Santa Monica, California: planting zone & frost dates
Santa Monica is in USDA plant hardiness zone 11a, where the average coldest winter night reaches 40 to 45°F (4.4 to 7.2°C). Frost is rare here.
Frost dates
Frost data comes from NOAA station SANTA MONICA PIER, CA (USC00047953), 0.2 mi (0.4 km) from the city center and 3 ft higher than the city center (+1 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 13 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Santa Monica
All 5 ZIP codes covering Santa Monica are in zone 11a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Santa Monica
Windows below are for a frost-free climate: plant cool-season crops from fall through late winter and warm-season crops in late winter–spring, with a second warm-season round in late summer for some crops.
| Crop | Planting windows (frost-free climate) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Jan 15 – Mar 31; Aug 1 – Sep 15 | |||
| Pepper | Feb 1 – Apr 15; Jul 15 – Aug 31 | |||
| Lettuce | Sep 15 – Feb 15 | |||
| Green Beans | Feb 15 – Apr 30; Aug 15 – Sep 30 | |||
| Sweet Corn | Feb 15 – Apr 15; Aug 1 – Aug 31 | |||
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Feb 15 – Apr 15; Aug 1 – Sep 15 | |||
| Cucumber | Feb 15 – Apr 15; Aug 1 – Sep 15 | |||
| Carrot | Sep 1 – Feb 28 | |||
| Onion | Oct 15 – Jan 15 | |||
| Potato | Jan 1 – Feb 28; Sep 1 – Oct 15 | |||
| Basil | Mar 1 – Jun 30; Aug 15 – Sep 30 | |||
| Spinach | Oct 1 – Feb 15 | |||
| Kale | Sep 1 – Feb 15 | |||
| Broccoli | Sep 1 – Jan 15 | |||
| Peas | Oct 1 – Jan 31 | |||
| Eggplant | Feb 15 – Apr 30; Jul 15 – Aug 31 | |||
| Cabbage | Sep 1 – Jan 31 | |||
| Radish | Sep 15 – Mar 15 | |||
| Strawberry | Oct 1 – Nov 30 | |||
| Beets | Sep 15 – Feb 28 | |||
Nearby cities in California
- Los Angeles — zone 10a, frost rare
- Inglewood — zone 10b, frost rare
- Hawthorne — zone 10b, frost rare
- Torrance — zone 10b, last frost Jan 27, first frost Dec 16
- Burbank — zone 10a, last frost Jan 10, first frost Dec 16
- Compton — zone 10b, frost rare
More: all California cities · other zone 11a cities: Miami, FL, Hialeah, FL, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Pembroke Pines, FL, Hollywood, FL, Miramar, FL, Pompano Beach, FL, Miami Gardens, FL
Santa Monica gardening questions
Does it ever frost in Santa Monica, CA?
Rarely. From 1991 to 2020, NOAA's Santa Monica Pier, CA station, 0.2 mi from the city center, did not reach 32°F at all — too seldom for NOAA to compute frost dates. Zone 11a means the coldest night of an average winter is 40 to 45°F (4.4 to 7.2°C), so frost is essentially unknown, though cool nights can slow tropical plants.
When should I plant tomatoes in Santa Monica, CA?
Without a frost season, plant by temperature: set out tomatoes Jan 15 – Mar 31 and Aug 1 – Sep 15. Fruit set drops when nights stay above about 75°F, so avoid timing harvests for the hottest weeks. More: tomato planting by zone.
When is the best time for lettuce and broccoli in Santa Monica?
Cool-season crops do best in the mild months: plant lettuce Sep 15 – Feb 15 and broccoli Sep 1 – Jan 15. Summer heat makes lettuce bolt and broccoli flower early.
Did Santa Monica's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Santa Monica was zone 10b on the 2012 map and is zone 11a on the 2023 map — half a zone warmer, like about 56% of U.S. ZIP codes. The shift comes from a newer 1991–2020 averaging period plus more weather stations and better mapping; it does not mean last frost comes earlier. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
How does Santa Monica compare with Los Angeles, CA?
Santa Monica is zone 11a and Los Angeles is zone 10a. Frost is rare in both Santa Monica and Los Angeles, CA (5 miles away), so both garden year-round.