If you only plant one month out of the year in Florida, make it November. I am not exaggerating. The daytime highs settle into the 70-80°F range, nighttime lows drop to 50-60°F, and the humidity finally loosens its grip. These conditions are exactly what cool-season vegetables need to germinate quickly, establish roots, and produce high-quality harvests. At Wholly Water Farms, we treat November like other states treat May — it is our real spring.

The UF/IFAS Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide (SP 103) confirms what every experienced Florida gardener already knows: November is the sweet spot for the widest range of cool-season crops across all three planting zones. Whether you are in Jacksonville or Homestead, this is the month to get seeds in the ground and transplants into beds.

What Should You Plant in Florida in November?

November supports more plantable crops than any other month on the Florida calendar. Lettuce, broccoli, kale, carrots, beets, sugar snap peas, radishes, and herbs like cilantro and dill all go in this month. Soil temperatures in the 60-70°F range trigger strong germination for most cool-season seeds, while the moderate air temps prevent the bolting that ruins spring plantings.

Here is what we plant and what we recommend for home gardeners across the state.

Leafy Greens

This is your lettuce window. Romaine, butterhead, loose-leaf, and crisphead varieties all perform well from November through February. Direct seed loose-leaf types like Red Sails or Black Seeded Simpson for cut-and-come-again harvesting in as few as 30 days. Transplant head-forming types for best results. Kale (Lacinato, Red Russian, Winterbor) and collard greens (Georgia Southern, Vates) can be direct seeded or transplanted — both will produce through March if you keep harvesting outer leaves.

Swiss chard is another winner. The variety Bright Lights gives you those colorful stems that look as good in a garden bed as they taste in a saute pan. Plant now and you will get four to five months of continuous harvest.

Brassicas

November is transplant month for broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. If you started seeds indoors six weeks ago, they should be 4-6 inches tall and ready to go out. Broccoli varieties like Green Magic and Destiny produce central heads in 60-75 days from transplant, and the side shoots keep coming for weeks after. Cauliflower is pickier — it needs consistent temperatures between 60-70°F to form tight heads, and November gives you the best shot at that window. Cabbage is the most forgiving of the three. Flat Dutch and Savoy types handle mild frosts with no damage.

Root Vegetables

Carrots, beets, turnips, and radishes all go in from direct seed this month. Carrots need loose, sandy soil — which Florida has in abundance — and take 65-80 days to reach full size. The Nantes and Chantenay types perform better in our soil than the long Imperator varieties. Beets are faster at 50-60 days, and turnips are faster still. Radishes are the speed champions: Cherry Belle and French Breakfast varieties mature in 25-30 days from seed.

Sugar Snap Peas

This is one of the most rewarding November plantings. Sugar snap peas like Sugar Ann (bush type, no trellis needed) and Super Sugar Snap (climbing, needs support) go in now and produce in 55-70 days. They fix nitrogen in the soil through their root nodules, so they improve your beds while feeding you. In Central and South Florida, you can get two successive plantings — one in November, one in January.

Herbs

Cilantro, parsley, and dill all thrive in cool Florida weather. Cilantro bolts as soon as temperatures hit 75-80°F, so November through February is your entire window. Succession-plant every two to three weeks so you always have young plants coming on. Parsley (both flat-leaf and curly) takes longer to germinate — sometimes two to three weeks — but once established, it produces for months. Dill goes to seed quickly, so plant it thick and harvest young. For more herb growing details, check our herb growing guide.

Strawberries

For Central and South Florida growers, November is prime strawberry transplant time. The University of Florida has developed short-day varieties specifically bred for our climate. Florida Brilliance, released by UF in 2018, produces the highest early yields (late November through January) of any UF cultivar. Sweet Sensation (Florida127) offers excellent flavor and attractive berries. Both varieties are available as bare-root transplants from specialty nurseries. Plant in well-amended raised beds with drip irrigation for best results. The ideal planting window extends from mid-October through early November — so if you have not planted yet, do it this week.

