildew take over in summer.
Mar - Apr
Plant early for a quick spring crop ahead of pest buildup.
Mar - Apr
Needs the long hot season; sow early on sandy, well-drained soil.
Mar - Apr
Heat-loving melon; sow before the rains to reduce fruit rot.
Mar - Apr
Tropical/Seminole-type pumpkins handle the heat best; give long-vining room.
Mar - Apr
Choose tropical-adapted types (e.g. calabaza); sow early to dodge borers.
Mar - Apr
Long-season vine; plant early and trellis or sprawl in a sunny bed.
Mar
Sow early; production slows once peak heat and humidity arrive.
Mar - May
Loves the heat; one of the best summer herbs, pinch to delay flowering.
Mar - May
Heat-loving leafy green that thrives when lettuce fails.
Mar - May
Vining heat-tolerant 'spinach' substitute for the hot months; trellis it.
Mar - May
Tolerates heat and humidity as a warm-season greens source.
Mar - Apr
Warm-season relative of tomatillo; productive in heat.
Mar - Apr
Plant two for pollination; handles heat better than tomato.
Mar - May
Direct-sow for summer blooms and pollinator support.
Mar - May
Heat-loving cut flower; deadhead for continuous bloom.
Mar - May
Tough heat-tolerant annual; aids nematode suppression.
Mar - May
Easy heat-tolerant flower for pollinators.
Summer (June-September) is the off-season in zone 11: relentless heat, high humidity, daily downpours, and peak insect and fungal pressure make conventional vegetables struggle. Production narrows to a small set of truly tropical, heat- and rot-resistant crops, and many gardeners solarize beds, plant cover crops, or rest the garden.
Jun - Jul
One of the few vegetables that genuinely thrives in zone-11 summer heat and rain.
Jun - Jul
Vigorous ground cover that crops well right through the hot wet season.
Jun - Aug
Heat- and disease-tolerant; also doubles as a soil-building cover crop.
Jun - Aug
Keeps producing in heat and humidity that stops common beans.
Jun - Aug
Vining green that loves heat and rain; a dependable summer leafy crop.
Jun - Aug
Heat-proof leafy green; harvest young leaves continuously.
Jun - Jul
Reliable warm-season greens substitute through summer.
Jun - Jul
Tropical cucurbit that thrives in heat and humidity; trellis the vines.
Jun - Jul
Long-season tropical gourd; needs strong trellising and the full hot season.
Jun - Jul
Plant a sprouting fruit; vigorous perennial vine well suited to the tropics.
Jun
Tolerates the hot wet season; long maturation fits the summer window.
Jun - Aug
Thrives in heat; one of the most dependable summer herbs in the tropics.
Jun - Aug
Tropical perennial clump; divide and plant any time in the warm season.
Jun - Aug
Grow in containers and partial shade; keep moist through the heat.
Jun - Jul
Choose heat-tolerant varieties; supports pollinators in the off-season.
Jun - Aug
Heat- and humidity-tolerant cut flower; watch for powdery mildew.
Jun - Aug
Tough summer color; helps suppress root-knot nematodes.
Jun - Aug
Heat-loving filler flower for pollinators during the slow season.
Jun - Jul
Edible flowers and leaves; provide some afternoon shade in peak heat.
Fall (October-November) is the reopening of the prime growing season as heat, rain, and pest pressure ease — the single most important planting window of the year. Get cool-season greens, roots, legumes, and fresh warm-season transplants in the ground now for a long, productive cool season ahead.
Oct - Nov
Best transplant window of the year; cooling weather gives excellent fruit set.
Oct - Nov
Set transplants now for production right through the cool season.
Oct - Nov
Establishes well as heat fades; productive into winter.
Oct - Nov
Start succession sowings as temperatures drop; prime cool-season green.
Oct - Nov
Fast brassica that does best as the cool season begins.
Oct - Nov
Easy, productive cool-season green.
Oct - Nov
Sow as it cools; succession-plant for continuous harvest.
Oct - Nov
Mild salad mustard for cut-and-come-again beds.
Oct - Nov
Cool-loving rosette green; sow once nights cool.
Oct - Nov
Set transplants for a long, heat-tolerant cool-season harvest.
