Now
35°C · Overcast
Today
35° / 23°
Soil 6 cm
28°C
First frost
~114 days (Dec 31)
Gardening in Los Angeles
AI field guide · refreshed weeklyLos Angeles Gardening: Early Fall Planting & Transition
Zone 10b means frost is still 114 days away (late December). Soil at 28°C (82°F) is ideal for germination of cool-season crops. You're in the sweet spot: summer heat is breaking, but you have a long runway before winter dormancy. Plant now for fall/winter harvest through spring.
Sow outdoors now
Lettuce & Leafy Greens
Direct-sow 'Buttercrunch', 'Jericho', or 'Salvius' (heat-tolerant varieties) into moist soil; thin to 15 cm (6 in) spacing. Germinates in 7–10 days at current soil temps.
Spinach
Sow 'Space' or 'Bloomsdale' directly; prefers cooler nights now arriving. Harvest in 40–50 days.
Radish
Quick crop: 'Cherry Belle' or 'French Breakfast' ready in 25–30 days. Sow every 2 weeks through November for continuous harvest.
Peas (Sugar Snap & Snow)
Sow 'Sugar Snap' or 'Oregon Sugar Pod' by mid-September; they need cool nights to thrive. Germinate in 10–14 days.
Brassicas (Broccoli, Cabbage, Kale)
Direct-sow 'Lacinato' kale or 'Packman' broccoli; both tolerate LA's mild winters. Kale especially improves in flavor after light frost.
Start indoors now
Cauliflower & Romanesco
Start 'Graffiti' cauliflower or 'Romanesco' indoors in seed trays; transplant in 4–5 weeks when 10–15 cm (4–6 in) tall. Needs head start for winter maturity.
Onions (from seed)
Sow 'Ailsa Craig' or 'Red Burgundy' indoors now for spring bulbing. Transplant seedlings outdoors in 6–8 weeks.
Cilantro & Parsley
Start indoors to avoid bolting in warm weeks ahead; move to garden in 3–4 weeks. Both prefer cooler soil as they mature.
Harvest now
Summer Tomatoes & Peppers
Pick ripe fruit now; plants are still productive but will decline as nights cool. Harvest green tomatoes before first frost in December.
Basil & Tender Herbs
Cut heavily before September frost risk rises; freeze or dry excess. Plants will slow dramatically in cooler weeks.
Zucchini & Summer Squash
Last heavy flush; pick small for best texture. Plants may produce sporadically through October if watered well.
Tasks this week
- Deadhead spent flowers and remove summer annuals to redirect energy into fall crops.
- Water deeply 2–3 times this week; soil will dry fast in 35°C (95°F) peaks and low humidity (65%).
- Mulch newly sown beds with 2–3 cm (1 in) compost to retain moisture and moderate soil temperature.
- Scout for spider mites and whitefly on remaining summer plants; spray with neem oil early morning if present.
- Amend beds with aged compost or balanced fertilizer (5–5–5) before planting brassicas and greens.
Watch out for
- Heat spikes to 41°C (106°F) mid-week will stress seedlings; shade cloth (30–50%) over newly sown areas until germination.
- Low humidity and wind to 18 km/h (11 mph) will dry soil rapidly—check moisture daily, especially in containers.
- Powdery mildew thrives in warm, dry LA falls; space plants for airflow and avoid overhead watering.
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