What Is the November Planting Schedule for Each Florida Zone?

Florida spans USDA zones 8b through 11a, and planting dates vary accordingly. North Florida (zones 8b/9a) gardeners should be aware that the first frost typically arrives in mid to late November. A lightweight row cover or frost cloth is cheap insurance for tender transplants. Central and South Florida growers have more breathing room, but even here, occasional cold fronts can dip below 40°F in December.

Crop	North FL (8b/9a)	Central FL (9b/10a)	South FL (10b/11a)	Days to Harvest
Lettuce (all types)	Sep–Nov	Oct–Jan	Oct–Feb	30–70
Broccoli (transplants)	Sep–Oct	Oct–Nov	Oct–Dec	60–75
Cabbage (transplants)	Sep–Nov	Oct–Dec	Oct–Jan	70–90
Cauliflower (transplants)	Sep–Oct	Oct–Nov	Oct–Dec	55–75
Kale / Collards	Sep–Nov	Oct–Jan	Oct–Feb	50–65
Swiss Chard	Sep–Nov	Oct–Jan	Oct–Feb	55–65
Carrots	Sep–Nov	Oct–Jan	Oct–Feb	65–80
Beets	Sep–Nov	Oct–Jan	Oct–Feb	50–60
Turnips	Sep–Nov	Oct–Dec	Oct–Jan	40–60
Radishes	Sep–Mar	Oct–Mar	Oct–Mar	25–30
Sugar Snap Peas	Oct–Nov	Nov–Jan	Nov–Feb	55–70
Cilantro	Oct–Dec	Nov–Feb	Nov–Feb	45–60
Parsley	Sep–Nov	Oct–Feb	Oct–Mar	70–90
Dill	Oct–Nov	Nov–Jan	Nov–Feb	40–55
Strawberries	Oct	Oct–Nov	Oct–Nov	60–90

How Do You Protect November Plantings from Frost in Florida?

North Florida gardeners face the most frost risk in November. The average first frost date for Gainesville is around November 20, and Tallahassee can see freezes even earlier. Row covers rated at 1.5 oz per square yard provide 4-8°F of frost protection without trapping excessive heat during the day. Floating row covers work well for lettuce, carrots, and greens. For taller crops like broccoli and cabbage transplants, wire hoops draped with frost cloth create a mini tunnel.

Central Florida is milder but not frost-free. I have seen 35°F mornings in late November in the Tampa Bay area. Keep row covers on hand. South Florida gardeners below Lake Okeechobee rarely deal with frost, but cold winds can still stress young transplants.

One thing I always tell new gardeners: mulch heavily after planting. A two to three inch layer of straw or pine needles insulates the root zone, conserves soil moisture, and suppresses weeds. In Florida's sandy soils, that moisture retention alone is worth the effort.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best vegetable to plant in Florida in November?

Lettuce in all its forms is the top November planting. Romaine, butterhead, and loose-leaf varieties germinate quickly in 60-70°F soil, grow fast in our mild winter weather, and give you harvests from December through March. Loose-leaf types can produce their first cutting in as few as 30 days from seed.

Can you plant strawberries in November in Florida?

Yes, November is the tail end of the ideal strawberry transplant window for Central and South Florida. UF-developed varieties like Florida Brilliance and Sweet Sensation are bred for Florida conditions and produce from late November through April. Plant bare-root transplants in raised beds with drip irrigation for best results.

When is the first frost in North Florida?

The average first frost date for North Florida ranges from mid-November (Tallahassee, zone 8b) to early December (Jacksonville, zone 9a). Use lightweight row covers to protect tender transplants and extend your growing season by several weeks.

Is November too late to plant cool-season vegetables in Florida?

Absolutely not. November is actually the peak planting month for cool-season vegetables in most of Florida. The UF/IFAS Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide lists November as a primary planting window for lettuce, carrots, beets, kale, collards, radishes, and many more crops, especially in Central and South Florida where frost risk is minimal.