When to Plant Asparagus Crowns in California
In most of California, asparagus crowns go into the ground in early spring, but the real question isn’t the calendar so much as what’s underneath it.
Gardening in California
Everything we have worked out for California: what to plant and when, which varieties finish in time, the pests that actually turn up here, and the jobs that pay off month by month. We also cover the rest of the property, from lawns and soil to home care and energy, because a garden rarely stops at the vegetable bed.
The numbers first, because everything else follows from them. Measured at the weather station in Los Angeles, the last spring freeze falls around no freeze occurs in an average year and the first fall freeze falls around no freeze occurs in an average year, USDA zones 5a-11a, 4,719 growing degree days in the year.
Garlic is the awkward one: only 0 weeks below 40 °F, where it needs six to split into cloves. Chill the cloves before planting, or grow a softneck type.
Elsewhere on the property in California: the pests that turn up here.
Figures from NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals. A state is not one climate: elevation, a large lake or the coast can move these dates by two weeks either way, so check your own county with the extension service before you spend money.
Growing Sweet Corn in California: Will It Ripen?
Yes, sweet corn ripens in California, but the answer depends enormously on where you’re standing.
Growing Asparagus in California: Fifteen Years in One Spot
Asparagus rewards patience more than any other vegetable in the garden: plant it once, and it can keep producing for a decade or more.
When to Sow Autumn Spinach in California
In coastal and Southern California, autumn spinach goes in the ground once soil temperatures fall back below 80°F, typically in September or October…
Will Spinach Bolt Early in California?
Yes, spinach will bolt early across most of California, and the mild coastal and southern climate makes it worse, not better.
When to Sow Pumpkins in California
Coastal and Southern California don’t have a frost date to sow around. NOAA records show zero freezing days in an average year across these regions, so…
Will Pumpkins Ripen Before Frost in California?
Coastal and Southern California don’t have a frost date to race against; NOAA records show no freeze at all in an average year there, so pumpkins have…
When to Sow Parsnips in California
In coastal and Southern California, including Los Angeles, freezing weather essentially never happens, so parsnips can go into the ground almost any time…
Will Parsnips Sweeten in California?
Most of California will grow a fine parsnip. It just won’t taste the way the old garden wisdom promises.
Growing Spinach in California: When Will It Bolt?
In coastal and Southern California, spinach doesn’t fail because of an early frost, since there isn’t one most years.