What to plant this week in Orlando, FL
With Orlando's tropical heat holding steady above 80°F, this week is the perfect sprint to harvest your late-season winter squash and cucurbits before summer rains set in. Gardeners should focus on pulling mature Acorn and Butternut Squash while simultaneously sowing cool-season Daikon Radish and Lisianthus for a fall bloom.
The next 7 days
Orlando, FLGrowing in Orlando right now
- Orlando's heavy afternoon thunderstorms are peaking; water deeply early morning to prevent fungal issues on your crowded Zinnias and Celosia.
- Soil here is often sandy and leaches quickly, so apply compost before planting sowed items like Daikon Radish to hold moisture for the seedlings.
- Avoid overhead watering on your Okra and Malabar Spinach; use drip irrigation or row covers to keep leaves dry during this humid spell.
- The intense Florida sun can scorch young Shiso and Thai Basil, so provide temporary shade cloth until they are well-established.
Sow this week
2 crops- Daikon Radish
- Lisianthus (Prairie Gentian)
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
43 crops- Acorn Squash
- Basil
- Borage
- Bush Bean
- Butternut Squash
- Cantaloupe
- Celosia (Cockscomb)
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Delicata Squash
- Edamame
- Fennel
- Flour Corn
- French Marigold
- Garden Verbena
- Gomphrena (Globe Amaranth)
- Gourd (Ornamental/Bottle)
- Honeydew Melon
- Lima Bean
- Loofah (Luffa)
- Malabar Spinach
- Morning Glory
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Pole Bean
- Pumpkin
- Purslane
- Roselle (Cranberry Hibiscus)
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Spaghetti Squash
- Summer Savory
- Sunflower
- Sweet Corn
- Thai Basil
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Watermelon
- Winter Squash
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Seasonal tips
- Succession sow bush beans and cucumbers every two weeks to extend your summer harvest window.
- Mulch around newly planted okra and summer savory to retain moisture as temperatures climb.
- Deadhead zinnias and cosmos frequently to encourage continuous blooming through the heat.
Pest & disease watch
- Spider mites are exploding on ornamental Fennel and Cosmos due to the lack of rain; spray with insecticidal soap immediately.
- Aphids are clustering at the tips of your Pole Beans and Scarlet Runner Beans, requiring a strong water blast or neem oil treatment.
- Squash Vine Borers may be hatching now, causing wilting in your Pumpkin and Watermelon vines.
Watering this week
Water deeply in the morning to reduce evaporation and keep soil consistently moist but not soggy during this warm season.
Harvest zucchini and yellow summer squash daily when they are young to prevent them from becoming tough and seedy.
Orlando gardening questions
3When is the last chance to plant Daikon Radish in Orlando?
You can sow Daikon seeds directly into the ground this week since the soil temperature is still mild enough for germination. However, you must harvest them by early autumn before the next hot dry spell stunts growth.
My Honeydew Melons and Watermelons are maturing now; how do I know they are ready?
Look for a deep rind color change and perform a firmness test by tapping the fruit; a hollow sound indicates ripeness. Once cut, leave them on the vine for a few days to cure the skin before storing indoors.
Should I stop watering my Winter Squash now that it is blooming?
No, continue regular deep watering even as harvest approaches because the vines will still be developing roots and sugars. Stop watering only about two weeks before you plan to dig them up to toughen the skins.
Other cities in zone 10a
6See the full zone 10a guide → · Plan your Orlando garden in SproutGuide →