What to plant this week in St. Petersburg, FL
St. Petersburg gardeners are in full swing this week as the last frost is long gone and temperatures stay comfortably above 35°F year-round. It is prime time to harvest your maturing Acorn and Butternut Squashes while sowing Daikon Radish for a fresh winter crop.
The next 7 days
St. Petersburg, FLGrowing in St. Petersburg right now
- Focus on drainage; heavy afternoon rains in Pinellas County often waterlog sandy soils, so ensure raised beds or containers have excellent perforation.
- Mulch heavily around heat-loving crops like Okra and Malabar Spinach to retain moisture during our intense summer sun while suppressing weeds.
- Watch for rapid vine sprawl with your Zucchini and Pumpkin varieties; stake supports early before the heavy fruit sets in this humid climate.
- Take advantage of the mild winter by starting your Daikon Radish indoors or directly now, as they thrive even when other zones are sleeping.
Sow this week
1 crops- Daikon Radish
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
42 crops- Acorn Squash
- Basil
- Borage
- Bush Bean
- Butternut Squash
- Cantaloupe
- Celosia (Cockscomb)
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Delicata Squash
- 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 or pole beans now to maintain a steady supply of fresh pods throughout the summer.
- Mulch around newly planted okra and melons to retain moisture and keep roots cool in the heat.
- Thin out dense seedlings of sweet corn and zucchini to ensure proper air circulation and maximum yield.
Pest & disease watch
- Monitor Squash Vine Borers on your Acorn and Butternut Squash vines; check stems for sawdust-like frass where insects enter.
- Scout for Spider Mites on leaf undersides of Celosia and Cosmos, which can explode in numbers during our dry spells between rains.
- Watch for Anthracnose fungus on beans and cucurbits, especially after heavy rain cycles, by rotating crop families this season.
Watering this week
Water deeply at the base of plants early in the morning to reduce evaporation and prevent leaf burn during the heat.
Harvest cucumbers daily when they are young and crisp to encourage the plant to produce more fruit.
St. Petersburg gardening questions
3Is it safe to plant Daikon Radish now since we have no frost?
Yes, the USDA Zone 10b classification means you can sow Daikon Radish immediately without waiting for a freeze. These radishes mature quickly and are perfect for our mild winter soil temperatures.
My Squash plants look fine but I'm worried about pests specific to St. Petersburg humidity.
Squash Vine Borers are the primary threat here; inspect stems weekly for entry holes or frass, as they can kill a plant in hours once infested. Hand-picking borers early and sealing wounds with clay is often more effective than spraying on our sandy, fast-draining soil.
How do I keep my Okra and Beans productive through the rainy season?
Ensure your planting beds have excellent drainage to prevent root rot during St. Petersburg's frequent afternoon downpours. Using raised rows or mounding soil around the base helps keep foliage dry and reduces fungal pressure.
Other cities in zone 10b
4See the full zone 10b guide → · Plan your St. Petersburg garden in SproutGuide →