Planting Zone 11b
Min winter temp 45 to 50ยฐF ยท frost-free, year-round growing
Zone 11b rarely sees frost, so you can plant across a long, near-continuous season. Focus on heat tolerance and, in the hottest months, some afternoon shade.
Zone 11b planting schedule and calendar
| Crop | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomatoes | โ | โ | ||||||||||
| Peppers | โ | โ | ||||||||||
| Cucumbers | โ | โ | ||||||||||
| Lettuce | โ | โ | ||||||||||
| Zucchini | โ | โ | ||||||||||
| Carrots | โ | โ | ||||||||||
| Beans (bush) | โ | โ | ||||||||||
| Peas | โ | โ | ||||||||||
| Broccoli | โ | โ | ||||||||||
| Spinach | โ | โ | ||||||||||
| Kale | โ | โ | ||||||||||
| Onions | โ | โ | ||||||||||
| Garlic | โ | โ | ||||||||||
| Potatoes | โ | โ | ||||||||||
| Squash (winter) | โ | โ | ||||||||||
| Corn | โ | โ | ||||||||||
| Radishes | โ | โ | ||||||||||
| Beets | โ | โ | ||||||||||
| Eggplant | โ | โ | ||||||||||
| Basil | โ | โ | ||||||||||
| Cilantro | โ | โ | ||||||||||
| Parsley | โ | โ | ||||||||||
| Pumpkins | โ | โ | ||||||||||
| Sunflowers | โ | โ |
What to plant this fall in Zone 11b
Zone 11b never really shuts down, so fall is not the end of the season here, it is the start of the good one. Once the heat breaks, cool-season crops that bolt in a Zone 11b summer grow properly. Sow them from about October onward.
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 11b
Tomatoes
~75 days
When to plant
Peppers
~80 days
When to plant
Cucumbers
~60 days
When to plant
Lettuce
~50 days
When to plantSeasonal reading for Zone 11b
- What to plant in October by zone
The October sowing and planting list for Zone 11b.
- What to plant in November by zone
What still goes in the ground in November in Zone 11b.
- What changed in the 2023 USDA zone map
Whether the 2023 USDA map moved Zone 11b, 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 11b?
Zone 11b is effectively frost-free, so you can garden year-round.
What can I grow in Zone 11b?
Nearly all common vegetables and herbs grow in Zone 11b; the difference is timing. Use the planting calendar above, calculated from Zone 11b frost dates.
What can I plant in the fall in Zone 11b?
Zone 11b has no meaningful frost, so fall is the start of the easiest growing season of the year here. Cool-season crops like lettuce, spinach, kale and cilantro are sown from around October, when the heat finally breaks.
How long is the growing season in Zone 11b?
Year-round (365 days).