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Zone 11A — October

What to Plant in October in Zone 11A

October in Zone 11A: 44 crops to start indoors, 52 to plant or direct sow outside, and 0 entering harvest window. No freeze on record. Reference city: Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Updated August 12, 2026 · Frost data from NOAA 1991-2020 Climate Normals
44 Start Indoors
52 Plant Outside
0 Harvest

Start Indoors in October

Plant Type Start Indoors Transplant Outside Harvest Window
Basil Herb Mix herb Oct 4 Nov 8 Jan 7, 2027 – Jan 27, 2027
Bitter melons vegetable Oct 18 Nov 15 Jan 29, 2027 – Feb 13, 2027
Black Beauty Zucchini squash Oct 15 Nov 12 Dec 27, 2026 – Jan 6, 2027
Broccolini brassica Oct 11 Nov 15 Jan 4, 2027 – Jan 14, 2027
Cinnamon Basil herb Oct 4 Nov 8 Jan 12, 2027 – Jan 27, 2027
Classic Tomatillos vegetable Oct 4 Nov 8 Jan 27, 2027 – Feb 1, 2027
Clemson Spineless Okra vegetable Oct 11 Nov 15 Jan 9, 2027 – Jan 18, 2027
Cosmos flower Oct 11 Nov 15 Jan 24, 2027 – Feb 13, 2027
Crimson Sweet Watermelon melon Oct 18 Nov 15 Feb 3, 2027 – Feb 13, 2027
Delica Kabocha Squash squash Oct 18 Nov 15 Feb 18, 2027 – Mar 5, 2027
Delicata Squash squash Oct 18 Nov 15 Feb 3, 2027 – Feb 23, 2027
Early White Bush Scallop Pattypan Squash squash Oct 18 Nov 15 Jan 1, 2027 – Jan 9, 2027
French Marigold flower Oct 11 Nov 15 Jan 4, 2027 – Jan 14, 2027
Greek Basil herb Oct 4 Nov 8 Jan 12, 2027 – Jan 22, 2027
Green Cabbage brassica Oct 11 Nov 15 Jan 14, 2027 – Feb 23, 2027
Green shiso leaves herb Oct 4 Nov 8 Jan 7, 2027 – Jan 17, 2027
Hale's Best Jumbo Cantaloupe melon Oct 18 Nov 15 Feb 3, 2027 – Feb 13, 2027
Honeydew Melon melon Oct 18 Nov 15 Feb 23, 2027 – Mar 10, 2027
Italian Large Leaf Basil herb Oct 4 Nov 8 Jan 7, 2027 – Jan 22, 2027
Jack O'Lantern Pumpkin squash Oct 18 Nov 15 Feb 13, 2027 – Mar 5, 2027
Lemon Cucumber cucumber Oct 25 Nov 15 Jan 14, 2027 – Jan 24, 2027
Lettuce Leaf Basil herb Oct 4 Nov 8 Jan 12, 2027 – Jan 27, 2027
Licorice Basil herb Oct 4 Nov 8 Jan 12, 2027 – Jan 27, 2027
Lime Basil herb Oct 4 Nov 8 Jan 12, 2027 – Jan 22, 2027
Luffa gourds vegetable Oct 11 Nov 15 Feb 23, 2027 – Mar 15, 2027
Marketmore 76 Cucumber cucumber Oct 18 Nov 15 Jan 12, 2027 – Jan 22, 2027
National Pickling Cucumber cucumber Oct 25 Nov 15 Jan 4, 2027 – Jan 12, 2027
Orion Florence Fennel vegetable Oct 4 Nov 8 Jan 27, 2027 – Feb 6, 2027
Purple Tomatillos vegetable Oct 4 Nov 8 Jan 22, 2027 – Feb 1, 2027
Red Cabbage brassica Oct 11 Nov 15 Jan 14, 2027 – Feb 23, 2027
Red Velvet Leaf Basil herb Oct 4 Nov 8 Jan 12, 2027 – Jan 27, 2027
Roselle calyces and leaves vegetable Oct 4 Nov 8 Apr 7, 2027 – May 7, 2027
Scarlet Sage Flowers flower Oct 4 Nov 8 Perennial — see plant page
Spaghetti Squash squash Oct 18 Nov 15 Feb 11, 2027 – Feb 23, 2027
Sugar Baby Watermelon melon Oct 18 Nov 15 Jan 29, 2027 – Feb 3, 2027
Sugar Pie Pumpkin squash Oct 18 Nov 15 Feb 13, 2027 – Mar 5, 2027
Table Queen Acorn Squash squash Oct 18 Nov 15 Feb 3, 2027 – Feb 23, 2027
Tomatillo vegetable Oct 11 Nov 15 Jan 14, 2027 – Feb 8, 2027
Tri-X 313 Seedless Watermelon melon Oct 11 Nov 15 Jan 19, 2027 – Jan 29, 2027
Verde Tomatillos vegetable Oct 4 Nov 8 Jan 22, 2027 – Feb 1, 2027
Waltham 29 Broccoli brassica Oct 11 Nov 15 Jan 29, 2027 – Feb 13, 2027
Waltham Butternut Squash squash Oct 18 Nov 15 Feb 23, 2027 – Mar 15, 2027
Yellow Crookneck Squash squash Oct 18 Nov 15 Jan 4, 2027 – Jan 14, 2027
Zinnia flower Oct 11 Nov 15 Jan 14, 2027 – Feb 13, 2027

