Zone 10 - What to Plant in October

Zone 10 - What to Plant in October

The dog days of summer have finally passed in zone 10 and we can start growing some crops in the garden. The typical first frost in Zone 10 is mid-late December but even then it can be very mild. This allows for easy winter growing of several crops. Below is a list of items that can be planted in zone 10 in October.

The Malabar Red Stem Spinach is a beautiful climbing spinach that looks and taste great! This vigorous climbing vine needs to be trellised and grows into fall. This spinach variety has a taste that resembles a mild Swiss chard. Use Malabar Red Stem's leaves and young stems sparingly in salads or stir-fries.

Aspabroc broccoli seeds grow into a unique hybrid vegetable developed in the early 1990s by crossing standard broccoli with a Chinese kale-gai lan variety, resulting in what’s often called “broccolini.” This plant produces slender, tender stems topped with small, loose florets that resemble asparagus in shape, hence the name. Aspabroc is prized for its sweet, mild flavor with subtle peppery notes, making it delicious whether steamed, sautéed, stir-fried, or grilled. It thrives in cool-season conditions, preferring full sun and fertile, well-drained soil, with harvests ready in about 50–60 days after transplanting. Known for its extended harvest period, plants continue producing side shoots after the main head is cut, giving gardeners a steady supply. Its unique history, high nutritional value, and gourmet quality make Aspabroc a popular choice for home growers and chefs alike.

Wando pea seeds are a popular heirloom variety known for their cold tolerance and early harvest. They produce vibrant green, sweet-tasting peas that are perfect for fresh eating, freezing, or cooking. The seeds grow into plants that are typically 18-24 inches tall, making them ideal for small gardens or containers. Wando peas are well-suited for cooler climates, as they can withstand light frosts and thrive in temperatures between 55°F and 75°F. With a quick maturation time of about 60-70 days, they are a great choice for gardeners looking to enjoy peas early in the growing season. Their resilience and ease of growth make them a favorite among both beginner and experienced gardeners.

The Snow Crown cauliflower is a delicious, mild and sweet hybrid. This cauliflower's head will get to 7-8 inches across and 1-2 pounds. The Snow Crown is extra early and adaptable and can be harvested in summer or fall. Be careful not to under-fertilize or water, stress can cause a purplish discoloration on the undersides of the head.

The French Breakfast Radish has a delicate flavor and is an excellent variety for home gardens. This radish variety is an attractive uniquely shaped radish with elongated roots and red tops with white tips. The French Breakfast has an excellent flavor and texture, that is perfect for dips or as a garnish.

The Vivian lettuce is a tightly bunched romaine with broad dark green crisp leaves. Its leaves are 12-16 in. long and 4-6 in. across. Vivian is bolt resistant and suitable for commercial and home growers. Its erect dark green leaves are great for baby leaf production.

All The Year Round Lettuce is a medium-sized green headed lettuce that is just like its name, good for all the year round! This slow bolt variety is solid even in hot weather, and good for far northern areas as it is very hardy. Sow All The Year Round in spring or late summer!

Cylindra beets, also known as "Formanova" or "Butter Slicer," are a unique variety of beetroot known for their elongated, cylindrical shape. These beets have a fascinating history, originally hailing from Europe, particularly Denmark, where they were developed in the early 20th century. Their distinctive shape was cultivated to make them easier to slice and can, a practical innovation that has made them popular among home gardeners and commercial growers alike. In terms of taste, cylindra beets are mild and sweet, with a slightly earthy flavor. They are known for their tender, non-fibrous texture, making them excellent candidates for pickling, roasting, or slicing thinly for salads. Their deep red-purple skin contrasts beautifully with the vibrant, dark red flesh inside, adding an attractive element to culinary dishes. Cylindra beets typically grow to be 6-8 inches in length and 2 inches in diameter. They are ready for harvest in approximately 55-65 days from planting, making them a relatively quick-growing beet variety. They thrive in well-drained, loamy soil with full sun exposure. When it comes to disease resistance, cylindra beets tend to be more resistant to common beet diseases like leaf spot and powdery mildew than some other beet varieties. Proper spacing is crucial, with about 2-3 inches between each plant and rows spaced 12-18 inches apart. With the right care and growing conditions, cylindra beets can yield a bountiful crop of these delicious and uniquely-shaped vegetables, making them a favorite among gardeners and chefs.  