Oct - Nov
Plant as it cools for best leaf quality through winter.
Oct - Nov
Plant now for steady greens across the whole cool season.
Oct - Nov
Set transplants early in the cool season for firm heads.
Oct - Nov
Heat-tolerant brassica that establishes well in early cool season.
Oct - Nov
Sow as soil cools; keep evenly moist for germination.
Oct - Nov
Cool-season root; harvest both greens and roots.
Oct - Nov
Quick crop to kick off the cool season; succession-sow.
Oct - Nov
Large cool-season root; also loosens compacted soil.
Oct - Nov
Easy cool-season allium for continuous harvest.
Nov
Sow late fall so plants flower in the cool of winter.
Nov
Trellis; cooler weather is essential for good pod set.
Oct - Nov
Warm-season bean that produces well in the mild fall.
Oct - Nov
Sow once it cools; the cool season is its only good window here.
Oct - Nov
Cool-season herb; succession-sow for steady supply.
Oct - Nov
Plant as it cools for long-lived, productive plants.
Oct - Nov
Set plugs/bare-root in fall as a cool-season annual for winter fruit.
Oct - Nov
Cool-season flower; sow for winter color and pollinators.
Oct - Nov
Cool-season annual; set transplants as heat fades.
Oct - Nov
Edible cool-season flower; thrives once heat breaks.
Winter (December-February) is the peak, most productive growing season in zone 11 — cool, dry, low-pest conditions let nearly every cool-season crop that tolerates the zone thrive alongside continued warm-season production. This is when you plant the widest variety of greens, legumes, herbs, and tender warm crops timed to mature before the spring heat.
Dec - Feb
Prime season; succession-sow every 2-3 weeks, choose heat-tolerant types as spring nears.
Dec - Feb
Fast cool-season crop; harvest before late-Feb warmth triggers bolting.
Dec - Feb
Reliable productive green through the cool months.
Dec - Feb
Best flavor in the coolest weeks; bolts quickly once temps rise.
Dec - Feb
Mild mustard for cut-and-come-again harvests.
Dec - Feb
Cold-tolerant rosette green for the coolest stretch.
Dec - Jan
Heat-tolerant brassica that produces well through the cool season.
Dec - Jan
Plant in the coolest months; quality drops once spring heat arrives.
Dec - Feb
One of the most heat-tolerant greens; will carry into spring.
Dec - Jan
Set transplants early so heads form during the coolest weeks.
Dec - Feb
Heat-tolerant brassica well suited to subtropical winters.
Dec - Jan
Sow into the cool season; keep soil moist for even germination in warm soil.
Dec - Jan
Grows well in cool months; harvest greens and roots before spring heat.
Dec - Feb
Quick crop; succession-sow through the cool season.
Dec - Jan
Cool-season root that also breaks up compacted soil.
Dec - Jan
Only reliable in the coolest weeks; plant early for a winter harvest.
Dec - Jan
Trellis; tolerates winter cool but fades fast in late-Feb warmth.
Dec - Feb
Thrives only in the cool, dry months; bolts immediately once it warms.
Dec - Feb
Cool-season herb; succession-sow for continuous supply.
Dec - Feb
Plant in cool season for best, long-lasting growth.
Jan - Feb
Second wave from transplants extends the harvest window.
Dec - Feb
Easy cool-season allium; harvest young.
Dec - Jan
Set transplants in mid-winter so fruit ripens before late-spring heat and rains; choose heat- and nematode-tolerant varieties.
Dec - Jan
Peppers are short-lived perennials here; mid-winter planting gives a long productive run.
Jan - Feb
Warm enough to grow through the cool season; set transplants for spring harvest.
Jan - Feb
Warm-season legume that produces in mild winter; avoid the heaviest summer rains.
Dec - Jan
Grown as a winter annual from bare-root or plug sets; fruits through the cool dry months.
Dec - Feb
Cool-season flower that brightens winter beds and attracts pollinators.
Dec - Jan
Best as a cool-season ornamental; treat as a winter annual.
