If you garden in Florida, you can harvest something delicious every month—if you plan smart. Containers make it easy, fast, and way less sweaty than wrestling a backyard bed in August. This guide gives you a clear, no-nonsense planting calendar and container strategies that thrive in Florida’s heat, humidity, and surprise cold snaps. Ready to grow salsa in January and basil in November? Let’s go.
1. Build Your Florida-Proof Container Setup
Florida weather flips from steamy to stormy to “Wait, is that a cold front?” in a week. A solid container setup keeps your plants happy no matter what the sky is doing. Think sturdy pots, smart potting mix, and mobile options so you can chase sun or hide from it.
What You Need
- Containers with drainage: 5–20 gallons for fruiting crops, 2–5 gallons for herbs/greens.
- Potting mix: Lightweight, peat-free or peat-reduced blend with perlite; add compost for nutrients.
- Mulch: Pine bark, shredded leaves, or coco chips to cool roots and reduce splash.
- Dollies or saucers with wheels: For easy storm prep and sun shifts.
- Slow-release fertilizer: Balanced formula plus liquid feed every 2–3 weeks.
Tips
- Subirrigation wins: Self-watering containers fight midday wilt and reduce watering drama.
- Shade cloth (30–40%): Clip on from late May to September to prevent leaf scorch.
- Salt and wind: Near the coast? Choose thicker-leaf plants (rosemary, peppers) and rinse foliage after storms.
Dial in this foundation once, and every crop you plant gets easier. Bonus: you can move your garden with two hands and a smug grin when a storm rolls in.
2. Follow the North/Central/South Florida Rhythm
Florida is basically three mini-states for gardeners. Plant timing shifts by weeks depending on where you live. Use this quick calendar to hit the sweet spot for each region and avoid the dreaded “why did my tomato melt?” saga.
Quick Regional Guide
- North Florida (Pensacola to Jacksonville): Real winters, spring/fall shine. Frost possible Nov–Mar.
- Central Florida (Orlando to Tampa): Mild winters, long springs. Occasional brief cold snaps.
- South Florida (Sarasota south across to Miami): Tropics-lite. Cool season is prime; summers are hot/humid.
What To Plant When (Containers)
- January–February:
- North: Lettuce, spinach, kale, carrots, sugar snaps, strawberries.
- Central: Same as North; start tomatoes/peppers inside late Feb.
- South: Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, beans, herbs (cilantro loves it now).
- March–April:
- North: Transplant tomatoes/peppers after last frost; basil, bush beans, cukes.
- Central: Prime time for tomatoes, squash, cukes, okra late April.
- South: Wind down tomatoes by late April; switch to heat lovers like okra and Asian greens.
- May–June:
- North: Sweet potatoes, okra, eggplant, hot peppers, Malabar spinach.
- Central: Same as North; use shade cloth and mulch heavily.
- South: Yard-long beans, sweet potatoes, roselle, tropical spinaches.
- July–August:
- North: Keep okra and peppers; start seeds for fall (broccoli, collards) indoors late Aug.
- Central: Plant heat champs only; start fall tomatoes indoors mid–late Aug.
- South: Focus on tropicals; prep containers and start fall seeds indoors late Aug.
- September–October:
- North: Fall greens, carrots, radishes, peas; restart herbs.
- Central: Transplant fall tomatoes early Sept; greens and root crops late Sept.
- South: Prime planting of tomatoes, peppers, cukes, beans, lettuce, herbs.
- November–December:
- North: Greens, garlic (in deep pots), onions, peas. Protect from frost.
- Central: Greens galore, strawberries in containers, broccoli in larger pots.
- South: Peak salad season; cilantro, dill, and parsley thrive.
Use this rhythm and you’ll harvest instead of babysitting sad plants. IMO, the right month matters more than the right variety.
3. Choose Varieties That Laugh At Florida Weather
Not all seeds play nice with humidity, pests, and 95°F afternoons. Pick compact, disease-resistant varieties and you’ll win more often than you lose. These picks behave beautifully in pots and shrug off Florida drama.
Container-Friendly Winners
- Tomatoes: ‘Sun Gold’, ‘Juliet’, ‘Heatmaster’, ‘Floridade’, ‘Husky Cherry Red’.
- Peppers: ‘Early Flame Jalapeño’, ‘Lunchbox’, ‘Cayenne’, ‘Sweet Banana’, ‘Shishito’.
- Eggplant: ‘Fairy Tale’, ‘Ichiban’, ‘Patio Baby’.
- Cucumbers: ‘Bush Pickle’, ‘Patio Snacker’, ‘Sumter’ (disease tolerant).
- Beans: Bush beans, ‘Yard-Long’ for heat tolerance.
- Greens: ‘New Zealand Spinach’, ‘Malabar Spinach’, ‘Tango’ lettuce (cool season), ‘Salad Bowl’.
- Herbs: Basil (Genovese/Thai), mint (in its own pot, trust me), rosemary, thyme, chives, culantro (South FL hero).
