What to plant this week in St. Petersburg, FL
St. Petersburg gardeners enjoy a continuous growing season with no frost dates, making this week all about expanding your outdoor beds and maximizing harvests before the summer heat peaks. While the air stays mild enough for sensitive crops like basil and borage right now, the humid subtropical climate brings its own set of challenges that require constant vigilance.
The next 7 days
St. Petersburg, FLGrowing in St. Petersburg right now
- The flat terrain along the Hillsborough Bay often leads to poor drainage during our rainy season, so ensure containers have deep holes and raised beds are elevated above the high water table.
- Local sandy soils here drain quickly but lack nutrients; mix in plenty of compost before planting heavy feeders like okra, squash, or cucumbers to prevent stunting.
- With no risk of frost damage, you can keep heat-loving crops like Malabar spinach and watermelon running continuously from late winter through the first fall rains.
- Be mindful of the 'summer slump' where humidity spikes in July; mulch heavily under zucchini and pole beans to keep roots cool and reduce fungal pressure.
Sow this week
18 crops- Basil
- Borage
- Bush Bean
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cucumber
- French Marigold
- Malabar Spinach
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Pole Bean
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Summer Savory
- Thai Basil
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
34 crops- Basil
- Borage
- Bush Bean
- Cantaloupe
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Fennel
- Flour Corn
- French Marigold
- Garden Verbena
- Gourd (Ornamental/Bottle)
- Honeydew Melon
- Lima Bean
- Loofah (Luffa)
- Malabar Spinach
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Pole Bean
- Pumpkin
- Roselle (Cranberry Hibiscus)
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Summer Savory
- Sunflower
- Sweet Corn
- Thai Basil
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Watermelon
- Winter Squash
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Seasonal tips
- Succession sow fast-maturing crops like French marigolds or nasturtiums every two weeks for continuous blooms.
- Thin out crowded seedlings of summer squash and pole beans to ensure strong air circulation.
- Apply a light layer of compost around heavy feeders like okra and melons to boost nitrogen levels.
Pest & disease watch
- Aphids and spider mites thrive in our high humidity, often attacking new growth on basil, French marigolds, and nasturtiums within days of emergence.
- Root-knot nematodes are a persistent issue in St. Petersburg sandy soils, so rotate beans and squash to fresh beds or use organic amendments like neem oil preventatively.
- Early season fungal leaf spots can develop quickly on cucumbers and melons when combined with our frequent tropical rain showers.
Watering this week
Water deeply in the early morning to keep foliage dry and reduce fungal risks on these warm-weather crops.
Harvest your watermelons by checking for a creamy yellow spot underneath where they touch the ground, indicating ripeness.
St. Petersburg gardening questions
3Can I still start cold-sensitive crops like basil now in St. Petersburg, or is it too late?
Not at all—since we have no last frost date, you can sow basil seeds directly in the ground this week while they are still in their early growth stage.
My zucchini and squash leaves look spotted; is it a local issue?
Given our humid conditions and recent rains, fungal leaf spots are very common here this time of year.
How do I manage pests without chemicals in our sandy St. Petersburg soil?
Hand-pick adult aphids in the morning when they are sluggish, and use strong water sprays to dislodge spider mites from the undersides of leaves.
Other cities in zone 10b
4See the full zone 10b guide → · Plan your St. Petersburg garden in SproutGuide →