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Los Angeles, California · vegetable planting calendar

What to plant now in Los Angeles

This month's sowing list for Los Angeles, what is ready to pick, when to plant the favourites, the planting year at a glance and the local frost dates.

October

34 vegetables to sow or plant now

31 of them are at their best time to start. Los Angeles has no frost in a normal year.

Quick, easy wins this month: radish, arugula, bok choy, cilantro, spinach and beets.

Sow or plant in Los Angeles in October

Start seeds indoors

  • Broccoli
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Cabbage
  • Cauliflower
  • Celeriac
  • Celery
  • Chives
  • Kale
  • Leek
  • Onion
  • Parsley
  • Zucchini

Direct sow

  • Arugula
  • Beets
  • Bok choy
  • Bush beans
  • Carrot
  • Chives
  • Cilantro
  • Dill
  • Fava beans
  • Kale
  • Lettuce
  • Parsley
  • Parsnip
  • Peas
  • Radish
  • Rutabaga
  • Scallions
  • Spinach
  • Swiss chard
  • Turnip
  • Zucchini
  • Pole beans

Transplant

  • Broccoli
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Cabbage
  • Cauliflower
  • Celeriac
  • Celery
  • Chives
  • Kale
  • Leek
  • Onion
  • Parsley
  • Potato
  • Strawberry
  • Zucchini
  • Sweet corn
  • Winter squash

Names with a dashed outline can be started now, but it is not their best time.

Last month to start: bush beans, pole beans, sweet corn, winter squash and zucchini.

Ready to pick in October

  • Arugula
  • Basil
  • Beets
  • Bell pepper
  • Bok choy
  • Broccoli
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Bush beans
  • Cabbage
  • Cantaloupe
  • Carrot
  • Cauliflower
  • Celeriac
  • Celery
  • Chives
  • Cilantro
  • Cucumber
  • Dill
  • Eggplant
  • Hot pepper
  • Kale
  • Leek
  • Lettuce
  • Okra
  • Onion
  • Parsley
  • Parsnip
  • Peas
  • Pole beans
  • Potato
  • Radish
  • Runner beans
  • Rutabaga
  • Scallions
  • Spinach
  • Strawberry
  • Sweet corn
  • Sweet potato
  • Swiss chard
  • Tomato
  • Turnip
  • Watermelon
  • Winter squash
  • Zucchini

Coming up in November

  • Garlic

When to plant the favourites in Los Angeles

Tomato

Tomatoes

Start seeds indoors: January to July.

Transplant: March to September.

Best time to start: March to September.

Pick: July to March.

First pick about 19 weeks after starting.

Potato

Potatoes

Plant: All year.

Best time to start: All year.

Pick: All year.

First pick about 12 weeks after starting.

Garlic

Garlic

Plant: November to December.

Best time to start: November to December.

Pick: May to July.

First pick about 24 weeks after starting.

Lettuce

Lettuce

Direct sow: All year.

Best time to start: All year.

Pick: All year.

First pick about 7 weeks after starting.

Carrot

Carrots

Direct sow: All year.

Best time to start: All year.

Pick: All year.

First pick about 9 weeks after starting.

Bush beans

Bush beans

Direct sow: March to October.

Best time to start: March to October.

Pick: May to February.

First pick about 9 weeks after starting.

Onion

Onions

Start seeds indoors: July to May.

Transplant: September to June.

Best time to start: September to June.

Pick: December to October.

First pick about 23 weeks after starting.

Strawberry

Strawberries

Plant: September to July.

Best time to start: September to July.

Pick: All year.

First pick about 18 weeks after starting.

Winter squash

Winter squash

Start seeds indoors: January to September.

Direct sow: April to September.

Transplant: February to October.

Best time to start: February to August.

Pick: June to April.

First pick about 16 weeks after starting.

Zucchini

Zucchini

Start seeds indoors: February to October.

Direct sow: April to October.

Transplant: March to October.

Best time to start: March to October.

Pick: May to March.

First pick about 8 weeks after starting.

