Local planting guide · California
zip 90013
Los Angeles is in USDA hardiness zone 10b, with average winter lows of 35°F to 40°F. The local growing season runs roughly 12/31 through 12/28 (~365 days). This zip falls within the California growing region.
- USDA zone
- 10b 35°F to 40°F
- Last spring frost
- 12/31
- First fall frost
- 12/28
- Growing season
- 365 days
- Compatible crops
- 23
- Growing region
- California
Right now in Los Angeles
Week 18 priorities
On the docket: transplant out after last frost · direct sow after last frost. See the full calendar →
Gardening in Los Angeles
Los Angeles zone 10b rarely experiences freezing temperatures, making year-round gardening possible. The last spring frost date of December 31 and first fall frost date of December 28 reflect this reality: frost is so infrequent it falls outside the growing calendar that constrains gardeners elsewhere. The dominant challenge here is not cold but heat and aridity. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 90°F, and interior areas can reach 100°F or higher. The coastal micro-climates (including the 90013 zip) are somewhat moderated but still face intense solar radiation. This inverts the traditional planting calendar. Crops like tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and basil thrive in Los Angeles, but success depends on planting them during the cooler months (fall through spring) rather than the traditional spring-to-summer schedule. Figs and rosemary adapt well to the heat and dryness. Many cool-season crops that would normally be spring crops here must be shifted to fall and winter plantings to avoid bolting or heat stress.
Regional context · California
What the California brings to Los Angeles
From cool foggy coast to hot Central Valley to mountain to desert. Mediterranean climate dominates: wet winters, dry summers. The most productive agricultural state in the country, with reach into citrus and olives that exceed the rest of the country.
Common challenges
Issues that most often defeat home gardeners in zone 10b, drawn from the broader USDA zone profile.
- ▸ No winter chill
- ▸ Tropical pest and disease pressure
- ▸ Saltwater intrusion in coastal soils
What defeats new gardeners in Los Angeles
The most common obstacle is managing heat stress on cool-season crops. Lettuce, brassicas, and other spring vegetables bolt or wilt rapidly once sustained temperatures exceed 75°F, which arrives by May. Sunscald on heat-stressed tomatoes and peppers is frequent in July and August, even on varieties marketed as heat-tolerant. A third challenge is water availability. Los Angeles faces periodic drought and water restrictions that limit irrigation frequency and total usage, forcing gardeners to choose drought-adapted varieties or install drip systems and mulch heavily. Balancing year-round variety with these constraints requires deliberate crop selection and timing.
Crops that grow in Los Angeles
23 crops from our catalog match zone 10b, grouped by type.
Tree fruit
12 crops
zone 10b Fig
Ficus carica
zones 7a–10b
zone 10b Lemon
Citrus limon
zones 9a–11b
zone 10b Orange
Citrus sinensis
zones 9a–11b
zone 10b Lime
Citrus aurantiifolia
zones 9b–11b
zone 10b Grapefruit
Citrus paradisi
zones 9a–11b
zone 10b Mango
Mangifera indica
zones 10b–13b
zone 10b Avocado
Persea americana
zones 9b–11b
zone 10b Banana
Musa acuminata
zones 9b–13b
Berries
2 crops
Nuts
1 crop
Vegetables
6 crops
zone 10b Tomato
Solanum lycopersicum
zones 3a–10b
zone 10b Sweet Pepper
Capsicum annuum
zones 4a–10b
zone 10b Hot Pepper
Capsicum species
zones 4a–10b
zone 10b Eggplant
Solanum melongena
zones 5a–10b
zone 10b Sweet Potato
Ipomoea batatas
zones 6a–10b
zone 10b Okra
Abelmoschus esculentus
zones 6a–10b
Herbs
2 crops
Plan the year
Planting calendar for Los Angeles
Year-view of seed starting, transplanting, planting, pruning, fertilizing, harvest, and pest-watch windows tuned to Los Angeles's local frost dates.
Week ? · loading
This week in Los Angeles, CA (zone 10b)
Quiet week in Los Angeles, CA (zone 10b). this week is a good time to step back and plan ahead.
Nothing critical on the calendar this week.
128 bars · 23 crops
Calendar logic combines NOAA frost normals with crop-specific timing data. Local microclimate and weather always overrules the calendar; use this as a starting point.
Top pests for zone 10b
Ranked by how many crops in your zone they affect. Click through for IPM controls and signs to watch for.
Pseudococcidae spp.
Soft white waxy insects that cluster at leaf joints, fruit stems, and root crowns. Honeydew secretion supports sooty mold; root mealybugs cause decline that mimics drought.
Coccoidea spp.
Sap-sucking insects that attach to bark, leaves, and fruit, secreting honeydew that fuels sooty mold. Heavy infestations weaken trees and cause leaf yellowing.
Ceratitis capitata
Quarantine pest in many regions. Adult females puncture ripening fruit to lay eggs; larvae tunnel through the flesh, causing premature drop and rot.
Multiple species (Aphididae)
Small soft-bodied sap-sucking insects that reproduce explosively in spring. Excrete honeydew that supports sooty mold and attracts ants. Transmit viral diseases.
Meloidogyne species
Microscopic soil-dwelling worm that forms galls on roots, reducing vigor and yield.
Multiple species (Aleyrodidae)
Tiny white moth-like flying insects that feed on plant sap and excrete honeydew. Transmit numerous viral diseases including tomato yellow leaf curl virus.
Multiple species (Chrysomelidae)
Tiny black or bronze jumping beetles that put hundreds of small holes in seedling leaves. Most damaging on direct-seeded brassicas and young eggplant.
