February in Zone 11
February in Zone 11 (last frost none, first frost none). There are 43 crops to sow, transplant, or harvest this month.
Quick answer · Updated October 2026
In February, Zone 11 gardeners can plant Bush beans, Sweet corn, Cucumbers, Zucchini & summer squash, Winter squash & pumpkins, Melons, Okra, and Swiss chard. It's also time to harvest Lettuce, Spinach, Radishes, Arugula, and Sweet Alyssum. Zone 11 is frost-free — the full task list below has timing for each crop.
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- Min Winter Temp
- 40 to 50 °F / 4 to 10 °C
- Last Spring Frost
- None
- First Fall Frost
- None
- Growing Season
- Year-round (365 days)
- Annual Rainfall
- 20–80 in
Gardening in February in Zone 11
In Zone 11, February falls in the prime cool-season window. Unlike colder zones, your strongest growing happens now: mild temperatures let you plant a wide range of vegetables that would struggle in the summer heat.
This month, Zone 11 gardeners are getting Bush beans, Sweet corn, Cucumbers, Zucchini & summer squash, Winter squash & pumpkins, and Melons into the ground or under lights while harvesting Lettuce, Spinach, Radishes, Arugula, and Sweet Alyssum from earlier plantings. The task cards below give spacing, depth, and timing for each.
About February in the garden
February brings the first hints of awakening in gardens. Seed starting picks up in cold zones; warm zones begin direct sowing and transplanting warm-season crops. Days are noticeably lengthening, driving early bulb and shrub growth.
Starting tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant indoors in cold zones (Zones 3–6); direct sowing cool-season crops in Zones 8–10; pruning roses; chitting potatoes.
- Season
- winter
- Temperature trend
- Still cold but temperatures begin to rise in most regions; first warm spells in the South.
- Daylight
- Daylight increasing noticeably; gaining about 2 minutes per day in most latitudes.
- Zone 11 last frost
- None
- Zone 11 first frost
- None
0
Sow indoors
20
Sow outdoors
18
Transplant
5
Harvest
1
Maintenance
🌿 Sow outdoors
Sow these directly outdoors
Soil and weather are right to sow these straight into the garden where they will grow.
Sow 1 in deep, 3 in apart once soil hits 60°F. Do not start indoors — beans hate transplanting.
Sow 1–1½ in deep in blocks of 4+ rows (not single rows) for wind pollination; thin to 8–12 in.
Sow 1 in deep once soil is 65°F+; provide a trellis to save space and keep fruit clean.
Sow 1 in deep, 24–36 in apart in warm soil. One or two plants feeds a family.
Sow 1 in deep in hills; give vines 4–6 ft to roam.
Sow ½–1 in deep in hills once soil is 70°F+; melons demand heat.
Soak seed overnight; sow ½ in deep in hot soil (75°F+). Thrives in summer heat.
Sow ½ in deep, thin to 6 in. Tolerates both spring cold and summer heat.
Plant seed-potato pieces (one eye each) 4 in deep; hill soil over stems as they grow.
Direct-sow ¼ in deep where it will stay — dill resents transplanting.
Direct-sow ¼ in deep after frost; the easiest cut flower and a pollinator magnet.
Sow 1 in deep where they will grow; stagger sowings for continuous blooms.
Direct-sow ¼ in deep in poor-to-average soil; too much fertility means leaves, not flowers.
Direct-sow 1 in deep, spacing 24–36 in apart, hills 4–6 ft apart.
Direct-sow 1 in deep, spacing 4–6 in apart in rows 18–24 in apart.
Direct-sow ¼ in deep, spacing 24–36 in apart.
Direct-sow ¼–½ in deep, spacing 12–18 in apart.
Direct-sow ½ in deep, spacing 10–12 in (bushy) to 18–24 in (trailing).
Direct-sow 1–1.5 in deep, spacing 4–6 in (bush) / 6–8 in at a support (pole).
Direct-sow Surface sow — seeds need light; press gently without covering, spacing 6–12 in apart for bedding types; 12–18 in for tall cutting varieties.
🪴 Transplant
Transplant these into the garden
Move hardened-off seedlings into their final beds.
Transplant once nights stay above 50°F; bury two-thirds of the stem, space 24–36 in apart.
Wait for warm soil (65°F+); space 18 in apart. Cold sets peppers back hard.
