Now
29°C · Clear
Today
31° / 24°
Soil 6 cm
29°C
First frost
Rare
Gardening in Fort Lauderdale
AI field guide · refreshed weeklyFort Lauderdale Gardening: Early Fall Planting Season Opens
Zone 11a means frost is essentially absent—you garden year-round here. Soil at 29°C is still warm but cooling into the ideal window for fall crops. September marks the start of the main planting season: heat-loving summer crops fade, and cool-season vegetables thrive from October through May. No frost dates apply to your region.
Sow outdoors now
Lettuce (Lactuca sativa)
Direct sow butterhead and leaf varieties like 'Jericho' or 'Salad Bowl' into moist soil; germination is reliable at 29°C and seedlings will establish before October cooling.
Spinach (Spinacia oleracea)
Sow 'Space' or 'Bloomsdale Long Standing' directly; this crop thrives in your mild fall and winter and tolerates the heat still present this week.
Radish (Raphanus sativus)
Fast-maturing varieties like 'Cherry Belle' germinate quickly in warm soil and mature in 25–30 days, giving you a harvest before mid-October.
Beet (Beta vulgaris)
Sow 'Detroit Dark Red' or 'Chioggia'; they tolerate current warmth and produce sweet roots through winter.
Carrot (Daucus carota)
Direct sow 'Nantes' or 'Chantenay' types; slow germination in warm soil is offset by a long, mild growing season ahead.
Start indoors now
Broccoli (Brassica oleracea italica)
Start 'Calabrese' or 'De Cicco' indoors now for transplant in 4–5 weeks; this timing targets a November–December harvest.
Cabbage (Brassica oleracea capitata)
Sow 'Early Jersey Wakefield' or 'Stonehead' indoors; transplant seedlings in early October for winter heading.
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)
Start determinate varieties like 'Florida 91' indoors for transplant in 6 weeks; these are bred for your region and mature before summer heat returns.
Harvest now
Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus)
Still productive; pick pods daily when 7–10 cm (3–4 in) long before they toughen.
Eggplant (Solanum melongena)
Harvest 'Black Beauty' or 'Orient Express' at full color; plants begin to slow but remain productive through September.
Pepper (Capsicum annuum)
Bell and hot peppers continue fruiting; pick mature fruit to encourage more blooms before the plant's decline in October.
Tasks this week
- Mulch newly sown beds with 5 cm (2 in) of compost to retain moisture and moderate soil temperature.
- Water deeply and consistently—the forecast shows minimal rain and high humidity masks dry soil.
- Scout for whiteflies and spider mites on remaining summer crops; spray neem oil in early morning if populations spike.
- Begin removing spent summer plants (tomatoes, squash) to reduce pest habitat and open space for fall transplants.
- Amend beds with aged compost or balanced fertilizer (5–5–5) before planting brassicas and root crops.
Watch out for
- Whiteflies and spider mites thrive in heat and low humidity; inspect leaf undersides weekly and act early.
- Fungal leaf spots favor warm, humid air—ensure good airflow and avoid overhead watering in late afternoon.
- Slugs and snails emerge after any rain; handpick at dusk or use copper tape barriers around seedlings.
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