Clearwater growing guide
What to plant in Clearwater, Florida.
Clearwater does not follow the familiar northern pattern of one spring garden followed by a long winter break. The useful planting window changes crop by crop, and our hottest months are often the hardest time for familiar vegetables.
January and February: cool crops and warm-season planning
Cool-season greens and roots are still useful choices. This is also the time to plan spring beds and line up tomato, pepper, and eggplant transplants before the weather turns hot.
- Kale, collards, chard, lettuce, radish, carrots, and herbs such as cilantro
- Prepare beds with compost and confirm that containers drain freely
- Start watching forecasts and local guidance before setting out warm-season plants
March and April: the broad spring window
Spring is an important window for tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, beans, cucumbers, and squash. Planting early enough gives fruiting crops time to establish before very warm nights arrive.
- Tomato and pepper transplants
- Eggplant, beans, cucumber, and squash
- Basil and other warm-season herbs after gradual hardening off
May through July: choose crops that accept the heat
Florida summer is not a generic vegetable season. UF/IFAS highlights okra, southern peas, sweet potato, and selected tropical crops as better bets. Traditional large tomatoes may grow but often struggle to set fruit when nights remain warm.
- Okra, southern peas, sweet potato, and heat-tolerant greens
- Use the summer to improve soil or solarize problem beds
- Keep young plants watered while avoiding constantly saturated roots
August and September: begin the fall reset
Late summer is planning time for the second major warm-season window. Gardeners begin tomato and pepper transplants while direct-seeding suitable beans and squash, then prepare for cool crops as temperatures ease.
- Fall tomato and pepper plants when weather allows
- Beans, squash, and other Central Florida fall crops
- Start kale, chard, collards, and herbs for the cooler season
October through December: Clearwater’s productive cool season
As humidity and nighttime temperatures ease, leafy greens and herbs become much easier to manage. Pinellas UF/IFAS specifically points gardeners toward cool-season crops such as celery, cabbage, lettuce, and collards.
- Kale, chard, collards, lettuce, cabbage, and related greens
- Cilantro, parsley, dill, and other cool-loving herbs
- Continue monitoring irrigation as summer rain patterns fade
Florida sources
These recommendations were checked against the following university and Extension resources: