Planting Zone 10b
Min winter temp 35 to 40°F · last frost ~January · first frost ~December
In Zone 10b, the average last spring frost is around January and the first fall frost around December, about a 350-day growing season. Start tender crops indoors before the last frost and move them out once it passes.
Zone 10b planting schedule and calendar
| Crop | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomatoes | ● | ● | ● | |||||||||
| Peppers | ● | ● | ● | |||||||||
| Cucumbers | ● | ● | ● | |||||||||
| Lettuce | ● | ● | ● | |||||||||
| Zucchini | ● | ● | ● | |||||||||
| Carrots | ● | ● | ||||||||||
| Beans (bush) | ● | ● | ||||||||||
| Peas | ● | ● | ||||||||||
| Broccoli | ● | ● | ● | |||||||||
| Spinach | ● | ● | ||||||||||
| Kale | ● | ● | ● | |||||||||
| Onions | ● | ● | ● | |||||||||
| Garlic | ||||||||||||
| Potatoes | ● | ● | ||||||||||
| Squash (winter) | ● | ● | ● | |||||||||
| Corn | ● | ● | ||||||||||
| Radishes | ● | ● | ||||||||||
| Beets | ● | ● | ||||||||||
| Eggplant | ● | ● | ● | |||||||||
| Basil | ● | ● | ● | |||||||||
| Cilantro | ● | ● | ||||||||||
| Parsley | ● | ● | ● | |||||||||
| Pumpkins | ● | ● | ● | |||||||||
| Sunflowers | ● | ● |
What to plant this fall in Zone 10b
Fall planting in Zone 10b is arithmetic, not guesswork. The average first frost lands around December 31, so a crop needs its days to maturity, plus about two weeks for the slower growth of shortening days, to fit before then. Hardy crops get some of that back because they keep going past a light frost.
| Crop | Sow by | Fall harvest | Days to harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radishes | Dec 10 | Jan 7 | ~28 |
| Cilantro | Nov 16 | Dec 31 | ~45 |
| Kale | Nov 15 | Jan 14 | ~60 |
| Beets | Nov 13 | Jan 7 | ~55 |
| Lettuce | Nov 11 | Dec 31 | ~50 |
| Carrots | Nov 5 | Jan 14 | ~70 |
| Broccoli | Nov 3 | Jan 7 | ~65 |
| Peas | Nov 1 | Dec 31 | ~60 |
| Zucchini | Oct 9 | Dec 3 | ~55 |
| Beans (bush) | Oct 9 | Dec 3 | ~55 |
| Cucumbers | Oct 4 | Dec 3 | ~60 |
| Potatoes | Sep 28 | Dec 27 | ~90 |
| Tomatoes | Sep 19 | Dec 3 | ~75 |
| Peppers | Sep 14 | Dec 3 | ~80 |
| Eggplant | Sep 9 | Dec 3 | ~85 |
Planted in fall to stand through a Zone 10b winter: garlic (Dec 31 to Jan 28) , onions (Nov 19 to Dec 10) , spinach (Nov 19 to Dec 3) , parsley (Nov 19 to Dec 3) .
More on the method: the fall planting calendar by zone, when to plant garlic and how to stretch your first frost date.
When to plant popular crops in Zone 10b
Tomatoes
~75 days
When to plant
Peppers
~80 days
When to plant
Cucumbers
~60 days
When to plant
Lettuce
~50 days
When to plantCities in Zone 10b, with their own local frost dates: Los Angeles, CA frost dates .
Seasonal reading for Zone 10b
- What to plant in October by zone
The October sowing and planting list for Zone 10b.
- What to plant in November by zone
What still goes in the ground in November in Zone 10b.
- Cold frame gardening by zone
How many weeks a cold frame adds to the Zone 10b season, and what to grow in it.
- October garden checklist
The jobs to finish before the first hard freeze in Zone 10b.
- When to start seeds indoors by zone
Indoor seed-starting dates counted from the Zone 10b last frost.
- What changed in the 2023 USDA zone map
Whether the 2023 USDA map moved Zone 10b, and what that changes.
- Companion planting chart
Which crops to plant together once you know your dates.
Nearby zones
Frequently asked questions
When is the last frost in Zone 10b?
On average, the last spring frost in Zone 10b is around January; the first fall frost is around December.
What can I grow in Zone 10b?
Nearly all common vegetables and herbs grow in Zone 10b; the difference is timing. Use the planting calendar above, calculated from Zone 10b frost dates.
What can I plant in the fall in Zone 10b?
radishes (sow by Dec 10), cilantro (sow by Nov 16), kale (sow by Nov 15), beets (sow by Nov 13), lettuce (sow by Nov 11), carrots (sow by Nov 5). Each date is counted back from the Zone 10b average first frost around December 31.
How long is the growing season in Zone 10b?
About 350 days between the average last spring and first fall frost.