San Francisco Bay Area & Northern California Coast planting calendar
A mild Mediterranean climate shaped by the Pacific and the Bay: wet, cool winters with only occasional light frost, and dry summers that are foggy and cool on the ocean side and sunnier and warmer along the inner Bay shore.
What to plant each month in San Francisco Bay Area & Northern California Coast
Because frost is rare and light, cool-season crops (brassicas, greens, roots, peas, garlic) are planted from midsummer through early spring and grow through the rainy winter, while many greens and roots can be sown almost any month. Warm-season crops go in April to June after the soil warms; summer is dry, so they need regular irrigation. Fog belts (western San Francisco, Daly City, coastal San Mateo) have cool summers where tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, melons and corn struggle, whereas the sunnier inner-Bay shoreline ripens them more reliably. The months below follow the planting calendar for San Francisco Bay Area & Northern California Coast from the Cooperative Extension sources listed.
January
Plant: asparagus, beets, cilantro, collard greens, garlic, green onions, kale, lettuce, mints, onions, oregano, radishes, rhubarb, roses, sage, swiss chard, thyme
February
Plant: asparagus, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cilantro, collard greens, daylilies, garlic, green onions, kale, leeks, lettuce, mints, onions, oregano, parsley, peas, potatoes, radishes, rhubarb, sage, swiss chard, thyme, turnips
March
Plant: asparagus, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cilantro, collard greens, dahlias, gladioli, green onions, kale, leeks, lettuce, mints, onions, oregano, parsley, peas, radishes, rhubarb, sage, spinach, swiss chard, thyme, turnips
April
Plant: basil, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, celery, chives, cilantro, collard greens, cosmos, cucumbers, dahlias, dill, gladioli, green beans, kale, leeks, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, oregano, parsley, peppers, petunias, pumpkins, radishes, sage, snapdragons, spinach, sunflowers, sweet corn, swiss chard, thyme, tomatoes, turnips, winter squash, zucchini
May
Plant: basil, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, cilantro, collard greens, cucumbers, dill, eggplants, green beans, kale, leeks, lettuce, mints, oregano, peppers, potatoes, pumpkins, radishes, sage, sunflowers, sweet corn, swiss chard, thyme, tomatoes, turnips, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini
June
Plant: basil, beets, brussels sprouts, carrots, cilantro, collard greens, cucumbers, dill, green beans, kale, leeks, lettuce, mints, oregano, peppers, pumpkins, radishes, sage, sunflowers, sweet corn, swiss chard, thyme, turnips, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini
July
Plant: beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, cilantro, collard greens, green beans, kale, leeks, lettuce, mints, oregano, radishes, sage, sweet corn, swiss chard, thyme, turnips
August
Plant: beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cilantro, collard greens, green onions, kale, leeks, lettuce, mints, onions, oregano, parsley, potatoes, radishes, sage, spinach, swiss chard, thyme, turnips
September
Plant: beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbages, cauliflower, celery, cilantro, collard greens, garden mums, green onions, kale, leeks, lettuce, mints, onions, oregano, parsley, peas, poppies, radishes, sage, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, thyme, turnips
October
Plant: beets, cilantro, collard greens, garlic, green onions, kale, leeks, lettuce, mints, onions, oregano, parsley, peas, radishes, sage, swiss chard, thyme, turnips
November
Plant: beets, cilantro, collard greens, garlic, green onions, kale, lettuce, mints, onions, oregano, peas, radishes, sage, swiss chard, thyme
December
