This monthly vegetable gardening calendar – USDA zones 9-10 goes hand in hand with our vegetable gardening guide for USDA zones 9-10. That guide provides the information you need on sowing, planting and harvesting over 40 vegetables, on a vegetable by vegetable basis, tailored to conditions in USDA Zones 9-10.
The Month-by-Month Calendar:
This calendar organises gardening activities throughout the year:
- Winter months (December-February) focus on cool-season crops and starting seeds for spring planting
- Spring (March-May) transitions from cool-season to warm-season crops
- Summer (June-August) maintains heat-loving crops while preparing for fall planting
- Fall (September-November) brings a second major planting window as temperatures moderate
These guides should provide gardeners in hot southern zones with the specific information needed to make the most of their unique growing conditions, focusing on appropriate timing and variety selection to work with the climate rather than against it.
January
Sow Indoors:
- Aubergine (Eggplant)
- Peppers (Sweet & Chilli)
- Tomatoes
Sow Outdoors:
- Amaranth (Callaloo) – in protected areas or southern zone 10
- Beetroot
- Broad Beans (Fava) – final sowings
- Broccoli (Calabrese)
- Cabbage (Spring)
- Carrots
- Cauliflower (Spring)
- Kale
- Kohl Rabi
- Lettuce
- Malabar Spinach – in southern zone 10
- New Zealand Spinach – in southern zone 10
- Peas
- Radish
- Rocket
- Spinach
- Turnips
Plant Outdoors:
- Onion sets
- Potatoes (spring crop)
Transplant:
- Broccoli (Calabrese)
- Cabbage (Spring)
- Cauliflower (Winter)
- Lettuce
- Onions (from fall sowings)
Harvest:
- Broad Beans (fall plantings)
- Broccoli (Purple Sprouting)
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cabbage (Red/Savoy from fall planting)
- Carrots (winter crop)
- Cauliflower (Winter)
- Chard
- Kale
- Lettuce
- Malabar Spinach (protected areas)
- New Zealand Spinach (protected areas)
- Peas (fall planting)
- Radish
- Rocket
- Spinach
- Turnips
February
Sow Indoors:
- Aubergine (Eggplant) – final sowings
- Courgettes/Marrows (Zucchini) – early
- Cucumbers – early
- Melons – early
- Peppers (Sweet & Chilli) – final sowings
- Pumpkins/Squash – early
- Tomatoes – final sowings
Sow Outdoors:
- Amaranth (Callaloo)
- Beetroot – final spring sowings
- Bitter Melon – early sowings
- Broccoli (Calabrese) – final spring sowings
- Carrots – final spring sowings
- Chard
- French/Runner Beans – early sowings
- Kale – final spring sowings
- Kohl Rabi – final spring sowings
- Lettuce – final spring sowings
- Luffa – early sowings
- Malabar Spinach
- New Zealand Spinach
- Peas – final spring sowings
- Radish
- Rocket – final spring sowings
- Spinach – final spring sowings
- Sweet Potatoes – prepare slips
- Turnips – final spring sowings
- Yard-Long Beans – early sowings
Plant Outdoors:
- Potatoes (spring crop) – final plantings
Transplant:
- Aubergine (early plantings in warmer areas)
- Broccoli (Calabrese) – final spring transplants
- Cabbage (Spring) – final transplants
- Cauliflower (Spring)
- Lettuce – final spring transplants
- Peppers (in warmer areas)
- Tomatoes (in warmer areas)
Harvest:
- Broad Beans
- Broccoli (from fall planting)
- Brussels Sprouts – final harvest
- Cabbage (from fall planting)
- Carrots (winter crop)
- Cauliflower (Winter)
- Chard
- Kale
- Lettuce
- Malabar Spinach
- New Zealand Spinach
- Peas (fall planting)
- Radish
- Rocket
- Spinach
- Turnips
March
Sow Outdoors:
- Amaranth (Callaloo)
- Aubergine (direct in warm soil)
- Beans (Bush and Pole)
- Bitter Melon
- Courgettes/Marrows (Zucchini)
- Cucumbers
- French/Runner Beans
- Luffa
- Malabar Spinach
- Melons
- New Zealand Spinach
- Okra
- Peppers (direct in warm soil)
- Pumpkins/Squash
- Roselle (Sorrel/Hibiscus)
- Sweet Corn (early planting)
- Sweet Potatoes (plant slips)
- Tomatoes (direct in warm soil)
- Yard-Long Beans
Transplant:
- Aubergine (Eggplant)
- Courgettes/Marrows (Zucchini)
- Cucumbers
- Melons (late month)
- Peppers (Sweet & Chilli)
- Tomatoes
Harvest:
- Beetroot (winter crop) – final harvests
- Broad Beans
- Broccoli (from fall planting) – final harvests
- Cabbage (Spring)
- Carrots (winter crop) – final harvests
- Cauliflower (Spring)
- Chard
- Kale – final harvests of winter crop
- Lettuce – final harvests of winter crop
- Leeks – final harvests
- Malabar Spinach
- New Zealand Spinach
- Peas (winter crop)
- Radish
- Rocket
- Spinach
- Turnips – final winter harvests
April
Sow Outdoors:
- Amaranth (Callaloo)
- Beans (Bush and Pole) – final spring sowings
- Bitter Melon
- Courgettes/Marrows (Zucchini) – final spring sowings
- Cucumbers – final spring sowings
- French/Runner Beans – final spring sowings
- Luffa
- Malabar Spinach
- Melons – final sowings
- New Zealand Spinach
- Okra
- Pumpkins/Squash – final spring sowings
- Roselle (Sorrel/Hibiscus)
- Sweet Corn – main planting
- Sweet Potatoes – final slips planting
- Yard-Long Beans – final spring sowings
Transplant:
- Courgettes/Marrows (Zucchini) – final spring transplants
- Cucumbers – final spring transplants
- Melons – final transplants
- Pumpkins/Squash – final spring transplants
- Sweet Corn
Harvest:
- Amaranth (Callaloo) – early plantings
- Aubergine (early varieties from protected growing)
- Broad Beans – final harvests
- Cabbage (Spring) – final harvests
- Cauliflower (Spring) – final harvests
- Chard
- Garlic (early varieties)
- Malabar Spinach
- New Zealand Spinach
- Peas (winter plantings) – final harvests
- Potatoes (earliest varieties from winter planting)
- Radish – final spring harvests
- Spinach – final spring harvests
May
Sow Outdoors:
- Amaranth (Callaloo)
- Malabar Spinach
- New Zealand Spinach
- Okra – final sowings
- Roselle (Sorrel/Hibiscus) – final sowings
- Sweet Potatoes – final planting
Garden Maintenance:
- Mulch all beds heavily to conserve moisture
- Set up shade cloth for heat-sensitive crops
- Monitor irrigation systems – consistent water is critical
- Trellis or stake tomatoes, cucumbers, and other climbing crops
Harvest:
- Amaranth (Callaloo)
- Aubergine (Eggplant)
- Beans (Bush and Pole)
- Bitter Melon – early plantings
- Carrots – final spring harvests
- Courgettes/Marrows (Zucchini) – beginning
- Cucumbers – beginning
- French/Runner Beans
- Garlic
- Luffa – tender young fruits
- Malabar Spinach
- New Zealand Spinach
- Onions (from fall planting)
- Peas – final spring harvests
- Peppers (Sweet & Chilli) – beginning
- Potatoes (spring crop)
- Roselle – young leaves
- Tomatoes – beginning
- Yard-Long Beans
June
Garden Maintenance:
- Deep water established plants in early morning
- Maintain thick mulch on all beds
- Provide shade for sensitive crops during hottest part of day
- Summer prune tomatoes, removing lower leaves and side shoots as needed
Harvest:
- Amaranth (Callaloo)
- Aubergine (Eggplant)
- Beans (Bush and Pole)
- Bitter Melon
- Courgettes/Marrows (Zucchini)
- Cucumbers
- French/Runner Beans
- Garlic – final harvests
- Luffa – young fruits
- Malabar Spinach
- Melons – early varieties
- New Zealand Spinach
- Okra – beginning
- Onions – final harvests, cure for storage
- Peppers (Sweet & Chilli)
- Potatoes (spring crop) – final harvests
- Pumpkins/Squash (summer varieties)
- Roselle – leaves
- Sweet Corn – early plantings
- Sweet Potatoes – early-planted leaves
- Tomatoes
- Yard-Long Beans
July
Sow Indoors:
- Broccoli (Calabrese) – for fall
- Cabbage (Red/Savoy) – for fall
- Cauliflower (Winter)
- Celery – in cooler areas
Sow Outdoors:
- Amaranth (Callaloo)
- Luffa – final sowings
- Malabar Spinach
- New Zealand Spinach
- Pumpkins/Squash – for fall crop
Garden Maintenance:
- Continue heat management practices
- Start preparing beds for fall planting
- Remove spent spring crops
