What to plant in October — 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.
Plan & order
- Map this year's bedsaround Oct 2
Rotate families off last year's ground — nightshades, brassicas and cucurbits each move to a new bed.
- Soil testaround Oct 9
A $20 test now tells you what to amend before planting instead of guessing all season.
Dormant care
- Sharpen and oil toolsaround Oct 16
Clean, sharpen and oil blades while there's time — dull tools bruise plants and slow you down.
- Prune dormant fruit treesaround Oct 30
Prune apples, pears and peaches while fully dormant — open the center, remove crossing wood.
Start indoors
- Sow microgreens indoorsaround Oct 23
A tray on the windowsill gives you a cut of fresh greens every 10-14 days through the cold months.
Start indoors for fall
Direct sow for fall
- Peaaround Oct 3
Fall pea window opens — sowing now beats the last-minute date by a month of growth.
- Cilantroaround Oct 4
Succession sowing 3 of 3 — sow every 21 days for a steady cut.
- Carrotaround Oct 4
Fall carrot window opens — sowing now beats the last-minute date by a month of growth.
- Beetaround Oct 8
Fall beet window opens — sowing now beats the last-minute date by a month of growth.
- Dillaround Oct 8
Fall dill window opens — sowing now beats the last-minute date by a month of growth.
- Spinacharound Oct 20
Succession sowing 3 of 3 — sow every 21 days for a steady cut.
- Lettucearound Oct 20
Succession sowing 2 of 3 — sow every 21 days for a steady cut.
- Parsleyaround Oct 21
Counts back 70 days from your first frost. Takes a light frost with cover.
- Cilantroaround Oct 25
Succession sowing 2 of 3 — sow every 21 days for a steady cut.
- Bush beanaround Oct 26
Counts back 55 days from your first frost. Frost-tender — must finish before frost.
- Peaaround Oct 31
Counts back 60 days from your first frost. Takes a light frost with cover.
Turn this into your own calendar
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