Start-indoors, direct-sow, transplant, and harvest windows for every crop in zone 11.
| Plant | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Transplant | Harvest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amaranth (Leaf) | — | Mar - May | — | — | Heat-proof leafy green; harvest young leaves continuously. |
| Arugula | — | Oct - Nov | — | — | Best flavor in the coolest weeks; bolts quickly once temps rise. |
| Beet | — | Oct - Nov | — | — | Grows well in cool months; harvest greens and roots before spring heat. |
| Bitter Melon | — | Jun - Jul | — | — | Tropical cucurbit that thrives in heat and humidity; trellis the vines. |
| Bok Choy / Pak Choi | — | Oct - Nov | — | — | Fast cool-season crop; harvest before late-Feb warmth triggers bolting. |
| Bush Bean | — | Oct - Nov | — | — | Warm-season bean that produces well in the mild fall. |
| Cabbage | — | — | Oct - Nov | — | Set transplants early so heads form during the coolest weeks. |
| Carrot | — | Oct - Nov | — | — | Sow into the cool season; keep soil moist for even germination in warm soil. |
| Chayote | — | — | Jun - Jul | — | Plant a sprouting fruit; vigorous perennial vine well suited to the tropics. |
| Chinese Broccoli (Gai Lan) | — | Oct - Nov | Jan - Feb | — | Heat-tolerant brassica well suited to subtropical winters. |
| Collards | — | — | Oct - Nov | — | Heat-tolerant brassica that produces well through the cool season. |
| Corn (Sweet) | — | Mar - Apr | — | — | Catalog name 'Corn (Sweet)'; sow in blocks early to beat summer pests. |
| Cowpea / Southern Pea | — | Mar - May | — | — | Heat- and disease-tolerant; also doubles as a soil-building cover crop. |
| Cucumber | — | Mar - Apr | — | — | Sow early; downy mildew arrives with the summer rains, so aim for an early harvest. |
| Daikon Radish | — | Oct - Nov | — | — | Cool-season root that also breaks up compacted soil. |
| Edamame (Soybean) | — | Mar - Apr | — | — | Direct-sow in warm soil for an early-summer harvest. |
| Eggplant | — | — | Oct - Nov | — | Heat-loving; one of the few solanaceous crops that carries through summer. |
| Garden Pea | — | Nov | — | — | Only reliable in the coolest weeks; plant early for a winter harvest. |
| Husk-less / Pie Pumpkin | — | Mar - Apr | — | — | Long-season vine; plant early and trellis or sprawl in a sunny bed. |
| Kale | — | — | Oct - Nov | — | Plant in the coolest months; quality drops once spring heat arrives. |
| Lettuce | — | Oct - Nov | — | — | Prime season; succession-sow every 2-3 weeks, choose heat-tolerant types as spring nears. |
| Lima Bean | — | Mar - Apr | — | — | Warm-season legume; sow early so pods set before peak humidity. |
| Luffa | — | Jun - Jul | — | — | Long-season tropical gourd; needs strong trellising and the full hot season. |
| Malabar Spinach | — | Mar - May | — | — | Vining green that loves heat and rain; a dependable summer leafy crop. |
| Mizuna | — | Oct - Nov | — | — | Mild mustard for cut-and-come-again harvests. |
| Mustard Greens | — | Oct - Nov | — | — | Reliable productive green through the cool months. |
| New Zealand Spinach | — | Mar - May | — | — | Reliable warm-season greens substitute through summer. |
| Okra | — | Mar - May | — | — | One of the few vegetables that genuinely thrives in zone-11 summer heat and rain. |
| Peanut | — | Mar - May | — | — | Long warm season suits zone 11; needs loose soil for pegging. |
| Pepper (Bell & Hot) | — | — | Oct - Nov | — | Set transplants now for production right through the cool season. |
| Pole Bean | — | Mar | — | — | Sow early; production slows once peak heat and humidity arrive. |
| Pumpkin | — | Mar - Apr | — | — | Tropical/Seminole-type pumpkins handle the heat best; give long-vining room. |
| Radish | — | Oct - Nov | — | — | Quick crop; succession-sow through the cool season. |
| Scallion / Green Onion | — | Oct - Nov | — | — | Easy cool-season allium for continuous harvest. |
| Snap / Snow Pea | — | Nov | — | — | Trellis; tolerates winter cool but fades fast in late-Feb warmth. |
| Summer Squash | — | Mar - Apr | — | — | Plant early for a quick spring crop ahead of pest buildup. |
