What to Plant in October in Zone 10
Here is what you can sow in October if you garden in USDA zone 10. Dates use typical zone 10 frosts, so your own microclimate may shift them by a week or two.
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| Crop | Window | Sow between |
|---|---|---|
| Bush BeanProvider | fall | Aug 31 – Oct 3 |
| CilantroCalypso | fall | Oct 1 – Nov 14 |
| ParsleyItalian Flat-Leaf | fall | Sep 14 – Oct 30 |
| Lettuce, leafSalad Bowl | fall | Oct 1 – Nov 30 |
| Lettuce, romaineChalupa | fall | Oct 1 – Nov 30 |
| Lettuce, headButtercrunch | fall | Oct 1 – Nov 14 |
| SpinachBloomsdale | fall | Oct 1 – Nov 19 |
| ArugulaAstro | fall | Oct 1 – Nov 30 |
| KaleDazzling Blue | fall | Sep 14 – Oct 30 |
| Swiss ChardBright Lights | fall | Sep 14 – Oct 30 |
| CollardsGeorgia Southern | fall | Aug 31 – Oct 30 |
| Mustard GreensFlorida Broadleaf | fall | Sep 19 – Oct 31 |
| CabbageTiara | fall | Aug 31 – Oct 15 |
| BroccoliBelstar | fall | Aug 31 – Oct 10 |
| CauliflowerSnow Crown | fall | Aug 31 – Oct 5 |
| KohlrabiWinner | fall | Sep 19 – Oct 20 |
| CarrotNapoli | fall | Sep 19 – Oct 15 |
| BeetDetroit Dark Red | fall | Sep 19 – Oct 20 |
| RadishCherry Belle | fall | Oct 1 – Nov 14 |
| TurnipPurple Top | fall | Sep 19 – Oct 25 |
| Onion, bulbTexas Legend | fall | Oct 20 – Dec 1 |
| GarlicMusic | fall | Oct 1 – Nov 30 |
| Onion, bunchingEvergreen | fall | Sep 19 – Oct 30 |
| Brussels SproutsLong Island Improved | fall | Aug 31 – Oct 16 |
| Napa CabbageBlues F1 | fall | Sep 6 – Oct 16 |
| Bok ChoyJoi Choi F1 | fall | Sep 26 – Nov 5 |
| Rapini (Broccoli Raab)Zamboni F1 | fall | Sep 21 – Oct 31 |
| Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli)Crispy Blue | fall | Sep 16 – Oct 26 |
| TatsoiTatsoi | fall | Sep 21 – Nov 5 |
| MizunaMizuna Early | fall | Sep 26 – Nov 10 |
| Daikon RadishMiyashige | fall | Sep 26 – Nov 5 |
| EndiveFrisée Fine Maraîchère | fall | Sep 21 – Oct 26 |
| EscaroleBatavian Full Heart | fall | Sep 21 – Oct 26 |
| RadicchioPalla Rossa Mavrik | fall | Sep 11 – Oct 21 |
| SorrelProfusion | fall | Oct 1 – Nov 15 |
| WatercressCommon | fall | Oct 1 – Nov 15 |
| CeleryTango | fall | Sep 6 – Oct 6 |
| ParsnipHollow Crown | fall | Sep 1 – Oct 6 |
| LeekLincoln | fall | Sep 1 – Oct 20 |
| SalsifyMammoth Sandwich Island | fall | Aug 25 – Oct 6 |
| CeleriacPrinz | spring | Oct 25 – Dec 6 |
| RutabagaLaurentian | fall | Sep 1 – Oct 13 |
| Fennel, FlorenceOrion | fall | Sep 15 – Oct 20 |
| Strawberry, day-neutralAlbion | fall | Oct 16 – Nov 15 |
| DillFernleaf | fall | Oct 13 – Nov 24 |
| ChervilCurled | fall | Oct 20 – Dec 1 |
| Strawberry, June-bearingHoneoye | fall | Oct 16 – Nov 15 |
| Bean | fall | Aug 31 – Oct 3 |
| Lettuce | fall | Oct 1 – Nov 30 |
| Onion | fall | Oct 20 – Dec 1 |
| Calendula (Pot Marigold)Resina | fall | Oct 1 – Nov 14 |
| Mache (Corn Salad)Vit | fall | Oct 16 – Dec 5 |
| Cress, gardenCurled | fall | Oct 1 – Nov 30 |
Zone 10 in October
Zone 10 in October: cool season greens make their big return
The largest wave of new starts since February
Cilantro, lettuce, spinach, arugula, radish, and bulb onion all open their fall window this month, alongside dill, chervil, mache, and calendula, giving zone 10 gardeners the widest fresh start of the second half of the year. Sow greens directly once daytime highs settle consistently below 85, typically reached by the back half of the month in most zone 10 locations.
Bulb onion sets go in shallow, just deep enough that the tip barely shows above the soil line, spaced about 4 to 5 inches apart, and this month's mild, lengthening cool season gives bulbs the steady months of growth they need before spring bolting begins.
A long last chance list closes out the warm crops for good
Bush bean, kale, chard, collards, mustard, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and a dozen other fall crops planted back in September or earlier reach their last realistic planting window this month, since a start delayed past the middle of October leaves too little time to size up before growth slows through the milder but still shorter days ahead.
Root crops need the most attention to this deadline. Carrot runs closer to 10 weeks from seed to a full-size root, while beet finishes in around 55 days, nearly 3 weeks quicker; if the month is already slipping away, beet is the safer bet of the two. Wait too long on either and growth stalls before the root ever reaches a usable size.
Watch soil temperature more than the forecast
Most of this month's greens germinate best once a soil thermometer pushed 2 inches down reads somewhere in the mid 40s to mid 70s, and in zone 10 that number often trails the air by a week or two after the first cool morning shows up, so checking the dirt directly beats trusting how the weather simply feels.
October in zone 10: common questions
What can I plant in October in zone 10?+
In October, USDA zone 10 gardeners can sow Bush Bean, Cilantro, Parsley, Lettuce, leaf, Lettuce, romaine, Lettuce, head, and more. Dates use typical zone 10 frosts, so your own microclimate may shift them by a week or two.
What USDA hardiness zone am I in?+
Zone 10 is one band of the map, but planting time is set by your local frost dates, not the zone number. Enter your ZIP code in the free planner and it uses your actual frost dates, which can differ by weeks within a single zone.
Are these October planting dates exact?+
They are typical zone 10 windows. Two gardens in the same zone can be a week or two apart because of elevation and local climate, so treat these as a starting point and tune them to your ZIP code with the free planner.