Plant: beets, cilantro, collard greens, garlic, green onions, kale, lettuce, mints, onions, oregano, radishes, sage, swiss chard, thyme, tulips, wildflowers
Sources for the San Francisco Bay Area & Northern California Coast calendar
- Vegetable and Herb Planting Recommendations · UC Master Gardener Program of Alameda County (UC ANR)
- Planting Recommendations for West of the East Bay Hills · UC Master Gardener Program of Alameda County (UC ANR)
- Cool Weather Vegetable Gardening: Late Summer or Early Fall is the Time to Plan and Plant · UC Master Gardener Program of Alameda County (UC ANR)
- Edible Gardening and Planting Calendars (climate zones) · UC Master Gardeners of San Mateo & San Francisco Counties (UC ANR)
- Planting Calendar: Sunny Areas of San Francisco & North San Mateo County · UC Master Gardeners of San Mateo & San Francisco Counties (UC ANR)
- Planting Calendar: Foggy Areas of San Francisco & Coastal San Mateo County · UC Master Gardeners of San Mateo & San Francisco Counties (UC ANR)
- Monthly Garden Checklist · UC Master Gardeners of San Mateo & San Francisco Counties (UC ANR)
- Vegetable Gardening at a Glance: How to Plant and Store (Table 14.2, California Master Gardener Handbook) · University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources
Planting months by plant
| Plant | Plant in | Group |
|---|---|---|
| Asparagus | Jan–Mar | Vegetables |
| Basil | Apr–Jun | Herbs |
| Beets | Jan–Dec | Vegetables |
| Broccoli | Feb–Mar, Jul–Sep | Vegetables |
| Brussels Sprouts | Jun–Sep | Vegetables |
| Cabbages | Feb–Mar, Jul–Sep | Vegetables |
| Cantaloupes | Apr–May | Vegetables |
| Carrots | Feb–Aug | Vegetables |
| Cauliflower | Feb–Mar, Jul–Sep | Vegetables |
| Celery | Feb–Apr, Aug–Sep | Vegetables |
| Chives | Apr | Herbs |
| Cilantro | Jan–Dec | Herbs |
| Collard Greens | Jan–Dec | Vegetables |
| Cosmos | Apr | Flowers & bulbs |
| Cucumbers | Apr–Jun | Vegetables |
| Dahlias | Mar–Apr | Flowers & bulbs |
| Daylilies | Feb | Flowers & bulbs |
| Dill | Apr–Jun | Herbs |
| Eggplants | May | Vegetables |
| Garden Mums | Sep | Flowers & bulbs |
| Garlic | Oct–Feb | Vegetables |
| Gladioli | Mar–Apr | Flowers & bulbs |
| Green Beans | Apr–Jul | Vegetables |
| Green Onions | Aug–Mar | Vegetables |
| Kale | Jan–Dec | Vegetables |
| Leeks | Feb–Oct | Vegetables |
| Lettuce | Jan–Dec | Vegetables |
| Lilies | Apr | Flowers & bulbs |
| Marigolds | Apr | Flowers & bulbs |
| Mints | Jan–Dec | Herbs |
| Onions | Aug–Mar | Vegetables |
| Oregano | Jan–Dec | Herbs |
| Parsley | Feb–Apr, Aug–Oct | Herbs |
| Peas | Feb–Mar, Sep–Nov | Vegetables |
| Peppers | Apr–Jun | Vegetables |
| Petunias | Apr | Flowers & bulbs |
| Poppies | Sep | Flowers & bulbs |
| Potatoes | Feb, May, Aug | Vegetables |
| Pumpkins | Apr–Jun | Vegetables |
| Radishes | Jan–Dec | Vegetables |
| Rhubarb | Jan–Mar | Vegetables |
| Roses | Jan | Flowers & bulbs |
| Sage | Jan–Dec | Herbs |
| Snapdragons | Apr, Sep | Flowers & bulbs |
| Spinach | Mar–Apr, Aug–Sep | Vegetables |
| Sunflowers | Apr–Jun | Flowers & bulbs |
| Sweet Corn | Apr–Jul | Vegetables |
| Swiss Chard | Jan–Dec | Vegetables |
| Thyme | Jan–Dec | Herbs |
| Tomatoes | Apr–May | Vegetables |
| Tulips | Dec | Flowers & bulbs |
| Turnips | Feb–Oct | Vegetables |
| Watermelons | May–Jun | Vegetables |
| Wildflowers | Dec | Flowers & bulbs |
| Winter Squash | Apr–Jun | Vegetables |
| Zucchini | Apr–Jun | Vegetables |
Cities in San Francisco Bay Area & Northern California Coast
Which places belong to this region: Coastal central and northern California from about Monterey County north to the North Coast (roughly 36-39°N), limited to places on or near the ocean or San Francisco Bay: San Francisco, San Mateo, Alameda and Contra Costa bay-side cities west of the East Bay hills, the Santa Clara Valley floor, Marin/Sonoma/Napa bay and coastal towns, and the Santa Cruz/Monterey coast. Excludes interior valleys east of the coastal hills (e.g. Livermore, Walnut Creek, Sacramento).