What to plant in spring in South Florida
“Spring is the window to plant before the heat — use it well.”
Spring in South Florida is a transition season, and a busy one for gardeners who know how to use it. As the cool season winds down and the heat builds toward summer, there is a window to squeeze in warm-season crops, establish trees and tropicals, and refresh the garden before the rains arrive.
The key is planting the right things in this shoulder season rather than fighting the coming heat. Here is what to plant in spring in Palm Beach County, and how to make the most of the window.
Understand the spring window
Spring here is the bridge between our prime cool growing season and the harsh heat of summer, roughly March through May. It is a time to harvest the last of the winter garden while getting heat-ready plants established before conditions turn punishing.
Thinking of spring as a window that is closing helps you prioritize. The plants that go in now should be ones that can handle the warmth coming fast behind them.
Warm-season vegetables, early
Early spring is your last good chance for a round of warm-season vegetables before peak heat. Beans, squash, cucumbers, and corn can all go in early enough to produce before summer shuts them down, and you can sneak in a final planting of heat-tolerant tomatoes.
Plant these as early in spring as you can to give them time to crop. The earlier they establish, the better they fruit before the heat and pests of summer take over.
Heat-loving herbs and flowers
Spring is the moment to plant the herbs and flowers that thrive in warmth. Basil loves the rising heat, and warm-season annuals like vinca, portulaca, and coleus, plus tough perennials like pentas, settle in now for a long season of color.
These replace the cool-season plants that are fading as temperatures climb. Getting them in during spring gives them a full warm season to perform.
Plant heat-lovers in spring and they'll be thriving by the time summer arrives.
Establish trees and tropicals
Spring, before the summer rains, is an excellent time to plant trees, palms, shrubs, and tropical fruit, giving them a head start to establish roots with the rainy season's help just ahead. Newly planted trees especially benefit from going in now.
Planting woody material in spring sets it up to take advantage of summer's natural irrigation. Just be ready to water consistently until the rains take over.
Refresh and mulch
Spring is also the time to tidy and prepare. Refresh tired beds with compost, replenish mulch before the heat, and prune spring-flowering shrubs after they bloom. These tasks set the garden up to weather the summer in good shape.
A layer of fresh mulch ahead of summer conserves moisture and moderates soil temperature when plants need it most. A little prep now pays off through the hot months.
Plant smart this spring
Used well, spring lets you grab a final cool-weather harvest, establish the bones of the landscape, and set up color and crops for the heat to come. It rewards gardeners who plant with the season ahead in mind.
We stock the right plants for the spring window and can tell you what is best to plant right now. Come see what is in season at the nursery.
Frequently asked questions
What can I plant in spring in South Florida?
Early warm-season vegetables like beans, squash, cucumbers, and corn; heat-loving herbs and flowers like basil, vinca, and pentas; and trees, palms, and tropical fruit to establish before the summer rains.
Is spring a good time to plant trees in Florida?
Yes — planting trees, palms, and shrubs in spring, before the summer rains, gives them a head start to establish roots with the rainy season's help, as long as you water consistently until then.
When does the spring planting window close in South Florida?
Roughly by late May, as heat builds toward summer. Warm-season vegetables in particular should go in early spring so they can crop before the harshest heat and pests arrive.
Plant for the season ahead.
We'll help you choose what to plant right now and solve whatever your yard is throwing at you.