Local planting guide · California
zip 90050
Los Angeles is in USDA hardiness zone 10a, with average winter lows of 30°F to 35°F. The local growing season runs roughly 12/31 through 12/28 (~365 days). This zip falls within the California growing region.
- USDA zone
- 10a 30°F to 35°F
- Last spring frost
- 12/31
- First fall frost
- 12/28
- Growing season
- 365 days
- Compatible crops
- 28
- 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 zone 10a with minimum winter temperatures between 30 and 35°F, virtually guaranteeing a frost-free growing season that extends all 365 days of the year. This removes the hard constraint that shapes gardening in most of North America. Instead, the dominant force here is summer heat and water availability. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 90°F and sometimes climb into the high 90s or low 100s. Irrigation becomes the central consideration. The zone's real growing rhythm is driven not by frost dates but by heat cycles. Spring crops like cool-season vegetables (lettuce, broccoli, peas) planted in spring will bolt or wilt in the intense summer heat. Heat-loving crops like figs, pomegranates, eggplant, and hot peppers thrive because the growing season is long enough to fully mature them, even when direct sun is intense. The LA basin's alkaline soil and low humidity create distinct watering and amendment challenges that gardeners in cooler zones rarely face. Year-round gardening here means year-round planning, not freedom from seasonal pressure.
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 10a, drawn from the broader USDA zone profile.
- ▸ No chilling for traditional temperate fruit
- ▸ Hurricane exposure
- ▸ Heat-tolerant cultivars only
What defeats new gardeners in Los Angeles
Summer heat stress claims more spring plantings in Los Angeles than any other factor. Cool-season crops seeded or transplanted in March or April face consistently 80+ degree temperatures by May, leading to bolting in lettuces and brassicas, flower drop in beans, and overall poor productivity. Water restrictions, common during drought years, limit irrigation just as summer demand peaks. Many LA gardeners face an irrigation allowance insufficient to maintain a traditional vegetable garden through July and August without careful species selection and mulch strategy. Alkaline soil is the third persistent barrier. The LA basin's naturally high pH (often 7.5 to 8+) limits nutrient availability for acid-preferring plants like blueberries and azaleas, and correcting it requires ongoing amendment with sulfur or acidifying fertilizers rather than a one-time fix.
Crops that grow in Los Angeles
28 crops from our catalog match zone 10a, grouped by type.
Tree fruit
12 crops
zone 10a Fig
Ficus carica
zones 7a–10b
zone 10a Asian Persimmon
Diospyros kaki
zones 7a–10a
zone 10a Pomegranate
Punica granatum
zones 7b–10a
zone 10a Lemon
Citrus limon
zones 9a–11b
zone 10a Orange
Citrus sinensis
zones 9a–11b
zone 10a Lime
Citrus aurantiifolia
zones 9b–11b
zone 10a Grapefruit
Citrus paradisi
zones 9a–11b
zone 10a Avocado
Persea americana
zones 9b–11b
Berries
3 crops
Nuts
1 crop
Vegetables
10 crops
zone 10a Tomato
Solanum lycopersicum
zones 3a–10b
zone 10a Sweet Pepper
Capsicum annuum
zones 4a–10b
zone 10a Hot Pepper
Capsicum species
zones 4a–10b
zone 10a Eggplant
Solanum melongena
zones 5a–10b
zone 10a Cucumber
Cucumis sativus
zones 3b–10a
zone 10a Summer Squash
Cucurbita pepo
zones 3b–10a
zone 10a Melon
Cucumis melo
zones 5a–10a
zone 10a Watermelon
Citrullus lanatus
zones 5b–10a
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 10a)
Quiet week in Los Angeles, CA (zone 10a). this week is a good time to step back and plan ahead.
Nothing critical on the calendar this week.
147 bars · 28 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 10a
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.
Meloidogyne species
Microscopic soil-dwelling worm that forms galls on roots, reducing vigor and yield.
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.
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.
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.
Tetranychus urticae
Tiny mite that feeds on leaf undersides, causing stippling and webbing during hot dry weather.
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 (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.
Top diseases for zone 10a
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.
Cucumber mosaic virus, Tobacco mosaic virus, and others
Family of plant viruses producing mottled yellow-and-green leaf patterns. Vectored primarily by aphids; some are seed-transmitted or spread by handling tools and tobacco products.
Calcium deficiency physiological disorder
Not a true disease but a calcium-uptake disorder caused by inconsistent soil moisture during fruit development. The dominant cause of damaged first-fruit on home tomato plantings.
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.
Pythium and Rhizoctonia species
Soil-borne complex of water molds and fungi that kill seedlings before or shortly after emergence. The single most common cause of seed-starting failures.
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.
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.
Multiple species (Erysiphales)
Surface-feeding fungal disease producing white powdery growth on leaves and stems. Reduces yield by stealing photosynthate and accelerating senescence.
Companion planting suggestions
Beneficial pairings drawn from companion data, filtered to crops that grow in zone 10a.
- 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
Cool-season crop success depends on shifted planting timing. Lettuce, broccoli, peas, and spinach seeded in August through September germinate in cooling temperatures and produce prolifically from October through March when direct sun is moderate and water demand is low. Spring plantings bolt in the intense summer heat, making fall and winter the productive season for these crops. Mediterranean and heat-loving perennials such as figs, pomegranates, olives, and Asian persimmons establish deeper root systems and require substantially less summer water than annual vegetables once mature, while generating multi-year harvests. Shade cloth at 30 to 50 percent coverage, deployed during peak summer heat in July and August, prevents sun scalding and heat stress on tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant while maintaining productive yields.
Frequently asked questions
- What are the best crops to grow year-round in Los Angeles?
Figs, pomegranates, Asian persimmons, and goji berries thrive with minimal frost risk and the zone's heat. For vegetables, tomatoes, eggplant, and hot peppers succeed through most of the year if watered consistently. Cool-season crops like lettuce and broccoli produce best from October through April.
- When should I plant tomatoes in Los Angeles?
Transplant tomato seedlings in early March to mid-March for a spring harvest through May, then again in late July or early August for a fall harvest October through December. This avoids the intense summer heat peak when flowering and fruit set decline sharply.
- What is the biggest weather risk for gardeners in Los Angeles?
Summer heat stress, not frost. Temperatures consistently exceed 90°F June through September, causing spring-planted cool-season crops to bolt and sometimes causing flower drop in fruiting plants. Intense direct sun can scald fruit on exposed tomatoes and peppers if plants are not acclimated gradually.
- Do I need to worry about frost in Los Angeles?
No. The zone 10a minimum temperature of 30 to 35°F occurs rarely, and the 365-day growing season means frost-sensitive perennials like figs and pomegranates are safe year-round. Water availability, not frost, is the seasonal constraint.
- How do I manage water in a drought-prone climate?
Focus on drought-tolerant, deep-rooted crops like pomegranates, figs, and established perennials that require infrequent deep watering rather than frequent shallow irrigation. Mulch heavily to reduce evaporation. During water restrictions, prioritize drip irrigation over overhead sprinklers for efficiency.
- Is the Los Angeles soil acidic or alkaline?
Typically alkaline, with pH 7.5 to 8+. This limits availability of iron and manganese for acid-preferring plants. If growing acid-loving plants, amend soil with sulfur or use chelated micronutrient fertilizers. Most heat-loving vegetables tolerate alkaline soil well.
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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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