Local planting guide · California
zip 90066
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 one of the longest growing seasons in the United States. With minimal frost risk (last spring frost around December 31, first fall frost around December 28), the gardening calendar runs nearly 365 days. The dominant constraint is not cold but heat and water availability. Summer temperatures routinely exceed 100°F inland and 85–90°F near the coast, paired with low humidity and potential drought stress. Crops that thrive here (figs, peppers, basil, sweet potatoes) are heat-lovers that would struggle in other parts of zone 10b where humidity or late-spring frost present different obstacles. The zone 10b designation captures the winter temperature floor (35–40°F minimum), but the real gardening limitation is dry summer conditions, not winter survival. Coastal LA benefits from marine cooling and moisture, while inland areas experience more intense heat stress and require more aggressive irrigation. The year-round growing season is an advantage, but success depends on understanding which crops suit which season rather than assuming everything grows at once.
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
Summer heat is the primary limiting factor in Los Angeles gardening. Sustained temperatures above 95°F, combined with low humidity, cause blossom drop on tomatoes and peppers, sunscald on exposed fruit, and heat stress on leafy crops. Many gardeners abandon watering during peak summer when municipal water restrictions take effect, particularly August through October, forcing a mid-season break that interrupts succession planting. Fungal diseases (especially powdery mildew and rust) appear year-round due to coastal humidity and dust cycling, requiring preventative sulfur or neem applications. Alkaline soil pH (7.5 to 8.5 in many LA neighborhoods) limits nutrient availability for acid-loving crops and can require soil amendment for every planting.
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
Time major plantings for January through March when temperatures are mild and spring moisture favors seed germination and transplant establishment. Prepare transplants of heat-sensitive crops (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant) to grow through May and into June, then replant in August when summer intensity breaks. Use 30–50% shade cloth from May through September for crops prone to heat stress; cherry tomato varieties and Japanese eggplant tolerate partial shade better than large-fruited types. When municipal water restrictions arrive (typically summer), rely on established drought-tolerant perennials (figs, rosemary, basil) and focus succession planting on the winter-spring window when natural rainfall supports growth without restriction-induced gaps.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I grow tomatoes year-round in Los Angeles?
Technically yes, but strategically no. Plant in late January through March for a May-July harvest before summer heat causes blossom drop. Replant seedlings in August for a fall-to-spring crop (September–May). Mid-summer heat spike and water restrictions make June-August harvests unreliable.
- Why do figs and peppers thrive in LA zone 10b when they struggle elsewhere?
Figs and heat-tolerant peppers are drought-adapted crops that match LA's dry Mediterranean climate. Other zone 10b regions (Gulf Coast, South Texas) face summer humidity and fungal pressure that stress these crops. LA's low humidity and year-round mild winters suit heat-lovers perfectly.
- What's the biggest weather risk in Los Angeles gardening?
Summer heat combined with water restrictions. Temperatures above 100°F inland cause physiological stress (blossom drop, sunscald), while August-October water restrictions force irrigation cutbacks precisely when plants need it most. Plan around this cycle rather than against it.
- When should I plant cool-season crops like lettuce or broccoli?
September through November for fall-winter harvest, and January through February for early spring. Avoid May-August entirely; summer heat kills cool-season crops quickly. The mild December-January window is often ideal for broccoli and cabbage transplants.
- Do I need to protect against frost in Los Angeles?
Very rarely. Frost protection is unnecessary for most home gardeners in zone 10b LA. Focus instead on heat protection (shade cloth, mulch, irrigation timing) and water conservation during drought periods.
- What are the easiest crops to grow in Los Angeles?
Figs, basil, rosemary, hot peppers, and sweet potatoes are nearly foolproof. They tolerate heat, handle drought better than tender crops, and produce heavily with minimal care. Tomatoes and eggplant succeed if planted in the January-March window.
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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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