Local planting guide · California
zip 90099
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 gardeners enjoy an unbroken growing season; frost is so rare that it barely constrains what grows or when planting occurs. The last measurable frost typically falls in late December, and the first rarely arrives until late December, making the year-round climate the dominant feature. This frost-free reality enables year-round production of heat-loving crops: figs, peppers, eggplants, and sweet potatoes thrive through the summer and into fall. However, the real constraints are heat and water, not cold. Summers routinely exceed 85°F, and prolonged heat can stress tender plants or trigger rapid water loss. The region's alkaline, often compacted urban soils present another challenge: native clay tends to drain poorly in winter and bake hard in summer. Successful gardening in Los Angeles is less about avoiding frost and more about managing heat, conserving water, and amending soil. The city's diverse neighborhoods also create microclimates; a backyard near the coast stays 5 to 10°F cooler than one inland, shifting what grows best.
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 most common obstacle. Tomatoes, peppers, and other heat-lovers produce reliably from May through October, but July and August intensity often causes sunscald on fruit or triggers early bolting in leafy greens planted for summer harvest. Very few crops maintain consistent productivity without afternoon shade during peak summer. Water is the second constraint. Los Angeles lies in a semi-arid region with periodic drought cycles and urban water restrictions that limit irrigation frequency. Plants requiring consistent moisture struggle unless on drip lines with careful scheduling. Alkaline soil is the third: native soils often test at pH 7.5 to 8.2, which ties up micronutrients (especially iron and zinc) and favors certain soil-borne diseases. Crops preferring slightly acidic conditions may show deficiency symptoms even when nutrients are physically present.
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, choose your planting season around heat, not frost. Plant heat-tolerant crops like peppers, eggplant, and basil in March through May for summer and fall harvest. For cool-season crops (leafy greens, brassicas, root crops), reverse the typical US calendar: plant in late August through October for a November-to-April harvest when temperatures are manageable. Second, amend soil generously with compost before each planting cycle. Three to four inches worked into the top eight inches improves both drainage in winter and water retention in summer, and the organic matter buffers pH slightly. Third, use shade cloth (30 to 50 percent) over tomatoes, peppers, and susceptible crops in June through August. This reduces heat stress, cuts water demand by 10 to 20 percent, and often improves fruit quality by preventing sunscald.
Frequently asked questions
- What are the best crops for year-round gardening in Los Angeles?
Figs, peppers (sweet and hot), tomatoes, eggplant, basil, and rosemary are reliable performers through most or all of the year. In summer months, focus on heat-tolerant varieties. For winter production, leafy greens, broccoli, kale, and root crops thrive from August through April when temperatures drop.
- When should I plant tomatoes in Los Angeles?
Transplant tomatoes outdoors in March or early April for a May-through-fall harvest. Avoid planting in summer; a June or July transplant hits peak heat before the plant can establish roots, stressing the plant and reducing yield. For a second crop, sow seeds indoors in June for a late-July transplant into shaded beds.
- Do I need to worry about frost in Los Angeles?
Frost is rare enough to ignore for most home gardening purposes. Frost risk essentially does not constrain the planting calendar. The real constraints are summer heat and occasional freezes in atypical years (once per decade or less). A single tender plant is worth protecting if temperatures below 35°F are forecast, but broad frost-protection planning is unnecessary.
- How do I manage the alkaline soil?
Amend with 3 to 4 inches of compost annually. If growing acid-loving plants, consider raised beds filled with amended soil rather than trying to shift native pH. Use sulfur as a soil amendment to lower pH slightly, though results are slow. Foliar micronutrient sprays (iron, zinc) in spring help offset pH-induced deficiencies.
- What is the biggest gardening challenge specific to Los Angeles?
Summer heat is the dominant constraint. Peak temperatures stress even heat-loving crops and accelerate water loss. Water availability and restrictions are the secondary concern. Address both by choosing heat-tolerant varieties, grouping plants by water need, installing drip irrigation, and using shade cloth June through August.
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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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