October · USDA Zone 10
autumnWhat to plant in October in USDA zone 10
Autumn planting guide for zone 10 (South Florida, Coastal Southern California, Hawaii (parts)) — a 365-day growing season with last frost around frost rare or never and first frost around frost rare or never.
Sow outdoors in October — zone 10
Direct-sow these seeds into prepared garden beds or large containers. Soil temperature matters more than the calendar date — wait for a sustained warm-up before sowing tender crops.
- Cool-season main season — lettuce, kale, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, beets, peas, radishes, spinach
Transplant in October — zone 10
Move hardened-off seedlings into the garden. Tender crops want soil above 16 °C and night temperatures consistently above 10 °C; cool-season transplants tolerate light frost.
- Brassica transplants, herbs (parsley, cilantro)
Harvest in October — zone 10
These crops should be ready or in active harvest in October for zone 10 gardens. Pick fruiting crops every 2-3 days to keep production going.
- Citrus, tropical fruit, hot peppers, sweet potatoes
Maintenance in October — zone 10
- Drip irrigation tuned for cooler temperatures
Universal October tasks
These apply across most US and UK gardens in October, regardless of zone.
- Plant garlic — the prime window for zones 4-7.
- Harvest and cure pumpkins, winter squash, sweet potatoes, and remaining tomatoes before hard frost.
- Sow cover crops on empty beds — winter rye, vetch, clover, oats.
- Plant garlic, shallots, and overwintering onions.
- Mulch perennial beds, garlic, and asparagus crowns.
- Clean and store tomato cages, stakes, and trellises.
Why this works for zone 10
Zone 10 has average annual minimum temperatures of 30 to 40°F (-1 to 4°C) and a frost-free window from frost rare or never to frost rare or never — about 365 growing days. Summer can be too hot for many tomato varieties. Winter is the prime growing season for cool-loving crops.
Dates are zone-wide averages. Local microclimates (south-facing slopes, urban heat, lakeside warmth, elevation) can shift the window by 1-2 weeks within the same zone.
UK gardeners — October
October is the UK's garlic month — plant hardneck garlic by month's end. Sow overwintering broad beans, peas (Meteor, Douce Provence), and field beans. Plant out spring cabbage and overwintering onions. Harvest pumpkins, squash, apples, and main-crop potatoes.
Source and methodology
Frost-date averages from NOAA Climate Data Online within USDA zone 10. Hardiness boundaries from the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023). Crop timing curated against US Cooperative Extension Service publications (UNL, UMN, NC State, Texas A&M, UF/IFAS, Oregon State) and cross-referenced against the RHS sowing calendar. Curated by the Growli editorial team.
Keep going
- ← September in zone 10
- November in zone 10 →
- All zones — what to plant in October
- USDA Zone 10 — frost dates and crop list
- Full 12-month planting calendar