- Build soil with compost in areas for fall planting
Harvest:
- Amaranth (Callaloo)
- Aubergine (Eggplant)
- Beans (Bush and Pole) – final harvests from spring plantings
- Bitter Melon
- Courgettes/Marrows (Zucchini)
- Cucumbers – late spring plantings
- French/Runner Beans – late spring plantings
- Luffa
- Malabar Spinach
- Melons
- New Zealand Spinach
- Okra
- Peppers (Sweet & Chilli)
- Pumpkins/Squash (summer varieties)
- Roselle – leaves
- Sweet Corn
- Sweet Potatoes – leaves
- Tomatoes
- Yard-Long Beans – final harvests from spring plantings
August
Sow Indoors:
- Broccoli (Calabrese) – for fall, final sowings
- Broccoli (Purple Sprouting)
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cabbage (Spring) – for winter/early spring harvest
- Cabbage (Red/Savoy) – final sowings
- Cauliflower (Winter) – final sowings
- Courgettes/Marrows (Zucchini) – for fall crop
- Cucumbers – for fall crop
- Tomatoes – for fall crop (early varieties)
Sow Outdoors:
- Amaranth (Callaloo) – final sowings
- Beans (Bush types) – for fall crop
- Bitter Melon – final sowings
- Carrots – for winter harvest
- Chard
- French/Runner Beans – for fall crop
- Kale – for fall/winter harvest
- Kohl Rabi – for fall harvest
- Lettuce – for fall harvest
- Malabar Spinach – final sowings
- New Zealand Spinach – final sowings
- Radish – for fall harvest
- Rocket – for fall harvest
- Sweet Corn – for fall crop (quick varieties)
- Turnips – for fall harvest
- Yard-Long Beans – for fall crop
Transplant:
- Sweet Corn – final plantings for fall
Harvest:
- Amaranth (Callaloo)
- Aubergine (Eggplant)
- Beans (Bush and Pole) – final spring harvests
- Bitter Melon
- Courgettes/Marrows (Zucchini) – spring plantings, final harvests
- Cucumbers – spring plantings, final harvests
- French/Runner Beans – spring plantings, final harvests
- Luffa
- Malabar Spinach
- Melons
- New Zealand Spinach
- Okra
- Peppers (Sweet & Chilli)
- Pumpkins/Squash (summer varieties) – final harvests
- Roselle – leaves
- Sweet Corn – final harvests from spring plantings
- Sweet Potatoes – leaves and early plantings
- Tomatoes – spring plantings
- Yard-Long Beans – spring plantings, final harvests
September
Sow Outdoors:
- Beetroot – for winter harvest
- Broad Beans (for winter growing)
- Carrots – final sowings for winter harvest
- Kale – final sowings
- Lettuce – succession sowings for fall/winter
- Malabar Spinach – in protected or warm areas only
- New Zealand Spinach – in protected or warm areas only
- Onions (sets and seeds) – for spring harvest
- Peas – for winter growing
- Radish – succession sowings
- Rocket – succession sowings
- Spinach – for winter harvest
- Spring Onions
- Turnips – final sowings
Transplant:
- Aubergine (Eggplant) – for protected fall growing
- Broccoli (Calabrese) – for fall/winter harvest
- Broccoli (Purple Sprouting) – for winter/spring harvest
- Brussels Sprouts – for winter harvest
- Cabbage (Red/Savoy) – for winter harvest
- Cauliflower (Winter)
- Celery
- Courgettes/Marrows (Zucchini) – for fall crop
- Cucumbers – for fall crop
- French/Runner Beans – for fall crop
- Kale
- Lettuce
- Peppers (Sweet & Chilli) – for protected fall growing
- Tomatoes – for protected fall growing
- Yard-Long Beans – for fall crop
Plant Outdoors:
- Potatoes – for winter harvest (where winters are mild)
Harvest:
- Amaranth (Callaloo)
- Aubergine (Eggplant) – summer crop, final harvests
- Bitter Melon – final harvests
- Courgettes/Marrows (Zucchini) – final harvests from spring plantings
- Cucumbers – final harvests from spring plantings
- French/Runner Beans – final harvests from spring plantings
- Luffa – final young fruits
- Malabar Spinach
- Melons – final harvests
- New Zealand Spinach
- Okra
- Peppers (Sweet & Chilli) – summer crop
- Pumpkins/Squash (winter varieties) – begin harvesting
- Roselle – calyces beginning
- Sweet Corn – final harvests
- Sweet Potatoes – main harvest begins
