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San Diego, California · vegetable planting calendar

What to plant now in San Diego

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

October

36 vegetables to sow or plant now

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

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

Sow or plant in San Diego 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
  • Sweet corn
  • Winter squash

Transplant

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

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

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

Ready to pick in October

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

Coming up in November

  • Garlic

When to plant the favourites in San Diego

Tomato

Tomatoes

Start seeds indoors: December to July.

Transplant: February to September.

Best time to start: February to September.

Pick: June 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 11 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: August to June.

Pick: All year.

First pick about 6 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: February to October.

Best time to start: February to October.

Pick: May to February.

First pick about 9 weeks after starting.

Onion

Onions

Start seeds indoors: August to April.

Transplant: September to June.

Best time to start: September to June.

Pick: December to September.

First pick about 23 weeks after starting.

Strawberry

Strawberries

Plant: September to June.

Best time to start: September to June.

Pick: All year.

First pick about 18 weeks after starting.

Winter squash

Winter squash

Start seeds indoors: December to September.

Direct sow: March to October.

Transplant: January to October.

Best time to start: January to September.

Pick: All year.

First pick about 16 weeks after starting.

Zucchini

Zucchini

Start seeds indoors: February to October.

Direct sow: March to October.

Transplant: February to October.

Best time to start: February to October.

Pick: All year.

First pick about 8 weeks after starting.

The planting year in San Diego

VegetableONDJFMAMJJASFirst pick
ArugulaSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 4 weeks
BasilPTPPSSSSabout 8 weeks
BeetsSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 7 weeks
Bell pepperTTPPPPPabout 19 weeks
Bok choySSSSSSSSSSSSabout 5 weeks
BroccoliPPPPPPPPPTPPabout 13 weeks
Brussels sproutsPPPPTPPabout 22 weeks
Bush beansSSSSSSSSSabout 9 weeks
CabbagePPPPPPPPPPPPabout 14 weeks
CantaloupeTSSPabout 11 weeks
CarrotSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 9 weeks
CauliflowerPPPPPPPTPPabout 16 weeks
CeleriacPPPPPPPPPPTPabout 24 weeks
CeleryPPPPPPPPPPPPabout 21 weeks
ChivesSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 9 weeks
CilantroSSSSSSSSSSabout 6 weeks
CucumberPTSSSSSSabout 8 weeks
DillSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 6 weeks
EggplantTPPPPabout 18 weeks
Fava beansSSSSSSSabout 12 weeks
GarlicPPabout 24 weeks
Hot pepperTTPPPPPabout 19 weeks
KaleSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 7 weeks
LeekPPPPPPPPPPPPabout 19 weeks
LettuceSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 6 weeks
OkraSSabout 7 weeks
OnionPPPPPPPPPTPabout 23 weeks
ParsleySSSSSSSSSSSSabout 9 weeks
ParsnipSSSSSSSSSSabout 15 weeks
PeasSSSSSSSSSSSabout 9 weeks
Pole beansSSSSSSSSSSabout 11 weeks
PotatoPPPPPPPPPPPPabout 11 weeks
RadishSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 3 weeks
Runner beansSSSSSSSSabout 11 weeks
RutabagaSSSSSSSSabout 13 weeks
ScallionsSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 7 weeks
SpinachSSSSSSSSabout 6 weeks
StrawberryPPPPPPPPPPabout 18 weeks
Sweet cornSSSSSSSSSabout 12 weeks
Sweet potatoPPabout 14 weeks
Swiss chardSSSSSSSSSSSSabout 7 weeks
TomatoTTPPPPPPPPabout 19 weeks
TurnipSSSSSSSSSSSabout 7 weeks
WatermelonPSPabout 11 weeks
Winter squashSTPPSSSSSSSabout 16 weeks
ZucchiniSPSSSSSSSabout 8 weeks

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

San Diego season by season

Spring March to May

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

Last chance for: cauliflower, fava beans, parsnip, rutabaga and spinach.

Summer June to August

Time to start: Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, okra, onion, parsnip, sweet potato, turnip and watermelon.

Last chance for: bell pepper, cantaloupe, cilantro, eggplant, hot pepper, okra, onion, parsnip, peas, strawberry, sweet potato, turnip and watermelon.

Fall September to November

Time to start: cilantro, fava beans, garlic, parsnip, peas, rutabaga, 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, bush beans, 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, dill, kale, leek, lettuce, parsley, potato, radish, scallions and Swiss chard.

Frost in San Diego

San Diego 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 San Diego

What can I plant now in San Diego?

In October, 36 vegetables can be sown or planted in San Diego, including arugula, basil, beets, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, bush beans and cabbage. The full list is at the top of this page and changes every month.

When should I plant tomatoes in San Diego?

In San Diego, sow tomatoes indoors from December to July and transplant them from February to September. The best time to start is from February to September. Picking runs from June to March.

When should I plant potatoes in San Diego?

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

When should I plant garlic in San Diego?

In San Diego, 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 San Diego?

San Diego 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 San Diego?

Arugula, beets, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, celeriac, celery, chives, dill, kale, leek, lettuce, parsley, potato, radish, scallions and Swiss chard can be started in San Diego in every month of the year.

Which vegetables are quickest to grow in San Diego?

The quick ones are radish (about 3 weeks), arugula (about 4 weeks), bok choy (about 5 weeks), cilantro (about 6 weeks), lettuce (about 6 weeks), spinach (about 6 weeks), beets (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 Los Angeles

These dates are estimates for general guidance, based on the usual weather in San Diego. 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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