Transplant into the warmest bed you have; space 18–24 in apart.
Plant at least TWO for pollination; space 3 ft apart.
Wait for warm nights; pinch tops to keep it bushy and delay flowering.
Transplant around the last frost; tolerates cold well.
Plant among vegetables — they help deter some pests.
Set out 24–36 in apart, hills 4–6 ft apart, in full sun (8+ hours).
Set out 24–36 in apart, in full sun (6–8+ hours).
Set out 12–18 in apart, in full sun (6+ hours); tolerates light shade.
Set out 10–12 in (bushy) to 18–24 in (trailing), in full sun to part shade (4–6+ hours).
Set out 12–18 in (mounding) to 18–24 in (trailing), in full sun (6+ hours); a little afternoon shade helps in the hottest zones.
Set out 8–12 in (standard types) to 12–18 in (new guinea and sunpatiens), in part shade to full shade (2–4 hours of sun; new guinea types accept 4–6 hours).
Set out 12–18 in apart, in full sun (6+ hours); tolerates part shade but blooms best with more sun.
Set out 24–36 in apart (clumps spread 2–3 ft wide), in full sun (6+ hours).
Set out 8–12 in apart, in partial shade to full sun; green-leafed types prefer more shade, bronze-leafed types tolerate more sun.
Set out 12–18 in apart, in partial to full shade; sun-tolerant varieties handle morning sun with afternoon shade.
Set out 6–12 in apart for bedding types; 12–18 in for tall cutting varieties, in full sun (6+ hours); tolerates intense heat better than almost any other annual.
🧺 Harvest
Harvest these now
These crops are coming ripe — pick regularly to keep plants productive.
Cut outer leaves as needed or harvest whole heads before summer heat turns them bitter.
Pick outer leaves as needed or cut the whole plant.
Pull as soon as roots reach full size — radishes don’t hold well in the ground and quickly turn pithy and pungent.
Snip outer leaves at 2–3 inches for the mildest flavor, or shear the whole plant and let it regrow once or twice.
Sweet alyssum is grown for its flowers and fragrance, not for harvest.
🛠️ Maintenance
Harden off and prep beds
Zone 11's last frost lands around now (None).
📌 Harden off indoor seedlings over 7–10 days, work compost into beds, and keep frost cloth handy for surprise late freezes.
When to plant this month's crops in Zone 11
Full planting calendars — start indoors, transplant, and harvest timing — for the crops you're planting in February.
General February tasks
These apply broadly regardless of zone — a useful checklist alongside the zone-specific tasks above.
- ✓Start tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant indoors 8–10 weeks before last frost (cold zones)
- ✓Direct sow cool-season crops outdoors in Zones 8–10
- ✓Prune roses once forsythia begins to bloom (traditional timing cue)
- ✓Apply late dormant oil sprays before buds break on fruit trees
- ✓Begin chitting (sprouting) seed potatoes indoors
- ✓Fertilize spring-blooming bulbs as they emerge
- ✓Direct sow sweet peas outdoors in mild climates
- ✓Transplant bare-root trees and shrubs while dormant
⚠ Watch-outs for February
- ⚠Late hard freezes are common — don't rush transplanting in cold zones
- ⚠Seedlings started indoors need supplemental light (12–16 hrs) to avoid stretching
- ⚠Wet February soils compact easily; wait for soil to dry before working
- ⚠Fruit trees breaking dormancy early are vulnerable to late frost — have covers ready
February in Zone 11: common questions
What can I plant in February in Zone 11?＋
In February, Zone 11 gardeners can sow or transplant Bush beans, Sweet corn, Cucumbers, Zucchini & summer squash, Winter squash & pumpkins, Melons, Okra, and Swiss chard. February in Zone 11 (last frost none, first frost none). There are 43 crops to sow, transplant, or harvest this month.
Does Zone 11 get frost?＋
No — Zone 11 is frost-free year-round. Instead of frost dates, planting follows the tropical seasons: a hot, wet season (roughly May–October) for tropical staples, and a cooler, drier season (roughly November–April) that is the main window for temperate vegetables.
What's ready to harvest in February in Zone 11?＋
In February, Zone 11 gardeners are typically harvesting Lettuce, Spinach, Radishes, Arugula, and Sweet Alyssum. Pick regularly — frequent harvesting keeps most crops producing longer.