- Tomatoes – summer crop
- Yard-Long Beans – final harvests from spring plantings
October
Sow Outdoors:
- Broad Beans
- Garlic
- Lettuce (under protection)
- Onions (sets and seeds) – final plantings
- Peas
- Radish (under protection)
- Rocket (under protection)
- Spinach (under protection)
Transplant:
- Cabbage (Spring) – for early spring harvest
- Lettuce – final transplants
Plant Outdoors:
- Garlic
- Shallots
Harvest:
- Amaranth (Callaloo) – final harvests
- Aubergine (Eggplant) – from fall planting
- Beans (fall crop)
- Beetroot (fall planting)
- Bitter Melon – final fruits
- Broccoli (Calabrese) – fall crop
- Carrots (summer sowing)
- Courgettes/Marrows (Zucchini) – fall crop
- Cucumbers – fall crop
- Kale – fall crop
- Lettuce – fall crop
- Malabar Spinach – final harvests
- New Zealand Spinach – final harvests
- Okra – final harvests in cooler areas
- Peppers (Sweet & Chilli) – final harvests
- Pumpkins/Squash (winter varieties) – harvest before frost
- Radish – fall crop
- Rocket – fall crop
- Roselle – calyces
- Sweet Corn – fall crop, final harvests
- Sweet Potatoes – main harvest
- Tomatoes – fall crop
- Turnips – fall crop
- Yard-Long Beans – fall crop
November
Sow Outdoors:
- Broad Beans – final fall sowings
- Peas – final fall sowings
- Radish (protected)
- Rocket (protected)
- Spinach (protected)
Garden Maintenance:
- Add compost to beds
- Mulch perennial vegetables
- Prepare new garden beds for spring
- Set up low tunnels or cold frames for winter protection if needed
Harvest:
- Aubergine (Eggplant) – protected fall plants
- Beetroot – from fall planting
- Broccoli (Calabrese) – fall planting
- Broccoli (Purple Sprouting) – early varieties
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cabbage (Red/Savoy) – from fall planting
- Carrots (fall crop)
- Cauliflower (Winter)
- Celery
- Chard
- Kale
- Lettuce – protected plants
- Okra – final harvests in warmer areas
- Peas – fall planting
- Peppers (Sweet & Chilli) – protected fall plants
- Radish
- Rocket
- Roselle – final calyces
- Spinach
- Sweet Potatoes – final harvests
- Swedes (Rutabaga)
- Tomatoes – protected fall plants
- Turnips
- Yard-Long Beans – final fall harvests
December
Sow Indoors:
- Aubergine (Eggplant) – for spring harvest
- Peppers (Sweet & Chilli) – for spring harvest
- Tomatoes – for spring harvest
Sow Outdoors:
- Broad Beans
- Lettuce (protected)
- Peas
- Radish (protected)
- Rocket (protected)
- Spinach (protected)
Garden Maintenance:
- Review garden journal and plan for spring
- Inventory seeds and place orders for spring
- Maintain cold protection on tender crops if brief freezes are possible
- Monitor winter crops for pests like aphids, which remain active in mild climates
Harvest:
- Beetroot – winter crop
- Broccoli (Calabrese) – fall planting
- Broccoli (Purple Sprouting)
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cabbage (from fall planting)
- Carrots (fall crop)
- Cauliflower (Winter)
- Celery
- Chard
- Kale
- Lettuce – protected growing
- Peas – fall planting
- Potatoes – fall planting in milder areas
- Radish
- Rocket
- Spinach
- Turnips
Vegetable Gardening Guide Resources
Martin Cole has been an avid plant lover and gardener for more than 20 years and loves to talk and write about gardening. In 2006 he was a finalist in the BBC Gardener of the Year competition. He is a member of the National dahlia Society.
He previously lived in London and Sydney, Australia, where he took a diploma course in Horticultural studies and is now based in North Berwick in Scotland. He founded GardeningStepbyStep.com in 2012. The website is aimed at everybody who loves plants or has been bitten by the gardening bug and wants to know more.
Gardening Step by Step has been cited by Thompson and Morgan, the UK’s largest mail order plant retailer, as a website that publishes expert gardening content.