What Grows in St. George Island, Florida

USDA Zones 9a-10b · 3K acres

St. George Island, Florida, sits in USDA hardiness zones 9a-10b — room for a real mix of vegetables, fruit, and perennials matched to the local frost calendar.

Growers here do well with mango, tomato, orange, and sweet potato — with the usual caveat that any single yard's soil, sun, and drainage cast the deciding vote.

Score your parcel · free

Even in St. George Island, 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 St. George Island 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

3K 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 St. George Island. 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

40

within ~10 miles of St. George Island

Risk Level

Low

Highest-severity

2 brownfield sites

Severity Distribution

within ~10 miles of St. George Island

High0Moderate12Low28

Highest-Severity Sites

Express Lane #714 - Fl0029
Underground Storage Tanks · Open UST(S)
Express Lane #798 - Fl0039
Underground Storage Tanks · Open UST(S)
Local No.31
Nitrate Monitoring · Well
Local No.31
Nitrate Monitoring · Well
Local Store INC
Underground Storage Tanks · Open UST(S)

A note from Gnorman

What an experienced grower watches for around here

In and around St. George Island, Underground Storage Tanks runs higher than the national average — 34 sites nearby. Knowing it is half the work — and it's nothing a thoughtful grower can't plan for.

Underground Storage Tanks: Underground storage tanks are the single most common source of soil contamination near homes and gardens.

Use raised beds with imported soil — this eliminates the primary soil-contact pathway.

Free Report

Check your specific parcel in St. George Island

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

St. George Island 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 St. George Island

Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in St. George Island, 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 St. George Island, 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: 3K 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 St. George Island, Florida?

St. George Island 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 St. George Island?

St. George Island 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 St. George Island?

St. George Island'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 St. George Island, really?

Officially, St. George Island 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 St. George Island?

The federal record around St. George Island is light — 40 documented sites across the 9 federal source types we checked — and proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis of any one yard. Growing food here starts from a strong position; a soil test before new food beds settles any site-specific question.

How do I protect my plants from frost in St. George Island?

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 St. George Island 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.