What to plant this week in Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles gardeners, welcome to the height of summer heat where frost is a forgotten memory and your schedule revolves around managing intense afternoon sun. This week marks the peak harvest window for melons and squash while you simultaneously sow warm-season crops like okra and sweet corn that thrive in our specific 10b climate.
The next 7 days
Los Angeles, CAGrowing in Los Angeles right now
- Focus heavily on deep soil moisture retention rather than frequent watering, as LA's clay-heavy soils evaporate quickly under our relentless July heatwaves.
- Mulch aggressively with straw or wood chips to keep the famous Los Angeles summer afternoon temperatures from baking your tender transplants and seedlings.
- Avoid planting heavy feeders like corn in low-lying valley pockets where hot air stagnates, instead utilizing our coastal breezes to cool plant canopies.
- Take advantage of the dry window between rainstorms by sowing direct-seeds for beans and cucumbers that germinate best when soil temperature exceeds 70 degrees.
Sow this week
25 crops- Basil
- Borage
- Bush Bean
- Cantaloupe
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Fennel
- French Marigold
- Garden Verbena
- Lima Bean
- Malabar Spinach
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Pole Bean
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Summer Savory
- Sweet Corn
- Thai Basil
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
34 crops- Basil
- Borage
- Bush Bean
- Cantaloupe
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Fennel
- Flour Corn
- French Marigold
- Garden Verbena
- Gourd (Ornamental/Bottle)
- Honeydew Melon
- Lima Bean
- Loofah (Luffa)
- Malabar Spinach
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Pole Bean
- Pumpkin
- Roselle (Cranberry Hibiscus)
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Summer Savory
- Sunflower
- Sweet Corn
- Thai Basil
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Watermelon
- Winter Squash
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Seasonal tips
- Succession sow bush beans every two weeks to extend your harvest window through the summer heat.
- Mulch around newly planted squash and cucumbers to retain moisture and keep soil temperatures stable.
- Pinch back the tops of basil and okra plants regularly to encourage bushier growth and more flowers.
Pest & disease watch
- Spider mites are exploding in LA's heatwaves right now, targeting thirsty vegetables like lettuce and ornamental fennel; mist plants early morning to dislodge them.
- Aphid populations surge rapidly on newly sown zinnias and cosmos when humidity drops below 30%, requiring weekly organic neem oil checks.
- Cutworms are actively severing young bean stems at night in our dry soil conditions, so check collars daily on bush beans and cowpeas.
Watering this week
Water deeply but less frequently to encourage deep root growth and prevent fungal issues on crowded crops.
Harvest basil in the morning when essential oils are at their peak for the most flavorful leaves.
Los Angeles gardening questions
3Should I worry about frost damaging my watermelons or cantaloupes this week?
Absolutely not; Los Angeles zone 10b weather guarantees temperatures well above freezing year-round. Instead of fearing cold snaps, monitor your fruiting melons for blossom end rot caused by inconsistent watering during this dry summer spell.
What is the best time to water my newly sown okra and sweet corn in the valley areas?
Water deeply immediately after planting to settle the soil, then switch to morning watering only to allow leaves to dry before the 2 PM heat peak. Evening watering encourages fungal issues on your squash family crops in our humid coastal microclimates.
How do I keep cutworms from destroying my direct-sown pole beans?
Place small cardboard tubes or clean plastic cups around the base of each seedling to create a physical barrier against night-eating larvae. Inspect your garden every evening before dusk, as these pests are most active when the LA air cools slightly after sunset.
Other cities in zone 10b
4See the full zone 10b guide → · Plan your Los Angeles garden in SproutGuide →