| Sweet Potato | — | — | Mar - May | — | Vigorous ground cover that crops well right through the hot wet season. |
| Swiss Chard | — | Oct - Nov | — | — | One of the most heat-tolerant greens; will carry into spring. |
| Tatsoi | — | Oct - Nov | — | — | Cold-tolerant rosette green for the coolest stretch. |
| Tomatillo | — | — | Mar - Apr | — | Plant two for pollination; handles heat better than tomato. |
| Tomato | — | — | Oct - Nov | — | Last reliable transplant date; get fruit set before May heat and rains shut pollination down. |
| Winter Squash | — | Mar - Apr | — | — | Choose tropical-adapted types (e.g. calabaza); sow early to dodge borers. |
| Yardlong Bean | — | Mar - May | — | — | Keeps producing in heat and humidity that stops common beans. |
| Zucchini | — | Mar - Apr | — | — | Fast producer; harvest before vine borers and mildew take over in summer. |
| Plant | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Transplant | Harvest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basil | — | Mar - May | — | — | Thrives in heat; one of the most dependable summer herbs in the tropics. |
| Cilantro / Coriander | — | Oct - Nov | — | — | Thrives only in the cool, dry months; bolts immediately once it warms. |
| Dill | — | Oct - Nov | — | — | Cool-season herb; succession-sow for continuous supply. |
| Lemongrass | — | — | Jun - Aug | — | Tropical perennial clump; divide and plant any time in the warm season. |
| Mint | — | — | Jun - Aug | — | Grow in containers and partial shade; keep moist through the heat. |
| Parsley | — | Oct - Nov | — | — | Plant in cool season for best, long-lasting growth. |
| Plant | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Transplant | Harvest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ground Cherry | — | — | Mar - Apr | — | Warm-season relative of tomatillo; productive in heat. |
| Muskmelon / Cantaloupe | — | Mar - Apr | — | — | Heat-loving melon; sow before the rains to reduce fruit rot. |
| Strawberry | — | — | Oct - Nov | — | Set plugs/bare-root in fall as a cool-season annual for winter fruit. |
| Watermelon | — | Mar - Apr | — | — | Needs the long hot season; sow early on sandy, well-drained soil. |
| Plant | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Transplant | Harvest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calendula | — | Oct - Nov | — | — | Cool-season flower; sow for winter color and pollinators. |
| Cosmos | — | Mar - May | — | — | Heat-loving filler flower for pollinators during the slow season. |
| Marigold | — | Mar - May | — | — | Tough summer color; helps suppress root-knot nematodes. |
| Nasturtium | — | Oct - Nov | — | — | Edible flowers and leaves; provide some afternoon shade in peak heat. |
| Snapdragon | — | — | Oct - Nov | — | Cool-season annual; set transplants as heat fades. |
| Sunflower | — | Mar - May | — | — | Choose heat-tolerant varieties; supports pollinators in the off-season. |
| Zinnia | — | Mar - May | — | — | Heat- and humidity-tolerant cut flower; watch for powdery mildew. |
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Sign Up FreeIn zone 11, spring planting includes Tomato, Pepper (Bell & Hot), Eggplant, Okra, Sweet Potato, Cowpea / Southern Pea, Yardlong Bean, Lima Bean, and more. See the spring section above for each crop's timing.
USDA zone 11 is effectively frost-free year-round, so you can grow in every season — the cooler months are typically the most productive.
Fall planting in zone 11 includes Tomato, Pepper (Bell & Hot), Eggplant, Lettuce, Bok Choy / Pak Choi, Mustard Greens, Arugula, Mizuna, and more.
Zone 11 is effectively frost-free, allowing year-round growing. USDA zone 11 is effectively frost-free year-round (average annual minimums 40-50°F), with a tropical to subtropical climate where the limiting factors are extreme summer heat, humidity, heavy rainfall, and intense pest and disease pressure rather than cold. The cool, drier "winter" months are the prime productive growing season, while high summer is the difficult off-season.
Month-specific guides for zone 11, hand-tuned to current frost dates and crop windows.
Learn more: When to plant vegetables by zone