The Culinary Blend contains a tasty mix of yellow, white, and orange carrots. Each variety is suited for both baby root production and cooking. This blend is excellent roasted in the oven. All three varieties are prized for flavor and color.

Nebuka Evergreen Bunching onion seeds produce a hardy, non-bulbing variety of green onion that traces its roots to traditional Japanese gardening, where it has long been prized for its reliable, perennial growth. Known for its slender, upright stalks with crisp white bases and tender green tops, this onion thrives in a wide range of climates and can be grown year-round in mild regions. It is quick to mature, easy to grow from seed, and often multiplies by clumping, providing a steady harvest with minimal effort. The flavor is mild yet savory, less pungent than bulb onions, making it ideal for fresh use in salads, garnishes, soups, and stir-fries, while its greens can be cut repeatedly for continuous use in the kitchen. This versatile and dependable onion has earned a place in both home gardens and culinary traditions worldwide.

The Selway is a Lolla Rossa type lettuce with beautiful light green and dark purple coloring. This variety has deeply curled loose leaves with frilled dark-purple edges edges. The Selway is an essential in salad mixes for its color and taste. For baby leaf production, this variety can be harvested in 30 days and for full sized leaves, it can be harvested in 55 days and can be cut repeatedly!

The Purple Vienna Kohlrabi is an early variety that grows to 12" inches high. The pale purple, flattened, globe shaped bulbs are smooth and tender and form above the ground. Purple Vienna's uniquely flavored white flesh tastes the best when its bulbs are 3" in diameter. Sow in the spring to enjoy a successful harvest over a longer period of time.

The Winter Density Lettuce is a favorite cold weather Romaine! This variety produces compact, extra-dark green heads that are 8" tall and very tightly folded. The Winter Density gets its name for doing well in the cold weather!

Snowball Y Improved cauliflower is a popular open pollinated variety! This cauliflower is known for its vigorous, rapid growth and long harvest. Its head is snow-white and measures 7-8" inches across. Give this cauliflower fertile soil, full sun and steady moisture and you'll be rewarded with large, delicious heads that are high in vitamin C.

The Viroflay Spinach is a gourmet French heirloom that was developed prior to 1866. The big, smooth leaves of this Spinach variety is a deep green color and grows up to 10 inches long. This very fast growing plant is popular for fall planting.

Little Gem lettuce is a small, compact variety that belongs to the Romaine family. Known for its tender, crisp leaves and sweet, mild flavor, it has become a favorite in both casual and fine dining. The heads are typically about the size of a fist, with tightly packed, bright green leaves that are both crunchy and delicate. Its flavor is a perfect balance between the slightly bitter taste of Romaine and the mild sweetness of Butterhead lettuce. Little Gem is often used in salads, sandwiches, or as a base for grilling, where its natural sweetness intensifies. Its small size also makes it an ideal choice for individual servings or garnishes. Rich in vitamins A, C, and K, it’s not only flavorful but also nutritious. Little Gem's heads are about 4 inches across and are prime eating from 4-6 inches tall. The plants can be spaced 6 1/2 by 6 1/2 inches for maximum yields. Growing Little Gem lettuce is relatively easy and well-suited to home gardeners, thriving in cool, temperate climates. This compact variety of lettuce prefers full sun but can tolerate partial shade, especially in hotter weather. It grows best in well-drained, fertile soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH. To plant, sow seeds directly into the soil in early spring or late summer, spacing them about 6-8 inches apart to allow for proper air circulation and growth. Little Gem lettuce thrives with regular watering, but it’s important to avoid waterlogging, as this can lead to root rot. As it matures, the small heads form tight, crisp rosettes. Harvesting can begin in around 30-45 days, typically when the heads are firm but still small. For continuous harvest, sow new seeds every couple of weeks. Little Gem lettuce is also ideal for container gardening due to its compact size, making it a great choice for small spaces or urban gardens.

Sugar beets are the perfect natural choice to make sugar! You can boil the sugar beets in order to make a sugary syrup. These beets can grow up to 1 foot long and can weigh from 3-5 pounds. That means you need to thin them to make sure they have enough room to grow. Tops can grow 1-2' tall. Beet tops can be eaten, lightly grazed or fed to animals.

The Bambino carrot is a super sweet baby gourmet carrot. The color develops quickly and can pull early. This carrot produces 4 in. cylindrical blunt roots, very small core, smooth skin, a deep orange color and small dwarf tops. The Bambino was developed for canning & pickling whole and must be harvested early.