What Grows in Heathrow, Florida

USDA Zones 9a-10b · 2K acres

Heathrow, Florida, sits in USDA hardiness zones 9a-10b — a range where zone-matched perennials and frost-aware annual timing set what succeeds.

Well-matched crops include mango, tomato, orange, and sweet potato, and the gap between "grows in the area" and "grows in your yard" is closed by soil, sun, and drainage.

Score your parcel · free

Even in Heathrow, no two yards are alike.

A low spot, a south-facing slope, or a stand of trees moves the frost date and sun across a single Heathrow lot. Enter your address and we'll score 1,112 plants against your land's actual soil, sun, and frost.

We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.

No card required · your full report in seconds

Quick Facts

USDA Zones

9a-10b

Last Frost (state avg.)

Jan 1 - Mar 15

First Frost (state avg.)

Nov 15 - never (south FL)

Town Area

2K acres

Hardiness Zone Range

9a
10b
3a (Cold)13b (Hot)

Growing Season

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Last frost: Jan 1 - Mar 15First frost: Nov 15 - never (south FL)

Zone maps are averages across Heathrow. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.

Soil varies lot by lot — soil types explained.

Growing Challenges in Florida

What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.

Sandy soils drain too fast and hold few nutrients — frequent fertilization needed

Build organic matter relentlessly — compost and cover crops turn sand into soil that holds both water and food.

Humidity drives fungal diseases (powdery mildew, black spot, rust)

Space plants for airflow, water at the base in the morning, and choose resistant varieties — your extension office lists the proven ones.

Hurricane season (June-November) can destroy plantings

Favor wind-tough perennials, stake young trees properly, and keep fall crops in containers you can move ahead of a storm.

Nematodes are a serious pest in sandy FL soils

Summer solarization and crop-family rotation knock nematodes back — your extension office can confirm the species from a soil sample.

For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Florida, the UF/IFAS Extension is the authoritative local source.

Environmental Intelligence

Understanding what's nearby helps you make informed decisions about where and how to grow.

Total Sites

1,064

within ~10 miles of Heathrow

Risk Level

High

Highest-severity

13 Superfund sites

Severity Distribution

within ~10 miles of Heathrow

High17Moderate219Low828

Highest-Severity Sites

Affordable Tire Fire
Superfund · Superfund (Non-NPL)
Artcraft Industries
Superfund · Superfund (Non-NPL)
Brown Boveri Electric INC
Superfund · Superfund (Non-NPL)
Bundy S & H Fabricating & Eng
Superfund · Superfund (Non-NPL)
Cambridge Institute Hg Spill
Superfund · Superfund (Non-NPL)

A note from Gnorman

What an experienced grower watches for around here

In and around Heathrow, PFAS runs higher than the national average — 10 sites nearby. It's not cause for alarm — it's worth knowing, and there's a sensible way to grow around it.

PFAS: PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are called "forever chemicals" because they do not biodegrade.

Test irrigation water source — this is the primary pathway for PFAS to reach garden crops.

Free Report

Check your specific parcel in Heathrow

Get exact proximity distances to contamination sources for your specific parcel — plus soil, sun, drainage, and 1,112 plant recommendations.

Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:

Your soil pHYour frost-free daysYour sun & shade

We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.

25+ data sources analyzed in seconds

Your Specific Parcel Matters

Heathrow Average

  • USDA Zones 9a-10b
  • Generic soil type for the area
  • State-average frost dates

YOUR Parcel

  • Your exact hardiness zone
  • Your SSURGO soil type & pH
  • Your sun exposure, cast in 3D

See MY Growing Report

Free Report

Read your specific parcel in Heathrow

Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Heathrow, Florida — soil, sun, drainage, frost risk, and scored plant recommendations.

Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:

Your soil pHYour frost-free daysYour sun & shade

We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.

25+ data sources analyzed in seconds

Key Growing Facts for Heathrow, Florida

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 9a-10b (USDA PHZM 2023)
  • Last Spring Frost (state avg.): Jan 1 - Mar 15 (NOAA 30-Year Climate Normals)
  • First Fall Frost (state avg.): Nov 15 - never (south FL) (NOAA 30-Year Climate Normals)
  • Land Area: 2K acres (US Census TIGER 2025)

Zone data: USDA ARS Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Climate data: NOAA NCEI. Boundaries: US Census TIGER/Line 2025.

Frequently Asked Questions

What hardiness zone is Heathrow, Florida?

Heathrow sits in USDA hardiness zones 9a-10b, per the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Zones reflect average annual extreme minimum temperatures from 1991–2020 weather data.

When does frost risk typically end in Heathrow?

Heathrow follows Florida's statewide frost window: last spring frost around Jan 1 - Mar 15 and first fall frost around Nov 15 - never (south FL), per NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020). Frost dates shift with elevation and local microclimate, so watch your own site's cold pockets.

What vegetables grow in Heathrow?

Heathrow's zones 9a-10b support a wide range — strong performers include Mango, Tomato, Orange, Sweet Potato, and Banana. What actually takes on any one site comes down to its soil, sun, and drainage, and we score each plant against the real conditions at your address.

Which hardiness zone is Heathrow, really?

Officially, Heathrow sits in USDA zones 9a-10b (USDA PHZM 2023) — but a zone is a 30-year average of winter's coldest night across an area, and it can't see any one yard. A south-facing slope, a tree line, or a low frost pocket can shift a single site by half a zone either way, which is why neighboring gardeners often quote different numbers. We read the conditions at your exact address — soil, sun, slope, and frost — and score 1,112 plants against what's actually there.

Is the soil safe to grow vegetables in Heathrow?

The federal record around Heathrow runs heavier than most — 1,064 documented sites — so test the soil before planting food in the ground, and raised beds with clean imported soil grow well in the meantime. Even here, proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis of any one yard; the contamination map shows exactly what's recorded and where.

How do I protect my plants from frost in Heathrow?

As the season closes around Florida's first fall frost near Nov 15 - never (south FL) (NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020)), a few moves buy time: cover tender plants with floating row cover or an old sheet on still, clear nights, water the soil the afternoon before a freeze so it holds warmth overnight, and harvest frost-tender crops like tomatoes, peppers, and basil before the first hard night. Hardy greens and root crops shrug off light frost and often sweeten after it, so leave them in.

Everything on this page is a Heathrow average. Your yard writes its own version — we read soil, sun, drainage, and frost at your exact address. Try it for 14 days — no card required.