Zone 10a planting calendar

What to plant in September: 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.

These are zone-average dates. Check an area-level frost estimate from thirty years of nearby weather history and this calendar retimes itself.
Typical last frost: January 30
Typical first frost: December 25
Winter lows: 30 to 35 °F
Zone 10a Almanac. What growers here actually recorded: sowing weeks, days to first pick, and yields.

Start indoors for fall

  • Kalearound Sep 16

    Fall kale window opens. Sow trays any time in the next four weeks.

  • Broccoliaround Sep 27

    Seedlings need 5 weeks before they go out for a fall harvest.

Direct sow for fall

  • Parsleyaround Sep 18

    Fall parsley window opens. Sowing now beats the last-minute date by a month of growth.

  • Bush beanaround Sep 23

    Fall bush bean window opens. Sowing now beats the last-minute date by a month of growth.

  • Lettucearound Sep 24

    Succession sowing 3 of 3. Sow every 21 days for a steady cut.

  • Peaaround Sep 28

    Fall pea window opens. Sowing now beats the last-minute date by a month of growth.

  • Cilantroaround Sep 29

    Succession sowing 3 of 3. Sow every 21 days for a steady cut.

  • Carrotaround Sep 29

    Fall carrot window opens. Sowing now beats the last-minute date by a month of growth.

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