Local planting guide · California
zip 90052
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 is situated in USDA hardiness zone 10b, offering one of the longest growing seasons in North America. The average low temperature barely dips below 35 to 40°F, and hard freezes are exceptionally rare. This means the city's gardening calendar operates on a near-perpetual growing season; the last spring frost averages December 31 and the first fall frost averages December 28, indicating that true killing freezes are almost never a limiting factor.
Warm-season crops like tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and basil produce reliably and prolifically. Figs and rosemary are particularly well-suited to Los Angeles, thriving on modest water once established and requiring minimal frost protection.
The defining advantage of gardening in Los Angeles is not the absence of cold, but the stability and predictability of the climate. This allows year-round planting and harvesting if irrigation and heat management are properly addressed. The dominant constraints are water availability (a persistent regional issue), summer heat stress on certain crops (tomatoes and peppers can experience reduced fruit set above 95°F), and the heat-driven diseases that thrive year-round in warm climates.
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
The occasional winter freeze (around late December through early January) poses the primary cold-related threat. Tomatoes, peppers, and basil planted in autumn will grow through mild winter months but need protection if temperatures drop to 35-40°F.
Water availability is a persistent constraint in Los Angeles. Summer heat, while favorable for many crops, can reduce fruit set in tomatoes and peppers if temperatures consistently exceed 95°F.
Powdery mildew thrives in warm, dry conditions and readily infects basil, squash, and other susceptible plants. Citrus canker and other warm-climate diseases can establish and spread through the region. Year-round growing is possible, but many gardeners find that summer is the season to prepare (mulch heavily, maintain irrigation) rather than the season to plant tender transplants.
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
Treat late-December cold snaps as real, even though they occur only occasionally. Have frost cloth or row covers available for heat-loving crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil); a single 35°F night can set back growth weeks or damage young fruit.
Stagger tomato and pepper plantings every three weeks from February through July to spread harvest and reduce the risk that a single disease or pest outbreak will wipe out an entire season of fruit.
Prioritize drip irrigation and mulch as non-negotiable infrastructure. The year-round growing season means evaporative demand is high, and hand watering is inefficient and costly. Rosemary, fig, and other drought-adapted plants do well with mulch and established root systems; they outperform fussy, frequently watered neighbors.
Frequently asked questions
- What are the best vegetables to grow year-round in Los Angeles?
Tomatoes, peppers (both sweet and hot), eggplant, basil, and rosemary are reliable choices. Rosemary and figs thrive with minimal supplemental water once established. Tomatoes and peppers are most vigorous in spring and summer but can produce through mild winters with protection on occasional cold nights.
- When should I plant tomatoes in Los Angeles?
Start seeds indoors in January or February for transplanting in March or April (early spring harvest by June). For a second crop, start seeds again in June for planting in July and August (late summer and fall harvest). The 365-day growing season allows multiple harvests if crops are succession-planted every 6 to 8 weeks.
- Do I need to worry about frost in Los Angeles?
Frost is rare but not impossible. The last spring frost date averages December 31 and the first fall frost averages December 28, meaning hard freezes occur only occasionally in late December or early January when temperatures drop to 35-40°F. Keep frost cloth on hand for tender plants like basil and young tomatoes during those rare cold spells.
- What's the biggest challenge for growing peppers in Los Angeles?
Summer heat above 95°F can reduce fruit set; flowers drop before they become peppers. Choose heat-tolerant varieties and provide afternoon shade during peak summer. Water consistently and mulch to keep roots cool. Fall plantings (July through September) often produce more reliably than spring plantings in Los Angeles.
- Can I grow basil year-round in Los Angeles?
Yes, but with caveats. Basil thrives in warm months (March through November) but slows dramatically in the rare cold spells. Powdery mildew can strike basil at any time, especially if humidity is moderate to high and air circulation is poor. Plant succession crops every 4 weeks and remove infected plants promptly.
- Is water a limiting factor for gardening in Los Angeles?
Water availability and cost are significant constraints. Drip irrigation, mulching, and drought-tolerant varieties (rosemary, fig, eggplant) are essential. Even heat-loving crops like tomatoes and peppers benefit from deep mulch and consistent moisture during fruit development; neglect during dry spells leads to poor harvests and cracked fruit.
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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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