Local planting guide · California
zip 90134
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 sits in USDA zone 10b with minimum temperatures between 35 and 40°F, creating a year-round growing environment with no meaningful frost threat. The last spring frost typically occurs around December 31 and the first fall frost around December 28, dates that reflect the relative mildness of the region rather than the urgency of traditional frost calendars. A 365-day growing season is both an asset and a source of tension. The constraint is not cold but rather its opposite: summer heat, intense solar radiation in some microclimates, and water scarcity define the actual gardening calendar. Figs, tomatoes, peppers (both sweet and hot), eggplants, and basil thrive precisely because they tolerate or demand heat. Los Angeles winters are mild and moist relative to the rest of zone 10b, creating an opportunity for cool-season crops that struggle elsewhere in the zone. The gardening challenge lies in managing summer intensity and adapting watering practices to local restrictions.
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 affects even heat-loving crops. Tomatoes and peppers may sunscald or drop flowers when daytime highs exceed 95°F for sustained periods, particularly in inland areas. Powdery mildew and other fungal diseases develop readily when overhead irrigation saturates foliage in cooler months, a pattern exacerbated by the mild, moist Los Angeles winter. Water restrictions, either municipal or voluntary, constrain summer irrigation precisely when landscape plants and vegetables demand the most moisture. Soil alkalinity is common in portions of Los Angeles, requiring acidifying amendments for acid-loving plants or selection of plants that tolerate neutral to alkaline pH. The absence of significant winter chill (fewer than 100 hours below 45°F) eliminates most traditional deciduous fruit trees, though low-chill varieties are available.
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
Succession planting of cool-season crops between October and March capitalizes on the mild winter season. Lettuce, brassicas, and peas grow vigorously when nighttime temperatures drop to the 50s and 60s°F and largely avoid the heat stress and disease pressure of summer months. Shade cloth at 30 to 50 percent density is effective for tomatoes and peppers in inland microclimates during June through August, protecting fruit from sunscald while allowing adequate light. Drip irrigation with mulch is critical given water restrictions in Los Angeles: the system reduces evaporation, maintains consistent soil moisture, and keeps foliage dry to minimize fungal infection during wet seasons.
Frequently asked questions
- What crops are most reliable in Los Angeles?
Figs, peppers, eggplants, and basil are zone 10b staples that thrive in Los Angeles' heat and minimal frost risk. Tomatoes are grown widely but require careful variety selection and summer heat management. Cool-season crops (lettuce, brassicas, peas, herbs) perform exceptionally well from October through March.
- When should I plant tomatoes in Los Angeles?
Tomatoes grow year-round, but spring (February to March) and late summer (July to August) plantings avoid the most intense heat stress. Winter tomatoes (planted October to November) grow slowly but avoid summer sun-scald and mature as temperatures moderate in spring.
- What's the biggest weather challenge?
Summer heat and water scarcity are the dominant constraints. Extended periods above 95°F cause heat stress and sunscald in heat-loving crops, while municipal water restrictions limit irrigation precisely when demand peaks.
- Can I grow traditional apples and pears?
Most commercial varieties require 300+ chill hours below 45°F and will not produce reliably in Los Angeles. Low-chill cultivars bred for zone 10b produce reliably with minimal winter dormancy.
- How do I manage powdery mildew?
Drip irrigation keeps foliage dry and reduces humidity at the leaf surface, the primary control strategy. Choose mildew-tolerant varieties when available, prune for air circulation, and avoid overhead watering in autumn and winter when conditions favor the disease.
- Is there a frost season I need to prepare for?
No. Frost risk is effectively zero year-round in Los Angeles zone 10b. The last spring and fall frost dates reflect statistical variation rather than reliable threats. Frost protection is unnecessary.
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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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