Your grocery store’s produce aisle likely has a wide variety of options, thanks to a large international trade network. Fruits and vegetables can be grown in one place and shipped thousands of miles to your local supermarket. Distributors can also delay ripening to ensure the produce arrives fresh. However, those processes include extra costs that are passed onto the consumer: you. Also, the food may lose some nutrients before it reaches your shopping cart.
That’s why fruits and vegetables are often less expensive and more delicious when you buy them “in season.” Produce that’s in season is grown in its ideal climate at the right time of the year. And in sunny Florida, that includes quite a few nutritious crops.
In any given season, you’ll find that some fruits and veggies are readily available and cheaper than other options. They taste fresher, too! Here is a comprehensive list of Florida’s in-season produce for each month.
Spring (March, April, May)
As the weather warms up and the days get longer, flowering trees and vines begin to bear fruit. So, we get to enjoy mangos, passion fruit, strawberries, and watermelons, among many others. Nutrient-packed leafy greens and crunchy veggies grow abundantly. Spring is the perfect season to enjoy some creative salads, stir-fried peppers and onions, roasted Brussels sprouts, and many other delicious and healthy dishes!
- Asparagus
- Basil
- Beets
- Blueberries – starting in April
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts – through March
- Cabbage
- Cantaloupes
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Chard
- Collards
- Corn
- Cucumbers
- Grapefruit
- Green beans
- Guava
- Kale
- Leeks
- Limes
- Mandarins
- Mangos – starting in May
- Onions
- Oranges (navel)
- Oranges (valencia)
- Papaya
- Passion fruit – through March
- Peas
- Peppers (sweet bell)
- Pommelos – through April
- Potatoes
- Radishes
- Rhubarb – starting in May
- Scallions (aka green onions)
- Spinach (through March)
- Strawberries
- Tangerines
- Tomatillos
- Tomatoes
- Turnips
- Watermelon – starting in April
- Zucchini
Summer (June, July, August)
The hot summer months create harsh growing conditions for many crops. But while leafy greens are less likely to thrive, you can enjoy a delicious variety of berries and other luscious fruits. Melons contain a lot of water to resist drying out — helping you beat the heat as well.
- Apples
- Apricots
- Avocados
- Bananas – starting in August
- Basil
- Beets
- Blackberries
- Blueberries – through June
- Broccoli
- Cabbage – through June
- Cantaloupes – through July
- Carrots – through June
- Celery – through June
- Cherries
- Corn
- Cucumbers
- Dragonfruit
- Eggplant
- Grapefruit – through June
- Grapes and muscadines – starting in August
- Green beans
- Guava
- Key limes
- Leeks
- Lima beans
- Limes
- Mandarins – through June
- Mangos
- Melons
- Nectarines
- Okra – starting in August
- Onions
- Oranges (Valencia)
- Papaya
- Passion fruit – starting in July
- Peaches
- Peppers (chile) – starting in August
- Peppers (sweet bell) – through July
- Potatoes – through July
- Radishes – through June
- Raspberries
- Rhubarb
- Scallions (aka green onions)
- Strawberries – through June
- Summer squash
- Sweet corn
- Tomatillos – through June
- Tomatoes – through June
- Watermelon – through July
- Zucchini – through June
Fall (September, October, November)
As temperatures drop, green leafy vegetables and gourds create abundant harvests. This is the season for tummy-filling root vegetables and savory citrus. Dense fruits such as pears, quinces, and eggplant are delicious when baked or sautéed, while everything from pumpkins to apples can go into pies, stews, and more.
- Basil
- Beets
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts – starting in November
- Cabbage – starting in November
- Carrots – starting in November
- Cauliflower – starting in November
- Celery – starting in November
- Chard – starting in November
- Collards – starting in November
- Corn
- Cucumbers
- Dragonfruit
- Eggplant
- Figs
- Grapefruit
- Grapes and muscadines – through September
- Green beans
- Guava
- Kale – starting in November
- Leeks
- Limes
- Mandarins – starting in October
- Mangos – through September
- Navel oranges – starting in October
- Okra
- Onions
- Papaya (aka paw paw)
- Passion fruit
- Pears
- Peas
- Pecans
- Peppers (sweet bell) – starting in October
- Persimmons
- Pumpkins
- Quinces
- Radishes – starting in October
- Rutabagas
- Scallions (aka green onions)
- Strawberries – starting in October
- Summer squash
- Sweet corn
- Sweet potatoes
- Tangerines
- Tomatillos
- Tomatoes
- Turnips
- Winter squash
- Zucchini
Winter (December, January, February)
Florida’s mild winters allow many fall fruits and vegetables to stay in season longer. When roasted, cruciferous veggies such as broccoli and cauliflower help keep bellies warm and full. Delicate greens and peas thrive in cooler weather with less sunshine. This is also the season for many yummy citrus fruits, such as kumquats, oranges, and mandarins.
- Beets – through December
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Chard
- Collards
- Corn
- Cucumbers
- Grapefruit
- Green beans
- Guava
- Kale
- Kumquats
- Leeks
- Limes
- Mandarins
- Okra – through January
- Onions
- Oranges (navel)
- Oranges (Valencia) – starting in January
- Papaya
- Peas – starting in January
- Pomelos (aka pummelos)
- Potatoes – starting in January
- Radishes
- Scallions (aka green onions)
- Spinach – starting in February
- Strawberries
- Summer squash
- Sweet potatoes
- Tangerines
- Tomatillos
- Tomatoes
- Turnips
- Zucchini
