Mary Esther, FL 32569 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Mary Esther, FL?
The last spring frost here typically falls around 02/05, about 161 days from today. The first fall frost typically arrives around 12/28, about 321 frost-free days later.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts Mary Esther in Zone 9a (20 to 25°F average annual minimum); frost dates are NOAA's 1991-2020 station normal, not this year's forecast.
What to do before the first frost
About 17 weeks of growing season left in Mary Esther before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
Why 02/05 isn't a guarantee
02/05 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 01/05 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 03/04 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Mary Esther compares
About 321 days separate Mary Esther's last and first frost, putting it 3,302 of 40,283 ZIP codes nationally. Within FL, it ranks 1,230 of 1,609.
Learn more
zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 9a and Mary Esther's frost date answer different questions. the frost range covers how to read the range around Mary Esther's dates instead of trusting one.