What to plant this week in Santa Barbara, CA
Santa Barbara gardeners, your frost-free winter is in full swing with mild 35°F lows keeping everything active. This week marks peak harvest season for cold-hardy crops like Malabar Spinach and Zinnias while you sow heat-loving varieties such as Okra and Sweet Corn directly into the warm soil.
The next 7 days
Santa Barbara, CAGrowing in Santa Barbara right now
- The 'June Gloom' marine layer can delay germination for summer annuals; protect seedlings with row covers until morning fog burns off completely.
- Santa Barbara's red clay soils drain poorly during heavy rains, so amend planting beds with coarse sand or compost before direct sowing beans and squash this week.
- Coastal microclimates near the Pacific may see cooler nights than inland valleys; select heat-tolerant varieties like Thai Basil over standard types for better flavor retention.
- Avoid overhead watering in the afternoon to prevent fungal issues on Fennel and Nasturtiums, which thrive in our dry summer conditions.
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
- Aphids often target new growth on Sweet Corn and Pole Beans during warm spells; inspect leaf undersides daily and spray with insecticidal soap if populations rise.
- Spider mites can devastate Zinnias and Garden Verbena when humidity drops below 40%; increase watering frequency in dry pockets to deter them.
- Cutworms frequently attack young Bush Bean and Cucumber stems at night; collar seedlings with cardboard tubes immediately after emergence.
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.
Santa Barbara gardening questions
3Can I start transplants for tomatoes or peppers this week?
No, current zone 10b conditions are too warm for cold-sensitive starts which may shock in our intense midday sun. Wait until late summer to transplant heat-loving crops like these into the Santa Barbara soil.
Which harvestable crops should I prioritize this week before the heat peaks?
Increase frequency to every other day for young beans and corn, but reduce to twice weekly for established squash and melons to encourage deep root growth in our clay-heavy ground.
Malabar Spinach and Okra are listed as both sowable and harvest-ready; what does that mean?
These vigorous plants grow quickly in our mild climate, so you can still direct sow new seeds while simultaneously harvesting mature vines for salads or stir-fries.
Other cities in zone 10b
4See the full zone 10b guide → · Plan your Santa Barbara garden in SproutGuide →