The planting year in Los Angeles

VegetableONDJFMAMJJASFirst pick
ArugulaSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 4 weeks
BasilTPSSSSabout 8 weeks
BeetsSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 7 weeks
Bell pepperTTPPPPPabout 19 weeks
Bok choySSSSSSSSSSSSabout 6 weeks
BroccoliPPPPPPPPPPPPabout 13 weeks
Brussels sproutsPPPPPTPPabout 23 weeks
Bush beansSSSSSSSSabout 9 weeks
CabbagePPPPPPPPPPPPabout 15 weeks
CantaloupeTSSPabout 11 weeks
CarrotSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 9 weeks
CauliflowerPPPPPPPTPPabout 16 weeks
CeleriacPPPPPPPPPPPPabout 24 weeks
CeleryPPPPPPPPPPPPabout 22 weeks
ChivesSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 10 weeks
CilantroSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 6 weeks
CucumberSSSSSSabout 8 weeks
DillSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 6 weeks
EggplantTTPPabout 19 weeks
Fava beansSSSSSSSabout 13 weeks
GarlicPPabout 24 weeks
Hot pepperTTPPPPPabout 20 weeks
KaleSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 7 weeks
LeekPPPPPPPPPPPPabout 20 weeks
LettuceSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 7 weeks
OkraSSabout 8 weeks
OnionPPPPPPPPPTTPabout 23 weeks
ParsleySSSSSSSSSSSSabout 9 weeks
ParsnipSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 14 weeks
PeasSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 8 weeks
Pole beansSSSSSSSSSabout 11 weeks
PotatoPPPPPPPPPPPPabout 12 weeks
RadishSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 3 weeks
Runner beansSSSSSSSSabout 11 weeks
RutabagaSSSSSSSSSabout 13 weeks
ScallionsSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 7 weeks
SpinachSSSSSSSSSSabout 6 weeks
StrawberryPPPPPPPPPPPabout 18 weeks
Sweet cornPTSSSSSSSabout 12 weeks
Sweet potatoPabout 16 weeks
Swiss chardSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 7 weeks
TomatoTTPPPPPPPabout 19 weeks
TurnipSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 7 weeks
WatermelonTSPabout 12 weeks
Winter squashPTPPSSSSSSabout 16 weeks
ZucchiniSTPSSSSSSabout 8 weeks

The chart starts at October. "First pick" is the usual time from starting to the first harvest.

Los Angeles season by season

Spring March to May

Time to start: basil, bush beans, cantaloupe, cucumber and eggplant.

Last chance for: cauliflower, fava beans and rutabaga.

Summer June to August

Time to start: Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, okra, rutabaga, sweet potato and watermelon.

Last chance for: bell pepper, cantaloupe, eggplant, hot pepper, okra, spinach, strawberry, sweet potato and watermelon.

Fall September to November

Time to start: fava beans, garlic, spinach and strawberry.

Last chance for: basil, bush beans, cucumber, pole beans, runner beans, sweet corn, tomato, winter squash and zucchini.

Winter December to February

Time to start: bell pepper, hot pepper, pole beans, runner beans, sweet corn, tomato, winter squash and zucchini.

Last chance for: Brussels sprouts and garlic.

Any time of year: arugula, beets, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, celeriac, celery, chives, cilantro, dill, kale, leek, lettuce, onion, parsley, parsnip, peas, potato, radish, scallions, Swiss chard and turnip.

Frost in Los Angeles

Los Angeles has no frost in a normal year, so there is no last-frost date to wait for. Cool nights, not frost, decide when the summer vegetables go in.

Questions about planting in Los Angeles

What can I plant now in Los Angeles?

In October, 34 vegetables can be sown or planted in Los Angeles, including arugula, beets, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, bush beans, cabbage and carrot. The full list is at the top of this page and changes every month.

When should I plant tomatoes in Los Angeles?

In Los Angeles, sow tomatoes indoors from January to July and transplant them from March to September. The best time to start is from March to September. Picking runs from July to March.

When should I plant potatoes in Los Angeles?

In Los Angeles, potatoes can be started in any month of the year. Picking runs all year round.

When should I plant garlic in Los Angeles?

In Los Angeles, plant garlic from November to December. The best time to start is from November to December. Picking runs from May to July.

When is the last frost in Los Angeles?

Los Angeles has no frost in a normal year, so there is no last-frost date to wait for.

What can I plant at any time of year in Los Angeles?

Arugula, beets, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, celeriac, celery, chives, cilantro, dill, kale, leek, lettuce, onion, parsley, parsnip, peas, potato, radish, scallions, Swiss chard and turnip can be started in Los Angeles in every month of the year.

Which vegetables are quickest to grow in Los Angeles?

The quick ones are radish (about 3 weeks), arugula (about 4 weeks), bok choy (about 6 weeks), cilantro (about 6 weeks), spinach (about 6 weeks), beets (about 7 weeks), lettuce (about 7 weeks) and scallions (about 7 weeks). The time is from starting to the first pick.

Other cities

What to plant now in New York · What to plant now in Boston · What to plant now in Chicago · What to plant now in Atlanta · What to plant now in Dallas · What to plant now in Houston · What to plant now in Austin · What to plant now in Denver · What to plant now in Phoenix · What to plant now in Seattle · What to plant now in Portland · What to plant now in San Diego

These dates are estimates for general guidance, based on the usual weather in Los Angeles. Seasons vary from year to year, so check the seed packet and local advice as well.
Temperatures: Source: Meteostat and its data providers (CC BY 4.0). Crop temperature ranges checked against FAO ECOCROP (CC BY 4.0).

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