Local planting guide · California
zip 90023
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 sits in USDA zone 10b with average annual minimum temperatures between 35 and 40°F. The defining feature of gardening here is the absence of frost risk; the last spring frost averages 12/31 and the first fall frost averages 12/28, giving a 365-day growing season. This year-round potential is both an advantage and a trap. Inexperienced gardeners often assume "no frost" means "plant anything anytime," but LA's climate is actually shaped by intense summer heat and chronic water scarcity. The real constraints are high temperatures from June through September, low humidity, and water availability. Crops like figs, sweet peppers, hot peppers, eggplant, sweet potato, basil, and rosemary thrive here because they tolerate heat and drought. Success in LA requires working with the seasons differently than frost-zone gardening: the primary growing window is October through May, when temperatures are mild and water needs are lower. Existing plantings are protected from summer heat rather than expanded during the hottest months.
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 two critical challenges in Los Angeles are summer heat and water stress. From June through September, daytime temperatures regularly exceed 85°F, and spikes above 95°F are common. Tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant may drop blossoms or abort fruit above 92°F, regardless of water supply. Many gardeners plant in spring and then watch summer harvest fade to nothing. The second challenge is water availability. LA is semi-arid with limited rainfall; municipal water restrictions are frequent. Surface evaporation and poor soil structure (common in urban LA) worsen water retention. A third persistent issue is spider mites and whiteflies, which explode in low-humidity heat. These pests weaken plants that are already stressed by temperature and drought, creating a cascade failure by late summer.
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 typical northern gardening calendar. Plant cool-season vegetables like lettuce, brassicas, and root crops in late August through October to harvest October through May. For heat-lovers like peppers and eggplant, plant by early March to establish root systems before June heat arrives; later plantings rarely set enough fruit before stress kicks in. Second, use heavy mulch (3 to 4 inches of compost or wood chips) to reduce soil temperature and slow evaporation. This is non-negotiable in LA. Third, install drip irrigation on a timer. Hand watering is inefficient in heat, and automated drip reduces plant stress and water waste. Mulch combined with drip irrigation handles both heat and scarcity in one system.
Frequently asked questions
- What crops grow best in Los Angeles?
Heat and drought-tolerant crops thrive year-round. Winter through spring favorites include tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, sweet potato, basil, and rosemary. Cool-season crops like lettuce, kale, broccoli, and chard thrive in fall, winter, and spring. Figs are especially well-suited to LA's climate and water constraints.
- When should I plant tomatoes in Los Angeles?
Plant in late February to early March for an early summer crop before heat stress peaks. A second planting in late July or early August can work for fall harvest, though July-September heat may reduce fruit set. Spring planting is more reliable in LA.
- Why do my peppers and eggplants drop flowers in summer?
Temperatures above 92°F cause pollen sterility in peppers and eggplants, so blossoms fall even with adequate water and nutrients. Plant early (by March) to establish fruit production before peak heat in June-August. Use shade cloth (30-50% density) over plants during the hottest weeks to keep temperatures down.
- Is frost a concern in Los Angeles?
Frost is essentially not a concern year-round. The last spring frost averages 12/31 and the first fall frost averages 12/28, meaning the risk period is negligible. This allows year-round gardening, but heat and water scarcity, not cold, are the real limits.
- How do I manage water in a drought-prone climate?
Mulch heavily (3 to 4 inches) to reduce evaporation and soil temperature. Install drip irrigation on a timer to deliver water slowly to roots with minimal surface loss. Choose drought-tolerant crops when possible. Even heat-lovers like peppers use less water with adequate mulch.
- What are the best months to plant vegetables in Los Angeles?
October through February is ideal for cool-season crops. Late February through March is best for heat-lovers like peppers, eggplant, and tomatoes. July-August is marginal for new plantings due to heat stress, though it works for fall-harvest cool-season crops sown in late August.
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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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