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