Local planting guide · California
zip 90028
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 zone 10b with winter temperatures rarely dropping below 35°F, creating a subtropical climate where frost is essentially not a concern. According to NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020, frost risk exists only around late December, a narrow window that reflects the city's unique year-round growing potential. However, the dominant constraint is not cold but the opposite: summer heat and chronic water scarcity. Inland areas regularly exceed 100°F from June through September, while coastal neighborhoods like 90028 benefit from marine layer moderation. The true growing seasons are fall and spring, when temperatures moderate and water is more available. Heat-loving crops like figs, peppers, eggplant, and sweet potato thrive in summer. Cool-season crops including tomatoes, basil, and leafy greens perform better when planted for fall and winter harvest. The perpetual frost-free calendar often deceives growers who expect year-round success with the same crop varieties. Strategic seasonal crop selection, not frost protection, determines productivity in zone 10b Los Angeles.
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
Summer heat stress ranks first. Many vegetable varieties bred for cooler climates drop flowers or produce bland fruit when daytime temperatures exceed 95°F for extended periods. Tomatoes develop sunscald; peppers set fewer fruits; basil bolts without flowering. Water scarcity is the second obstacle. Mandatory restrictions in dry years limit irrigation to specific days and hours, forcing a choice between investing in drip systems or accepting reduced yields. Coastal gardeners near 90028 may face marine layer delays, where cool offshore air lingers into late spring and prevents warm-season crops from germinating reliably. Mild winters, while favorable for frost-sensitive perennials, mean pest populations rarely crash from freezing. Whiteflies, spider mites, and scale insects overwinter readily and can build to damaging levels by mid-spring without dormant oil treatments.
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, reframe the calendar. Plant cool-season crops and perennials in late August and September when inland heat remains intense but autumn rains return. Tomatoes, peppers, figs, and rosemary established in fall develop deeper root systems before next summer arrives. Second, invest in water efficiency from the start. Drip irrigation delivers water to root zones during morning hours and uses roughly 50% less water than overhead sprinklers. Mulch with 2 to 3 inches of wood chip to regulate soil temperature and retain moisture. Third, choose varieties bred for heat and drought. Cherry tomatoes and heirloom types often outperform standard slicers in sustained high heat; select peppers and eggplants with Mediterranean or Southwest origins. Basil, figs, and rosemary thrive with minimal intervention in zone 10b.
Frequently asked questions
- When should I plant tomatoes in Los Angeles?
Plant tomato seeds indoors in July and transplant seedlings in late August or early September. This timing allows plants to establish roots during cooler fall months before next summer's heat. Spring planting often leads to flower drop during peak heat unless varieties are specifically heat-tolerant. Fall-planted tomatoes produce through mild winter months.
- What crops grow best in Los Angeles zone 10b?
Figs, peppers, eggplant, and sweet potato thrive in the heat. Rosemary, basil, and Mediterranean herbs are nearly perennial. For cooler months, tomatoes, leafy greens, broccoli, and cauliflower perform well when planted in late summer for fall and winter harvest. The key is seasonal crop rotation, not year-round repetition.
- How do I protect crops from summer heat?
Shade cloth at 30 to 50 percent density suspended above beds reduces temperature 5 to 10°F and prevents sunscald on tomatoes and peppers. Heavier mulch (3 inches) cools soil and reduces water loss. Choose heat-tolerant varieties bred for Mediterranean or desert climates. Morning drip irrigation minimizes water loss to evaporation.
- What should I grow if water is restricted?
Figs, rosemary, lavender, and established peppers demand less supplemental water than tomatoes or leafy greens. Mulch heavily and use drip irrigation to maximize efficiency. Many perennial herbs thrive on rainfall alone after establishment. Mediterranean and desert-adapted varieties are naturally drought-tolerant.
- Is fall the better gardening season in Los Angeles?
Yes, fall and winter are the most productive seasons in zone 10b Los Angeles. Temperatures moderate, rains return, and cool-season crops flourish. Many gardeners treat fall as the true growing season and summer as a maintenance period for heat-tolerant perennials like figs and rosemary.
- Can I grow figs in Los Angeles?
Figs thrive in zone 10b and are iconic in Los Angeles. They require minimal water once established, tolerate heat reliably, and produce two harvests per year depending on variety. Fig trees are nearly carefree perennials in this climate, making them ideal for water-conscious gardeners.
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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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