- Roots: ‘Nantes’ carrots (deep pot), ‘French Breakfast’ radishes, baby beets.
- Tropicals: Sweet potato (ornamental vines and edible roots), roselle (Florida cranberry), turmeric, ginger.
Resilience Tips
- Look for disease codes: V, F, TSWV, Nematode tolerance helps in Florida soils; containers help too.
- Compact habit: “Patio,” “bush,” or “dwarf” means less pruning and better airflow in pots.
- Heat/bolt resistance: Crucial for lettuce, cilantro, and spinach; grow cilantro and lettuce in winter down south.
Right plant, right pot, right month—boom. You’ll harvest more and complain less, which is the dream.
4. Master Watering, Feeding, And Pest Control (Without Losing Your Mind)
Florida’s heat drinks your containers dry and then invites pests to the party. A few habits keep everything alive, fed, and mostly unbothered. Think steady moisture, light but frequent feeding, and quick, targeted pest moves.
Watering Basics
- Check daily: Press your finger 2 inches into the mix; water if dry.
- Morning watering: Reduces disease and midday wilt.
- Self-watering containers: Game-changer June–September.
- Mulch: 1–2 inches to cool roots and prevent evaporation.
Feeding Schedule
- At planting: Mix slow-release fertilizer into potting mix.
- In-season: Liquid feed every 2–3 weeks (fish/seaweed or balanced synthetic).
- Heavy feeders: Tomatoes, peppers, cukes—add a midseason top-up of slow-release.
Pest + Disease Playbook
- Aphids/whiteflies: Blast with water, then insecticidal soap or neem weekly if needed.
- Caterpillars: Handpick (we’re brave) or use Bt on leafy greens and brassicas.
- Leaf spots/powdery mildew: Prune for airflow, water soil not leaves, rotate crops; copper fungicide as a last resort.
- Nematodes: Containers mostly dodge them; refresh mix yearly.
- Snails/slugs: Beer traps or iron phosphate bait; raise pots on stands.
Storm And Sun Management
- Before storms: Move pots to a protected wall, remove saucers, stake tall plants.
- Heat waves: Add temporary shade cloth and water deeply in the morning.
- Cold snaps: Group pots, cover with frost cloth, or wheel them inside a garage overnight.
Stay consistent, not complicated. Seriously, five minutes a day prevents ninety percent of chaos.
5. Plant Like A Pro: Month-By-Month Container Combos
Want plug-and-play success? Use these container recipes tailored to Florida’s seasons. They look great and produce like champs—no guesswork required.
Winter (Dec–Feb)
- Salad Bowl 16-inch Pot: Lettuce mix + parsley + green onions. Harvest outer leaves weekly.
- Herb Trio 12-inch: Cilantro + dill + chives (North/Central); swap cilantro for culantro in South by late Feb.
- Strawberry Tower: Everbearing strawberries in stackable planters; feed lightly every 2 weeks.
Use in North/Central with frost cloth on cold nights. In South, this is prime salad season—go big.
Spring (Mar–Apr)
- Tomato Patio Tub 20-gallon: ‘Sun Gold’ tomato + basil around the edge; cage early.
- Bean & Cuke Duo 10–15-gallon: Bush beans with a compact cucumber on a trellis; keep soil evenly moist.
- Rainbow Greens 14-inch: Swiss chard + parsley + marigolds for color and pest confusion.
Great for all regions; South should start early and be ready to wind down tomatoes by late April.
Summer (May–Aug)
- Okra Power 15-gallon: 1–2 okra plants + sweet basil. Pick pods small and often.
- Tropical Tubs 15–20-gallon: Sweet potatoes (ornamental vines spill over) or roselle for hibiscus-like calyxes.
- Heat-Hardy Greens 12–14-inch: Malabar spinach + mint (separate pot) for endless iced tea and sautés.
Use shade cloth and water daily. South Florida can run yard-long beans and lemongrass like a boss.
Fall (Sep–Nov)
- Pepper Party 10–15-gallon: ‘Shishito’ or ‘Lunchbox’ peppers + thyme. Harvest continuously.
- Roots & Shoots 12–14-inch, deep: Carrots (Nantes) with a top dressing of compost midseason.
- Autumn Herbs 12-inch: Rosemary (solo pot), oregano, and sage in North/Central; rosemary thrives statewide.
Fall resets your garden and your patience. Peppers and carrots love this window, especially in Central and South Florida.
Weekly Care Checklist
- Water: Morning, adjust for heat and container size.
- Feed: Liquid fertilizer every other week.
- Groom: Snip dead leaves, check undersides for pests, prune for airflow.
- Rotate: Quarter-turn pots weekly for even sun and sturdier growth.
These combos keep your containers productive and pretty. They also make you look like you absolutely know what you’re doing—because you do.
Ready to grow fresh food all year without a backyard farm? Containers plus a Florida-smart calendar equals nonstop harvests and zero guilt vacations. Start with one pot this week, and by next month you’ll have a tiny jungle—and snacks on demand, FYI.