Local planting guide · California
zip 90034
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 occupies an exceptional climate niche within zone 10b. With a 365-day frost-free growing season, the lack of winter cold is not the constraint; summer heat and water availability emerge as the defining factors. Minimum winter temperatures hover around 35 to 40°F, making frost rare enough that many gardeners never experience a killing freeze. This year-round season permits continuous cultivation of warm-season crops like tomato, pepper, fig, basil, and eggplant across multiple succession plantings. However, the climate is not uniformly benign. Coastal areas experience marine layer fog and cooler temperatures, while inland neighborhoods bake under intense summer sun. Both face periodic drought conditions and water-use restrictions that limit garden size and require efficient irrigation. The sandy or clay-heavy soils common to greater Los Angeles often lean alkaline, requiring amendment and careful variety selection. Against these constraints, many crops thrive: figs require minimal water once established, rosemary is drought-tolerant and salt-resistant, and pepper varieties suited to heat can produce continuously from spring through fall.
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 waves present the most common hurdle. When temperatures exceed 95°F for sustained periods, tomatoes and peppers often fail to set fruit; flowers drop and yields flatten. Water scarcity compounds this stress. Coastal properties sometimes struggle with persistent fog, which reduces sun hours and promotes fungal disease on susceptible crops. Inland gardens face the opposite problem: intense heat and low humidity, which can cause rapid water depletion and sunscald on exposed fruit. Additionally, the mild winters mean pest populations (spider mites, whiteflies, scale insects) rarely face a natural population crash. Regular monitoring becomes essential to prevent outbreaks that winter cold elsewhere would suppress.
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
Stagger plantings around summer heat. Rather than fighting temperatures in July and August, plan peak production for spring (April-May) and fall (September-November). A March tomato planting peaks as heat builds; a June planting will flower when temperatures are too high for good fruit-set, but ripen reliably as autumn cools. Install drip irrigation with soil monitoring. This prevents overwatering (which wastes water and promotes disease) while keeping plants adequately supplied during heat waves. Figs and rosemary need far less frequent watering than tomatoes or peppers, but all benefit from consistent moisture during fruit production. Keep frost cloth on hand. Although frost is exceptionally rare, occasional cold snaps below 40°F occur in Los Angeles. Quick frost protection during these rare events saves tender young plants and tropical varieties without requiring elaborate infrastructure.
Frequently asked questions
- What's the best time to plant tomatoes in Los Angeles?
Tomatoes can be planted nearly year-round via succession plantings. Sow seeds or transplants in late February through March for spring harvest, then again in June for fall ripening. Summer planting (June) avoids the 95°F+ heat waves of July and August when fruit-set suffers. Fall-planted crops ripen reliably October through December.
- Will frost damage my garden in Los Angeles?
Frost risk is minimal; frost dates of 12/31 (last spring) and 12/28 (first fall) indicate year-round safety. However, occasional cold snaps below 40°F do occur. Young tender transplants can be at risk during these rare events, so keep frost cloth available as insurance.
- What crops grow reliably year-round in Los Angeles?
Fig, rosemary, and basil thrive with the long season. Hot peppers and sweet peppers produce best in spring and fall plantings; summer heat reduces fruit-set. Root crops and leafy greens handle cooler winter months, though growth slows. Succession planting allows near-continuous harvest of many crops.
- Why don't my tomatoes or peppers set fruit in summer?
Heat stress is the culprit. When temperatures exceed 95°F for sustained periods, pollen becomes infertile and flowers drop. Provide afternoon shade with 30-50% shade cloth, maintain consistent irrigation, and choose heat-tolerant varieties. Shift peak plantings to spring and fall when temperatures are moderate.
- How much water do gardens need in Los Angeles?
Water requirements vary by crop and microclimate. Inland gardens need more frequent irrigation than coastal areas due to lower humidity. Drip systems with soil-moisture monitoring prevent waste while maintaining consistent supply. Figs and rosemary need far less water than tomatoes or eggplant once established.
- Are there major differences between coastal and inland gardening in Los Angeles?
Yes. Coastal areas receive marine layer fog, cooler temperatures, reduced sun hours, and higher humidity, promoting fungal disease. Inland regions experience intense sun, lower humidity, and greater heat stress. Variety selection should match microclimate: heat-tolerant cultivars inland, mildew-resistant varieties near the coast.
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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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