What to plant in November: zone 10a
A rule-of-thumb starting point for zone 10a: last spring frost around January 30, first fall frost around December 25. Zones are set by winter lows, not frost dates, so two gardens in the same zone can be weeks apart. Measure your ZIP below for dates from your area's own 30-year record.
Start indoors
- Sow microgreens indoorsaround Nov 7
A tray on the windowsill gives you a cut of fresh greens every 10-14 days through the cold months.
- Start onions and leeks indoors2 sowings: Nov 21 and Nov 21
Alliums need 10-12 weeks under lights before they go out. The earliest sowing of the year. Sowing again a few weeks later keeps the harvest coming instead of arriving all at once.
- Rosemaryaround Nov 21
10 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (01-30). In zone 6 and below, grow in a pot and overwinter indoors near a south window.
- Leekaround Nov 21
10 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (01-30). Plant seedlings deep in a 6 in trench and hill soil up the stem twice during the season. That buried length is the tender white shaft you're growing for.
- Celeryaround Nov 21
10 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (01-30). Celery is a water crop: it turns stringy and bitter the moment it dries out. Keep soil consistently moist and feed steadily. Homegrown stalks are thinner and far more flavorful than store celery.
- Lavenderaround Nov 21
10 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (01-30). Lean, gritty, well-drained soil and no coddling. Plant on a slight mound, skip the fertilizer, and prune a third of the plant after bloom to stop it going woody.
- Celeriacaround Nov 21
10 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (01-30). Needs a long, steady season: start indoors early and keep soil evenly moist the entire time or the knob stays small.
- Habanero Pepperaround Nov 21
10 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (01-30). Needs more heat and a longer season than bell peppers; start indoors early and don't rush it outside until nights stay above 55F.
- Lemongrassaround Nov 21
10 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (01-30). Pot it up and bring it indoors before frost north of zone 9; a clump easily overwinters on a sunny windowsill.
Direct sow
- Rutabagaaround Nov 7
Soil is ready 12 weeks before last frost.
Dormant care
- Prune dormant fruit treesaround Nov 14
Prune apples, pears and peaches while fully dormant. Open the center, remove crossing wood.
Transplant for fall
Direct sow for fall
- Spinach2 sowings: Nov 5 and Nov 26
Succession sowing 2 of 3. Sow every 21 days for a steady cut. Sowing again a few weeks later keeps the harvest coming instead of arriving all at once.
- Lettucearound Nov 5
Counts back 50 days from your first frost. Takes a light frost with cover.
- Radish2 sowings: Nov 8 and Nov 22
Succession sowing 3 of 3. Sow every 14 days for a steady cut. Sowing again a few weeks later keeps the harvest coming instead of arriving all at once.
- Cilantroaround Nov 10
Counts back 45 days from your first frost. Takes a light frost with cover.
Sow cover crop
- Cover crop (cereal rye + crimson clover)around Nov 25
Sown a month before frost it germinates, holds your soil all winter, and feeds it in spring.
Plant to overwinter
- Onionaround Nov 27
In zone 7+ onion sets planted before frost overwinter for an early summer bulb.
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