Local planting guide · California
zip 90046
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 in zone 10b occupies a unique position within the broader zone. Winter minimum temperatures rarely dip below 35°F, and the frost dates (last spring frost 12/31, first fall frost 12/28) are essentially statistical artifacts rather than practical threats. The growing season is effectively 365 days, uninterrupted.
This frost-free climate is a major advantage for warm-season crops like figs, peppers, eggplants, and sweet potatoes, which thrive in LA's Mediterranean pattern of mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. The long frost-free window allows crops to establish deep root systems and mature fully without cold stress.
However, the dominant challenge is not cold but heat. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 95°F and occasionally reach 110°F, which disrupts fruit set in heat-sensitive crops. Tomato and pepper plants respond to sustained heat by dropping flowers and aborting fruit before it reaches usable size. Water availability is the secondary pressure. California's chronic drought and potential summer water restrictions reshape irrigation planning annually. Coastal salt spray affects some LA microclimates as well.
Most gardeners elsewhere in zone 10b optimize for winter survival; Los Angeles growers instead orient around summer heat management and water efficiency.
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
Heat stress during peak summer (June-August) is the defining constraint. Tomato plants stop setting fruit above 95°F, and sustained 110°F heat causes pepper flowers to abort before fruit forms. Many growers plant tomatoes in spring expecting a summer harvest, then watch production collapse in July when temperatures peak. This heat-collapse pattern catches most gardeners off guard.
Water availability is the second pressure. Summer watering in Los Angeles faces municipal restrictions or high costs during drought years. Shallow-rooted vegetables like basil, lettuce, and squash suffer first when soil moisture declines. Even with conservation measures, peak-season water demand from landscape irrigation strains supplies.
Alkaline soil pH, typically 7.5 to 8.5 across Los Angeles, locks up micronutrients like iron and manganese. Acid-preferring plants show chlorotic yellowing despite adequate fertilizer. Soil amendment becomes perpetual rather than one-time.
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 tomato plantings to sidestep peak heat. Plant in February or March for a spring harvest (April-May production before temperatures climb), then again in late July or August so transplants reach flowering stage in cooler fall weeks (October-November when temperatures drop below 90°F). This double-window strategy avoids the June-August heat wall entirely.
Shift to heat-tolerant crops during June-August. Basil, rosemary, eggplant, peppers, and Armenian cucumber thrive in full summer heat and actually struggle in cool winters. Reserve heat-sensitive crops like lettuce, peas, and fresh-eating tomatoes for the fall through spring planting windows when they will produce reliably.
Install drip irrigation with soil-moisture sensors or automatic timers, especially critical for the long drought-prone months. Overhead sprinklers waste water to evaporation in hot, dry conditions and encourage fungal diseases during winter rains. Drip systems deliver water directly to the root zone and naturally scale with seasonal water needs.
Frequently asked questions
- What crops grow best in Los Angeles?
Peppers, eggplants, basil, rosemary, figs, and Armenian cucumber are reliable year-round. Tomatoes do best in spring (March-May plant for April-May harvest) and fall (July-August plant for October-December harvest). Sweet potatoes and other heat-loving crops thrive continuously in the frost-free climate.
- When should I plant tomatoes in Los Angeles?
Plant in February or March for spring harvest before summer heat peaks, or in late July through August for fall production. Avoid planting for summer fruiting; sustained heat above 95°F stops fruit set. The cool-season windows (spring and fall-winter) are when tomatoes reliably produce.
- What's the biggest weather risk for home gardeners in Los Angeles?
Not frost, but sustained summer heat above 95°F, which disrupts flowering and fruit set in tomatoes and peppers. Water scarcity and potential summer rationing are secondary pressures that shape irrigation strategy year-round.
- Do I need to worry about winter frost?
Essentially never. The frost dates (12/31 spring, 12/28 fall) are statistical artifacts. Winter cold rarely threatens established trees or perennials. Tender annuals may slow growth in rare cold snaps, but frost damage is not a practical concern.
- How do I manage LA's alkaline soil?
Regular sulfur amendments or acidifying fertilizers lower soil pH over time. Alternatively, grow in raised beds with imported acidic soil to isolate pH-sensitive plants. Perennials like rosemary, figs, and many herbs tolerate high pH well without amendment.
- What irrigation approach works best in Los Angeles?
Drip irrigation with heavy mulch and soil-moisture sensors or timers beats overhead sprinklers. Drips deliver water to the root zone with minimal evaporation loss and avoid the fungal issues that winter rains cause on wet foliage. Add timers for seasonal scaling.
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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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