Local planting guide · California
zip 90064
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 offers the rare advantage of year-round frost-free gardening. With winter lows typically in the 35 to 40 degree range and no significant killing frost until late December, home gardeners can successfully grow frost-sensitive crops like tomatoes, peppers, basil, and sweet potato across all 12 months. The 365-day growing season opens gardening pathways unavailable in colder zones: succession planting of warm-season crops through autumn, overwintering of productive perennials like fig and rosemary, and extended harvest windows that span multiple seasons.
The dominant constraint is not cold but rather heat and water availability. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 80 degrees, creating intense solar radiation that can stress young transplants, scorch pepper and eggplant fruit, and bolt cool-season crops unexpectedly early. The mild winters conversely support productive fig and citrus cultivation that struggles in more climatically variable regions. The zone 10b microclimate is forgiving for experimenting with heat-loving crop varieties, but water restrictions and summer UV intensity demand more attention and intentionality than frost timing does in colder zones.
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 gardeners encounter a distinct triad of environmental and seasonal challenges. First, intense summer heat and ultraviolet radiation can sunscald pepper and eggplant fruit, and trigger bolting in cool-season crops like lettuce, spinach, and basil well before optimal harvest. Afternoon shade cloth (30 to 50 percent density) becomes essential for spring and early-summer plantings to prevent crop loss. Second, water restrictions and the region's semi-arid Mediterranean climate mean irrigation discipline is non-negotiable; drip systems and mulch conserve moisture effectively while inefficient hand watering wastes a precious finite supply. Third, the year-round growing season creates a fragmented and counterintuitive harvest calendar that many home gardeners find disorienting. Deciding to plant tomatoes in September for winter production, rather than following the spring-summer pattern learned from conventional gardening literature, requires intentional mental recalibration.
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
Start most warm-season crops (tomato, pepper, eggplant, basil) in late July or August for fall and winter harvest, when daytime heat drops but frost risk remains minimal through late December. This reverses the spring-summer planting pattern of colder zones and aligns with natural seasonal cooling. Second, install shade cloth (30 to 50 percent density) in spring and summer to prevent sunscald on developing fruit and extend the viability of bolting-prone crops. Third, amend soil regularly with compost and mulch thickly. Los Angeles soils are often alkaline and mineral-poor; regular organic matter additions improve water retention and reduce the total volume needed for irrigation.
Frequently asked questions
- What are the best crops to grow in Los Angeles?
Warm-season crops thrive year-round: tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, eggplant, basil, and sweet potato are reliable. Perennials like fig and rosemary produce prolifically. Cool-season crops (lettuce, broccoli, kale) grow well in autumn and winter when temperatures drop, but bolt quickly in spring and summer unless shaded.
- When should I plant tomatoes in Los Angeles?
Plant for two seasons: spring transplants (February through March) produce early summer fruit; late-summer transplants (July through August) produce fall and winter harvests. The late-summer planting often yields better fruit quality because vines avoid the intense summer heat and benefit from cooler autumn nights.
- Do I need to worry about frost in Los Angeles?
Frost risk is minimal. The zone 10b minimum of 35 to 40 degrees occurs rarely and briefly in late December. Frost-sensitive crops like basil, peppers, and sweet potato can grow year-round. However, late-December cold snaps occasionally occur; shelter young plants or delay planting until early January if a freeze warning is issued.
- How do I manage summer heat and water restrictions?
Drip irrigation and soaker hoses deliver water directly to root zones with minimal evaporation. Mulch soil thickly (2 to 3 inches) to retain moisture and moderate temperature. Shade cloth (30 to 50 percent density) reduces water demand and prevents heat stress on fruit and young transplants.
- What varieties perform best in Los Angeles heat?
Heat-tolerant tomato varieties like 'Surefire' and 'Heatwave' set fruit reliably in 90-degree conditions. Peppers and eggplant handle heat well but benefit from afternoon shade. For cool-season crops, select bolt-resistant varieties or time planting for autumn when heat naturally subsides.
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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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