Zone 10a Planting Calendar
In zone 10a, the median last spring frost falls around Jan 15 and the first fall frost around Dec 20, giving roughly 338 frost-free days. Average annual minimum temperature is 30°F to 35°F. Every date in the table below is calculated from those two frost dates.
Comparable areas: Tampa, FL, Brownsville, TX, Pasadena, CA. Marginal by definition: the zone's average annual extreme minimum (30-35F) straddles freezing, so roughly half of years record no 32F reading at all. The dates given are a best-effort median for years in which a freeze does occur - many years have none. Coastal Southern California 10a is dry-summer Mediterranean and frost dates are near-meaningless there; use heat and day length instead.
What to plant and when in zone 10a
Sorted by when you start each crop. Dates are calculated from a median last frost of Jan 15 and a first frost of Dec 20.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Fall sowing | Harvest from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celery | Oct 23 – Nov 6 | Jan 29 – Feb 11 | — | May 9 – Jun 8 |
| Leek | Oct 23 – Nov 20 | Dec 18 – Dec 31 | — | Mar 18 – May 17 |
| Onion | Oct 23 – Nov 6 | Dec 25 – Jan 7 | — | Apr 4 – Apr 24 |
| Rosemary | Oct 23 – Nov 6 | Jan 29 – Feb 11 | — | Apr 19 – May 9 |
| Kale | Oct 30 – Nov 20 | Dec 18 – Dec 31 | Sep 27 – Oct 10 | Feb 6 – Mar 10 |
| Broccoli | Nov 6 – Nov 27 | Dec 25 – Jan 7 | Sep 20 – Oct 3 | Feb 13 – Mar 25 |
| Cabbage | Nov 6 – Nov 27 | Dec 25 – Jan 7 | Sep 20 – Oct 3 | Feb 23 – Apr 4 |
| Pepper (sweet/bell) | Nov 6 – Dec 4 | Feb 5 – Feb 18 | — | Apr 16 – May 1 |
| Chives | Nov 6 – Nov 20 | Jan 15 – Jan 28 | — | Apr 5 – Apr 15 |
| Common Thyme | Nov 6 – Nov 20 | Jan 15 – Jan 28 | — | Mar 16 – Apr 15 |
| Greek Oregano | Nov 6 – Nov 20 | Jan 15 – Jan 28 | — | Apr 5 – Apr 15 |
| Cauliflower | Nov 13 – Dec 4 | Jan 1 – Jan 14 | Sep 20 – Oct 3 | Feb 20 – Mar 22 |
| Eggplant | Nov 20 – Dec 4 | Jan 29 – Feb 11 | — | Mar 25 – Apr 19 |
| Sweet Potato | Nov 20 – Dec 4 | Feb 5 – Feb 18 | — | May 6 – Jun 5 |
| Basil | Nov 20 – Dec 4 | Jan 22 – Feb 4 | — | Mar 30 – Apr 29 |
| Garden Sage | Nov 20 – Dec 4 | Jan 15 – Jan 28 | — | Mar 26 – Apr 5 |
| Parsley | Nov 20 – Dec 4 | Jan 15 – Jan 28 | Oct 11 – Oct 24 | Mar 26 – Apr 5 |
| Spearmint | Nov 20 – Dec 4 | Jan 15 – Jan 28 | — | Mar 16 – Apr 15 |
| Calendula / Pot Marigold | Nov 20 – Dec 4 | Jan 1 – Jan 14 | Oct 25 – Nov 7 | Feb 20 – Mar 2 |
| French Marigold | Nov 20 – Dec 18 | Jan 22 – Feb 4 | — | Mar 8 – Mar 23 |
| Sweet Alyssum | Nov 20 – Dec 4 | Jan 1 – Jan 14 | Oct 25 – Nov 7 | Feb 12 – Feb 26 |
| Tomato | Nov 27 – Dec 11 | Jan 22 – Feb 4 | — | Mar 18 – Apr 22 |
| Bok Choy | Dec 4 – Dec 18 | Jan 1 – Jan 14 | Oct 25 – Nov 7 | Jan 31 – Mar 2 |
