What to plant in December — zone 10b
Zone 10b averages its last spring frost around January 15 and its first fall frost around December 30. Everything below is timed from those two dates, so it stays useful whether you're planting for summer or for a fall harvest.
Dormant care
- Pre-sprout seed potatoesaround Dec 4
Chit potatoes in a bright, cool spot for 2 weeks — sprouted pieces jump ahead once planted.
Start indoors
- Tomatoaround Dec 4
6 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (01-15). Bury 2/3 of the transplant stem — roots form along the buried stem for a stronger plant.
- Kalearound Dec 4
6 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (01-15). Fall crop sweetens after first frost — plan a July sowing for the best flavor.
- Broccoliaround Dec 4
6 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (01-15). After cutting the main head, side shoots keep coming for weeks — don't pull the plant.
- Basilaround Dec 4
6 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (01-15). Pinch tips weekly. Once flowers open, leaves lose flavor — snip them fast.
- Basilaround Dec 4
6 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (01-15). Pinch flower spikes the moment you see them — leaves stay sweet all season.
- Lettucearound Dec 18
4 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (01-15). Succession sow every 2 weeks. Harvest outer leaves for a cut-and-come-again supply.
- Cucumberaround Dec 25
3 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (01-15). Trellis vertically to double yield in the same footprint and cut mildew.
- Zucchiniaround Dec 25
3 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (01-15). One plant feeds a family. Pick at 6-8 in for the sweetest fruit.
- Winter squasharound Dec 25
3 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (01-15). Cure 10 days in a warm dry spot after harvest — the skin toughens and storage doubles.
- Watermelonaround Dec 25
3 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (01-15). Ripe = tendril nearest the fruit is brown and the ground spot has turned buttery yellow.
- Cantaloupe / Melonaround Dec 25
3 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (01-15). Ripe fruit slips off the vine with a gentle tug — the smell alone tells you.
Transplant out
- Raspberryaround Dec 4
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Blueberryaround Dec 4
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Blackberryaround Dec 4
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Grapearound Dec 4
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Applearound Dec 4
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Peararound Dec 4
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Peacharound Dec 4
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Rhubarbaround Dec 4
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Kalearound Dec 25
Goes out 3 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Broccoliaround Dec 25
Goes out 3 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Chivesaround Dec 25
Goes out 3 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Strawberryaround Dec 25
Goes out 3 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
Garden care
- Wake the bedsaround Dec 11
Turn in compost, cut down cover crops, and let the soil warm two weeks before the first sowing.
- Harden off early transplantsaround Dec 18
Two weeks of increasing outdoor time keeps cold-hardy seedlings from stalling when they go out.
Direct sow
- Peaaround Dec 11
Soil is ready -5 weeks before last frost.
- Lettucearound Dec 18
Soil is ready -4 weeks before last frost.
- Spinacharound Dec 18
Soil is ready -4 weeks before last frost.
- Radisharound Dec 18
Soil is ready -4 weeks before last frost.
- Carrotaround Dec 25
Soil is ready -3 weeks before last frost.
- Kalearound Dec 25
Soil is ready -3 weeks before last frost.
- Beetaround Dec 25
Soil is ready -3 weeks before last frost.
- Onionaround Dec 25
Soil is ready -3 weeks before last frost.
- Broccoliaround Dec 25
Soil is ready -3 weeks before last frost.
- Chivesaround Dec 25
Soil is ready -3 weeks before last frost.
Direct sow for fall
Plant to overwinter
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