Planting guide

What to plant in Zone 10 in January

USDA Zone 10 · US Northern Hemisphere January

January is the middle of the season in zone 10, not the start of one. In South Florida the vegetable garden runs from fall to spring, and the University of Florida's planting guide still has most crops in their window this month. On the Southern California coast, cool-season crops are planted from September into spring and the warm-season ones wait for March. Frost barely sets the calendar: at NOAA's Long Beach station a freeze is too rare to have an average date, and at Fort Myers the average last freeze is January 16.

Plant now

Tomato, pepper and eggplant transplants (South Florida)

All three are planted August through February in the University of Florida's South Florida calendar, so January is one of the last two months. On the California coast they wait: tomato plants from March, peppers and eggplant from April.

Bush and pole beans, sweet corn (South Florida)

Beans are sown September through April and sweet corn October through March in South Florida. On the California coast both start in mid-March.

Lettuce, carrots, radish, spinach

In window in both places: South Florida sows lettuce to February, spinach to February, carrots and radish to March; the San Diego coast sows leaf lettuce, carrots and spinach to April and radish to May.

Broccoli, cabbage, kale, beets (last call in South Florida)

January is the last month in the South Florida calendar for broccoli, cabbage, kale, collards and beets. On the San Diego coast broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower plants go in until February, kale until April and beets until May.

Peas and potatoes

South Florida sows snow and English peas November through February and plants potatoes October through January. The San Diego coast sows peas to March and plants potatoes in February and March.

Onions (California coast)

Medium-day bulb onions are planted in January and February on the San Diego coast; green onions from September to May.

Timing notes

  • Zone 10 covers two different calendars. In South Florida most planting windows run from fall to late winter; on the Southern California coast the UC guide starts warm-season crops in March and April.
  • Frost is rare, not impossible, and some inland dates in the UC guide (tomatoes, beans, corn) run two to four weeks later than the coastal ones. UC Cooperative Extension lists tomatoes, snap beans and sweet corn as tender crops that should not go out until all danger of frost is past. Check your own town with the frost date calculator.
  • Watermelon and cantaloupe are planted December through March in South Florida, so they can go in now as well.
Frost dates and a seed-starting schedule for your ZIP code Free calculator from NOAA station records: last spring frost, first fall frost, and what to start each week. ← All planting guides