Plant Outside in October

Plant Type Action Target Date Harvest Window
Alfalfa Cover Crop cover crop Direct Sow Oct 25 Perennial — see plant page
All Season Cabbage brassica Transplant Oct 18 Dec 27, 2026 – Jan 6, 2027
All Year Round Cauliflower brassica Transplant Oct 18 Dec 22
Bouquet Dill herb Direct Sow Oct 18 Dec 7 – Dec 22
Brunswick Cabbage brassica Transplant Oct 18 Jan 16
Calabrese Broccoli brassica Transplant Oct 18 Dec 22
Camarosa Strawberry berry Plant Out Oct 18 Perennial — see plant page
Caraway herb Direct Sow Oct 11 Perennial — see plant page
Carentan Leeks allium Transplant Oct 18 Jan 16, 2027 – Feb 5, 2027
Chandler Strawberry berry Plant Out Oct 18 Perennial — see plant page
Charleston Wakefield Cabbage brassica Transplant Oct 11 Dec 20
Chervil herb Direct Sow Oct 11 Nov 15 – Nov 25
Chinese Forget-Me-Not Flowers flower Direct Sow Oct 18 Dec 22, 2026 – Jan 11, 2027
Copenhagen Cabbage brassica Transplant Oct 18 Dec 22
Dandelion herb Direct Sow Oct 11 Perennial — see plant page
Danish Ballhead Cabbage brassica Transplant Oct 18 Jan 26, 2027 – Feb 5, 2027
Dark Green Italian Giant Parsley herb Direct Sow Oct 18 Dec 17, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Di Cicco Broccoli brassica Transplant Oct 18 Dec 2 – Dec 5
Drumhead Cabbage brassica Transplant Oct 18 Jan 16, 2027 – Jan 26, 2027
Dukat Dill herb Direct Sow Oct 18 Nov 27 – Dec 7
Dutch Yellow Shallots allium Plant Out Oct 4 Jan 2, 2027 – Feb 1, 2027
Early Jersey Wakefield Cabbage brassica Transplant Oct 11 Dec 15 – Dec 25
Early Purple Broccoli brassica Transplant Oct 18 Dec 22
Evergreen Parsley herb Direct Sow Oct 18 Dec 27, 2026 – Jan 11, 2027
Fairy Dwarf Mix Candytuft Flowers flower Direct Sow Oct 25 Dec 9 – Dec 19
Fenugreek herb Direct Sow Oct 18 Nov 22 – Dec 7
French Red Shallots allium Plant Out Oct 4 Jan 2, 2027 – Feb 1, 2027
Giant Imperial Mix Larkspur Flowers flower Direct Sow Oct 11 Jan 19, 2027 – Feb 8, 2027
Giant Musselburgh Leeks allium Transplant Oct 18 Jan 31
Glory of Enkhuizen Cabbage brassica Transplant Oct 18 Jan 16
Golden Acre Cabbage brassica Transplant Oct 18 Dec 22
Hamburg Rooted Parsley herb Direct Sow Oct 18 Jan 16, 2027 – Feb 5, 2027
Hard Red Wheat Cover Crop cover crop Direct Sow Oct 11 Dec 25, 2026 – Jan 14, 2027
Holland Red Shallots allium Plant Out Oct 4 Jan 2, 2027 – Feb 1, 2027
Igloo Cauliflower brassica Transplant Oct 18 Dec 22 – Dec 27
King Richard Leek allium Transplant Oct 4 Dec 18
Leek allium Transplant Oct 4 Jan 12, 2027 – Feb 11, 2027
Mammoth Dill herb Direct Sow Oct 18 Dec 2 – Dec 22
Medium Red Clover Cover Crop cover crop Direct Sow Oct 18 Dec 17, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
Michihili Cabbage brassica Transplant Oct 11 Dec 20
OG American Flag Leeks allium Transplant Oct 18 Jan 16, 2027 – Jan 26, 2027
Rapeseed Cover Crop cover crop Direct Sow Oct 18 Dec 2 – Dec 27
Red Acre Cabbage brassica Transplant Oct 11 Dec 25 – Dec 30
Royal Carpet Alyssum Flowers flower Direct Sow Oct 25 Dec 9 – Dec 24
Savoy Perfection Cabbage brassica Transplant Oct 18 Jan 16, 2027 – Jan 21, 2027
Scarlet Flax Flowers flower Direct Sow Oct 18 Dec 12 – Dec 27
Shallot allium Plant Out Oct 11 Jan 9, 2027 – Feb 8, 2027
Snowball Self-Blanche Cauliflower brassica Transplant Oct 18 Dec 22
Texas 1015Y SuperSweet Onion allium Transplant Oct 4 Jan 17, 2027 – Jan 27, 2027
Viola and pansy edible flowers flower Transplant Oct 18 Dec 17 – Dec 27
Violetta Purple Cauliflower brassica Transplant Oct 18 Dec 22
Yellow Sweet Blossom Clover Cover Crop cover crop Direct Sow Oct 18 Dec 17, 2026 – Jan 16, 2027

Harvest in October

Nothing to harvest in October for Zone 11A.
Next window: November — 8 varieties, including Black Oil Sunflower Microgreens, Chervil, Dukat Dill.

Key Tasks for October in Zone 11A

  1. 1 Start 44 varieties indoors this month under grow lights or in a sunny south-facing window. Use a seed-starting mix and bottom heat (70–75°F) for best germination rates.
  2. 2 Harden off transplants before moving outdoors — set them outside in a sheltered spot for increasing hours over 7–10 days before planting in the ground.
  3. 3 Direct sow seeds at the recommended depth and spacing. Keep the seedbed consistently moist until germination is complete.
  4. 4 Apply 2–3 inches of mulch around heat-sensitive crops to retain moisture and keep root zones cooler. Water deeply and less frequently rather than shallow daily watering.
  5. 5 Check soil moisture before watering — stick a finger 2 inches into the soil. Water only when the soil is dry at that depth. Consistent moisture is more important than frequency.
Back to full Zone 11A planting calendar
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