Local planting guide · California
zip 90045
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 represents one of the most forgiving growing climates in the continental United States. Zone 10b's minimum winter temperatures (35 to 40°F) mean frost is almost never a constraint, fundamentally reshaping how home gardeners approach the calendar. With a last spring frost around January 9th and first fall frost around January 5th of the following year, the growing season effectively spans 365 days. This creates a gardening paradigm fundamentally different from temperate regions. Rather than working within a discrete spring-to-fall window, Los Angeles gardeners operate in a mild, nearly frost-free system where the limiting factors become heat tolerance, water availability, and crop-specific chill-hour requirements instead. Crops like figs, basil, and rosemary thrive year-round without interruption. Tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants grow reliably in many seasons, though midsummer heat can stress some varieties and reduce fruit set. For most gardeners, the real constraint is not winter survival but managing the transition through high-heat months and water conservation during the dry season.
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
Los Angeles' three primary gardening challenges rarely appear on lists for other regions. First, midsummer heat (regularly exceeding 85°F, often 95°F or higher) causes blossom drop on tomatoes and peppers during peak summer months, making July and August problematic for fruit-setting crops. Succession planting to capture spring and fall crops works better than attempting continuous gardening through summer heat. Second, water restrictions and extended drought periods complicate the perception of a 365-day season. Los Angeles' Mediterranean climate means winter rainfall but summer drought, requiring careful irrigation planning and water conservation. Third, many common pests lack the hard freeze that naturally checks their populations elsewhere, so year-round pest management becomes necessary. Whiteflies, spider mites, and scale insects can persist as chronic problems rather than seasonal nuisances.
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
Plant tomatoes and peppers in late winter or early spring, aiming for late January or early February. This allows plants to establish before heat stress begins in June; their fruit production drops sharply once temperatures consistently exceed 85°F. Restart these crops in late summer (late July or August) for a fall harvest before cooler weather arrives. Second, prioritize heat-tolerant varieties developed for Mediterranean or subtropical climates. Fig, rosemary, basil, eggplant, and sweet peppers handle the Los Angeles climate better than varieties bred for temperate zones. Third, invest in reliable irrigation. The year-round growing season is only viable with consistent moisture during the dry months; manual watering strains even dedicated gardeners from June through September.
Frequently asked questions
- What crops grow best in Los Angeles?
Figs, rosemary, basil, and eggplants thrive year-round. Tomatoes, sweet peppers, and hot peppers grow reliably in spring and fall but struggle when midsummer heat peaks. Cool-season crops like brassicas and leafy greens succeed in winter and early spring.
- When should I plant tomatoes in zone 10b?
Plant in late January or early February for spring production, before heat stress begins in June and July. For fall harvest, start seeds in mid to late July so transplants are ready by late August. Avoid planting during May or June when peak summer heat is approaching.
- Is frost actually a concern in Los Angeles?
Frost risk is minimal to nonexistent for most of the year. With a last spring frost around January 9th and first fall frost around January 5th of the following year, Los Angeles gardeners rarely need to plan around freeze dates unlike many other regions in zone 10b.
- How do I manage pests without winter freezes?
Many pests persist year-round without a hard freeze to break their life cycle. Monitor regularly for spider mites, whiteflies, and scale insects. Use reflective mulches, insecticidal soaps, and neem oil strategically. Plant flowering herbs like basil and rosemary to encourage beneficial insects.
- What's the biggest challenge for Los Angeles gardeners?
Midsummer heat stress, not frost, is the primary limiting factor. Tomatoes and peppers drop blossoms when temperatures exceed 85 to 90°F consistently. Success requires planning crop calendars around two distinct growing windows: cool-season (October through May) and heat-tolerant crops timed to avoid peak summer months.
- Should I water differently in zone 10b?
Yes. Los Angeles has a Mediterranean climate with winter rain and summer drought. Set up drip irrigation for reliable year-round moisture. Monitor soil carefully during dry months; container plants may need water every few days in summer even in mild zone 10b.
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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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