| Collard Greens | Dec 4 – Dec 18 | Jan 1 – Jan 14 | Sep 27 – Oct 10 | Mar 2 – Mar 22 |
| Kohlrabi | Dec 4 – Dec 18 | Dec 25 – Jan 7 | Oct 18 – Oct 31 | Feb 20 – Mar 2 |
| Lettuce | Dec 4 – Dec 18 | Dec 25 – Jan 7 | Oct 11 – Oct 24 | Feb 20 – Mar 12 |
| Spinach | Dec 4 – Dec 11 | Dec 25 – Jan 7 | Nov 1 – Nov 14 | Feb 21 – Mar 4 |
| Swiss Chard | Dec 4 – Dec 18 | Jan 1 – Jan 14 | Nov 22 – Dec 5 | Feb 10 – Feb 25 |
| Pea | — | Dec 11 – Dec 24 | Oct 18 – Oct 31 | Feb 4 – Feb 24 |
| Rhubarb | — | Dec 11 – Dec 24 | — | Dec 11 – Dec 10 |
| Watermelon | Dec 11 – Jan 1 | Jan 29 – Feb 11 | — | Apr 9 – May 4 |
| Arugula | — | Dec 18 – Dec 31 | Nov 8 – Nov 21 | Jan 17 – Feb 6 |
| Asparagus | — | Dec 18 – Dec 31 | — | Dec 18 – Dec 17 |
| Cucumber | Dec 18 – Jan 1 | Jan 29 – Feb 11 | — | Mar 20 – Apr 9 |
| Pumpkin | Dec 18 – Dec 25 | Jan 29 – Feb 11 | — | Apr 24 – May 29 |
| Turnip | — | Dec 18 – Dec 31 | Oct 18 – Oct 31 | Jan 27 – Mar 3 |
| Nasturtium | Dec 18 – Dec 25 | Jan 22 – Feb 4 | — | Mar 18 – Mar 28 |
| Beet | — | Dec 25 – Jan 7 | Oct 11 – Oct 24 | Feb 13 – Mar 5 |
| Carrot | — | Dec 25 – Jan 7 | Oct 4 – Oct 17 | Feb 23 – Mar 15 |
| Potato | — | Dec 25 – Jan 7 | — | Mar 5 – Apr 24 |
| Radish | — | Dec 25 – Jan 7 | Nov 8 – Nov 21 | Jan 15 – Feb 8 |
| Sunflower | Dec 25 – Jan 1 | Jan 22 – Feb 4 | — | Apr 2 – May 2 |
| Parsnip | — | Jan 1 – Jan 14 | — | Apr 21 – May 11 |
| Winter Squash (Butternut) | Jan 1 – Jan 8 | Jan 29 – Feb 11 | — | Apr 19 – May 9 |
| Cantaloupe (Muskmelon) | Jan 1 – Jan 8 | Jan 29 – Feb 11 | — | Apr 7 – Apr 24 |
| Strawberry | — | Jan 1 – Jan 14 | — | Jan 29 – Jan 31 |
| Dill | — | Jan 8 – Jan 21 | Oct 11 – Oct 24 | Feb 17 – Mar 4 |
| Bush bean | — | Jan 15 – Jan 28 | Oct 11 – Oct 24 | Mar 6 – Mar 16 |
| Pole bean | — | Jan 15 – Jan 28 | — | Mar 14 – Mar 19 |
| Sweet corn | — | Jan 15 – Jan 28 | — | Mar 16 – Apr 25 |
| Borage | — | Jan 15 – Jan 28 | — | Mar 6 – Mar 16 |
| Cilantro / Coriander | — | Jan 15 – Jan 28 | Oct 25 – Nov 7 | Mar 1 – Mar 26 |
| Summer squash / zucchini | — | Jan 22 – Feb 4 | — | Feb 26 – Mar 18 |
| Okra | — | Jan 29 – Feb 11 | — | Mar 30 – Apr 9 |
| Brussels Sprouts | — | Mar 26 – Apr 8 | Sep 13 – Sep 26 | Jun 19 – Jul 14 |
| Garlic | — | — | Dec 20 – Jan 2 | — |
Print this page for a calendar you can pin up in the shed.
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One zone is not one climate. USDA hardiness zones are drawn from average winter minimum temperature and nothing else, so they do not determine frost dates. Two gardens in zone 10a can differ by two or three weeks depending on elevation, distance from water, and local topography. Treat this page as a starting schedule and adjust it to what your own garden has actually done. How these dates were derived →
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