Local planting guide · California
zip 90040
Los Angeles is in USDA hardiness zone 10b, with average winter lows of 35°F to 40°F. The local growing season runs roughly 01/09 through 01/05 (~365 days). This zip falls within the California growing region.
- USDA zone
- 10b 35°F to 40°F
- Last spring frost
- 01/09
- First fall frost
- 01/05
- 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's growing season never really ends. With a last spring frost around January 9 and a first fall frost not arriving until the following January 5, gardeners here have a de facto 365-day window to grow. This freedom from frost is rare in the United States and represents a genuine advantage for crops that struggle with cold elsewhere.
But the absence of frost is not the defining constraint. Heat is. Los Angeles summers regularly reach 85°F to 100°F+, and this unrelenting warmth shapes what thrives. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and basil flourish during the long season, but many cool-season crops (broccoli, cauliflower, kale) require careful timing to catch the narrow spring and fall windows when temperatures dip below 70°F.
Figs, rosemary, and sweet potatoes are reliable performers in zone 10b. Figs especially benefit from Los Angeles's heat and respond vigorously to the long season. The challenge is not winter kill but heat stress, water availability, and the year-round presence of pests and diseases that never experience dormancy. Successful gardening here depends on heat-tolerant varieties and sound irrigation strategy rather than frost protection.
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 is the leading obstacle. While tomatoes and peppers initially thrive in warmth, prolonged heat above 95°F causes flower drop, reduced fruit set, and bitter or mealy fruit. By mid-summer, many early plantings have visibly declined. Inconsistent watering during heat waves splits fruit, stresses roots, and invites pest damage; irrigation becomes critical.
Pests and diseases operate year-round in Los Angeles's climate. Scale insects, mealybugs, spider mites, and aphids persist through winter, building populations without a cold snap to interrupt their life cycles. Fungal diseases (powdery mildew, rust) can appear in spring and linger into early summer. Soil-borne pathogens find the mild, moist winters particularly hospitable.
Water restrictions are a real constraint. Summer irrigation demand is high, and municipal shortages occur periodically. Gardeners relying on daily overhead watering will hit limits.
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, time summer crops to mature before peak heat. Plant tomatoes and peppers in February through March so they fruit during moderate spring warmth rather than trying to ripen in August heat. A second, shorter planting in July or August can catch fall production, but the spring cycle is the main season.
Second, use afternoon shade in peak summer. Simple shade cloth (30% to 50%) from June through September extends fruit quality and reduces heat stress without eliminating the warmth these crops need. Peppers and eggplants respond particularly well.
Third, install drip irrigation and mulch heavily. This combination delivers consistent soil moisture without overhead waste, reduces disease pressure from wet foliage, and conserves water. Mulch also buffers soil temperature extremes. In Los Angeles, this is not optional; it is foundational.
Frequently asked questions
- What crops should I prioritize in Los Angeles?
Figs, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, basil, and rosemary are the reliable performers. Figs and rosemary thrive as tender perennials in the frost-free zone. Heat-tolerant annuals like peppers and eggplant outproduce cooler-zone versions. Cool-season crops require careful timing to fit spring and fall windows.
- When should I plant tomatoes in Los Angeles?
February through March is optimal; this timing allows fruit to ripen in mild spring warmth before August heat causes problems. A second planting in July or August can catch a fall crop, but spring is the primary season for the best yields.
- Is frost ever a real concern in Los Angeles?
No. The last spring frost averages around January 9, and the first fall frost does not arrive until around January 5 of the following year. Frost protection is not a planning constraint in Los Angeles.
- How do I manage year-round pest and disease pressure?
Year-round vigilance is necessary because cold dormancy is not available to reset pest cycles. Monitor regularly, remove infested growth promptly, and prioritize cultural practices (air circulation, drip irrigation, sanitation) over reactive pesticide use.
- What is the single biggest weather risk in Los Angeles?
Summer heat (95°F+) causes more crop failures than any other single factor. Flower drop in tomatoes, split fruit from watering stress, and general plant decline are common. Shade and consistent irrigation are essential, not optional.
- Can I grow food year-round here?
Technically yes, but strategically it is harder than it sounds. Cool-season crops need carefully timed windows in spring (January through March) and fall (September through November) to mature before heat arrives. Year-round production requires rotating between heat-tolerant and cool-tolerant varieties.
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Frost data: NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020, station USW00003122. Local microclimates can shift these dates by a week or more.
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