Anastrepha suspensa
Tropical fruit fly endemic to Florida and the Caribbean. Less aggressive on commercial citrus than Mediterranean fruit fly, but devastating on guava, carambola, and other thin-skinned tropicals.
Top diseases for zone 10b
Ranked by how many crops in your zone they affect. Click through for symptoms, controls, and resistant varieties.
Capnodium spp.
Black fungal coating that grows on honeydew secreted by aphids, scale, mealybugs, and whiteflies. Doesn't infect plant tissue directly but blocks photosynthesis and disfigures fruit.
Colletotrichum gloeosporioides
Most damaging mango disease worldwide. Fungal spores infect blossoms and developing fruit during humid weather, producing black sunken lesions that expand on ripening fruit.
Sclerotium rolfsii
Soil-borne fungal disease most damaging in warm humid Southern conditions. White mycelial fans and small mustard-seed-sized sclerotia at the soil line are diagnostic.
Fusarium oxysporum
Soil-borne fungal disease that plugs vascular tissue and kills affected plants. Persists in soil for many years; impossible to eliminate once established.
Verticillium dahliae
Soil-borne fungal disease similar to fusarium wilt but with broader host range and cooler temperature optimum. Persists in soil for 10+ years.
Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus
Devastating bacterial disease vectored by the Asian citrus psyllid. Once infected, trees decline progressively over several years and there is no cure. Has destroyed commercial citrus across Florida and threatens production worldwide.
Xanthomonas citri
Bacterial disease producing raised corky lesions on leaves, twigs, and fruit. Spread by wind-driven rain and contaminated tools. Quarantine-regulated in many areas.
Xanthomonas euvesicatoria and X. perforans
Bacterial disease causing leaf spots and fruit blemishes on pepper and tomato. Severe in warm humid weather, transmitted via splashing water and seed.
Companion planting suggestions
Beneficial pairings drawn from companion data, filtered to crops that grow in zone 10b.
- Fig + Rosemary
Rosemary tolerates the dry sites figs prefer and provides aromatic pest deterrence.
- Tomato + Basil
The classic Italian pairing. Basil's volatile oils are reported to repel hornworms and whiteflies, and the two crops share the same warm-season schedule and water needs. Plant basil between tomato cages.
- Sweet Pepper + Basil
Same warm-season culture, same watering schedule. Basil reportedly improves pepper flavor and repels aphids and thrips that are pepper's primary pests.
- Hot Pepper + Basil
Compatible heat-loving culture, similar water needs. Basil interplanted between hot pepper plants supports beneficial insects and reduces aphid pressure.
- Okra + Hot Pepper
Both heat-loving warm-season crops with similar water and fertility needs. Hot pepper at okra's base benefits from the slight afternoon shade in extreme summer heat.
Soil types reference
Soil texture and pH decide what grows easily on your specific lot. Find the closest match below for crop recommendations and amendment guidance.
Practical tips for Los Angeles
First, invert the conventional spring-to-summer calendar. Plant warm-season crops like tomatoes and peppers in September and October for November-March harvests, when temperatures are mild and water demand is low. Second, deploy shade cloth (30 to 50 percent shade) over heat-sensitive plants from June through September. Even peppers and eggplants benefit from afternoon shade during peak summer, reducing sunscald risk and water stress. Third, prioritize varieties bred for heat tolerance and low water demand. Seek heirloom and disease-resistant varieties from breeding programs in similarly hot regions (Mediterranean cultivars, for instance) rather than standard temperate varieties.
Frequently asked questions
- What crops grow best year-round in Los Angeles zip 90013?
Figs, tomatoes, peppers (both sweet and hot), eggplants, basil, and rosemary are reliable. Many other vegetables can be grown, but success depends on timing: cool-season crops in fall and winter, warm-season crops in spring and early summer, with a mid-summer gap for the most heat-sensitive plants.
- When should I plant tomatoes in Los Angeles?
Plant in September and October for winter and early spring harvest. A secondary planting in late January or early February can yield spring fruit, but avoid the traditional March-April timing because early summer heat will stress plants before fruit matures. Seeds can start indoors in August for September transplants.
- Do I really not have to worry about frost in Los Angeles?
Frost risk is vanishingly small, but not zero. The last spring frost date of December 31 and first fall frost of December 28 reflect how rare freezing is. A freeze might occur once every 10 to 20 years. It's negligible for practical planning, but brief frost events have been recorded, so tender perennials like fig and rosemary should be given afternoon sun exposure to harden off against rare cold snaps.
- What's the biggest gardening challenge in Los Angeles?
Heat stress and water scarcity outrank frost risk entirely. Summer temperatures above 95°F cause sunscald, bolting, and wilting across many crops. Water restrictions compound this. Shade cloth, mulch, and heat-tolerant variety selection are more important than frost protection.
- Why do my spring crops fail in Los Angeles?
Most home gardeners plant cool-season crops (lettuce, broccoli, spinach) on the traditional spring calendar and watch them bolt or wilt by May as temperatures climb. Instead, plant these crops in September through February, when temperatures stay below 75°F. In spring, focus on heat-tolerant crops like tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and basil.
- How do I protect plants from summer heat in Los Angeles?
Use 30 to 50 percent shade cloth over beds from June through September. Apply 2 to 3 inches of organic mulch to retain soil moisture and cool roots. Choose heat-tolerant varieties from hot-climate breeding programs. Water early in the morning and consider drip irrigation to deliver water directly to roots while minimizing evaporation.
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Frost data: NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020, station USW00023152. Local microclimates can shift these dates by a week or more.
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