Local planting guide · California
zip 90078
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 occupies zone 10b with winter lows rarely dropping below 35–40°F, creating one of the mildest climates in the continental United States. The frost dates of December 31 and December 28 reflect this reality: hard freezes are vanishingly rare. This grants a 365-day growing season that is genuinely unobstructed by cold. However, the dominant gardening constraint in Los Angeles is not frost but heat and water. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 85°F and often climb into the low 90s, accelerating ripening and encouraging early bolting in crops like tomatoes, peppers, and basil. The marine layer influence, particularly in coastal neighborhoods, moderates afternoon highs and extends morning shade, which shapes which varieties succeed and when. Figs, pomegranates, rosemary, and heat-adapted peppers thrive year-round. Tomatoes and basil, which thrive elsewhere, require strategic planting away from peak summer heat. Water access shapes the planting calendar as much as the temperature forecast.
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 stress ranks first. Tomatoes often experience blossom-end rot in the hottest months of June through August, a calcium-transport failure triggered by inconsistent water uptake. Peppers flower reliably but set fruit poorly when daytime temperatures exceed 90°F for extended periods. The region's periodic water restrictions during drought cycles force difficult choices about which beds get irrigation and which go dormant. The marine layer, a blessing for cool-season crops, starves heat-lovers of direct sun in some neighborhoods, lengthening time to harvest. Finally, the absence of winter cold means pest populations (spider mites, whiteflies, and scale insects) cycle year-round without a natural reset, requiring more frequent monitoring and intervention.
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
First, use the heat to your advantage by scheduling heat-sensitive crops (lettuce, spinach, broccoli, peas) for the cooler months of October through April, and shift tomatoes and peppers toward spring and fall plantings, with summer reserved for already-established plants that can tolerate the heat. Second, prioritize drip irrigation with soil moisture sensors or mulch heavily; the dry season water restrictions are predictable, and efficiency gains are non-negotiable. Third, choose heat-adapted and short-season pepper varieties (Shishito, Padron, or compact jalapeños) and figs that produce reliably in the heat rather than fighting the climate with temperamental varieties bred for cooler regions.
Frequently asked questions
- What's the best time to plant tomatoes in Los Angeles?
Plant for spring harvest (January through March plantings for May–July harvest) or fall harvest (July through August plantings for October–December harvest). Avoid summer heat by not planting into peak heat months. Transplants planted in late spring often struggle with blossom-end rot and poor set.
- Will frost kill my garden in Los Angeles?
Hard freezes are extremely rare in zone 10b. Frost damage is not a primary concern. Winter lows of 35–40°F are inhospitable to tropical plants like basil and tender peppers, but hardy cool-season crops thrive. Focus your calendar on heat, not cold.
- Which crops grow best year-round in Los Angeles?
Figs, rosemary, citrus, and heat-adapted peppers (especially long-season varieties like Shishito) produce reliably across most of the year. Herbs like basil, oregano, and thyme thrive spring through fall. Reserve tomatoes for spring and fall plantings to avoid summer heat stress.
- How do I handle water restrictions during dry season?
Drip irrigation delivers water directly to roots with minimal loss. Mulch heavily to conserve soil moisture. Prioritize permanent plantings (trees, shrubs, perennial herbs) over annuals during restrictions. Succession-plant shallow-rooted crops in the wetter months.
- What's unique about gardening near the coast?
The marine layer cools mornings and extends afternoon shade, which slows ripening and suits cool-season crops. However, it starves heat-lovers of full sun. Coastal neighborhoods need shorter-season varieties for tomatoes and peppers, while inland areas can push more aggressive heat-adapted choices.
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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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