When Should I Plant ___? It’s a question that’s not easy to answer just by referring to your seed packets, the way you can in many other parts of the US. “3 to 4 weeks after last frost,” huh? We don’t, um, have a frost, usually.
Our climate is Mediterranean in some places, and more like the Pacific Northwest in others. Some plants can grow in the winter, but others need certain amounts of daylight to fruit.
The guide I have created below (and the printable PDF download version) are based on several sources (listed below) to create the most accurate, up-to-date, and complete list. You can see, month by month, when it’s safe to grow different varieties of vegetables, tubers, berries, and even hops in and around the San Francisco Bay.
Finding Your Microclimate
You’ll notice there are a few sections for “Foggy” and “Sunny” neighborhoods. As you might know just from driving up 101 into San Francisco, there are significant differences in fog cover as you drive up from near Burlingame (Sunny) through South San Francisco (Foggy) past San Bruno Mountain/Brisbane (Sunny) and then into San Francisco (Foggy).
You may already know exactly where your location falls on this spectrum, but here are a few of the major areas around to help you if you do not:
Foggy: Daly City, Colma, Pacifica, South San Francisco, Some Parts of San Francisco, like The Sunset and The Richmond
In Between Areas: Some Parts of San Francisco, like Glen Park, The Haight, Western Addition
Sunny: Brisbane, Burlingame, San Mateo, Some Parts of San Francisco, like The Mission and South of Market
The Bay Area Planting Calendar
Disclaimer: I can’t guarantee any of these plants will grow in any environment. Localized weather patterns, drought, excessive rain, insects, biblical plagues, raccoons, etc. may affect the efficacy of this guide. Gardening is unpredictable, but I have used these guidelines with success in the past few years, and I hope this helps you plan and grow the the best garden for your area.
= Plant seedlings or plants at this time, not seeds.
Roots, tubers, sets, bare root trees & vines, and rhizomes are indicated in the text. All unmarked items indicate direct-sown seeds.
- Artichoke Root
- Fava Beans
- Cabbage
- Carrot
- Garlic
- Lettuce
- Mustard
- Onion
- Onion Sets
- Radish
- Rhubarb Root
- Shallot
- Collards
- Kohlrabi
- Leeks
- Swiss Chard
- Turnip
- Artichoke Root
- Bare Root Trees & Vines
- Fava Beans
- Beet
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Carrot
- Cauliflower
- Collards
- Garlic
- Kale
- Kohlrabi
- Leek
- Lettuce
- Mustard
- Onion
- Onion Sets
- Peas
- Potato Tubers
- Radish
- Spinach
- Swiss Chard
- Turnips
- Celery
- Rhubarb Root
- Parsnip
- Shallot Sets
- Artichoke Root
- Fava Beans
- Runner Beans
- Beet
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Carrot
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Collards
- Cucumber
- Hops Rhizomes
- Kale
- Kohlrabi
- Leek
- Lettuce
- Mustard
- Onion
- Onion Sets
- Parsnip
- Peas
- Potato Tubers
- Radish
- Spinach
- Summer Squash
- Swiss Chard
- Turnips
- Rhubarb Root
- Bare Root Trees & Vines
- Runner & Snap Beans
- Beet
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Carrot
- Celery
- Collards
- Early Corn
- Cucumber
- Eggplant
- Hops Rhizomes
- Kale
- Kohlrabi
- Leek
- Lettuce
- Mustard
- Onion
- Parsnip
- Potato Tubers
- Radish
- Spinach
- Summer & Winter Squash
- Sunflowers
- Swiss Chard
- Tomato
- Turnips
- Artichoke root
- Pepper
- Cauliflower
- Pea
- Runner & Snap Beans
- Beets
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Carrot
- Early Corn
- Cucumber
- Eggplant
- Hops Rhizomes
- Lettuce
- Parsnip
- Pepper
- Potato Tubers
- Radish
- Summer & Winter Squash
- Sunflower
- Swiss Chard
- Turnips
- Onion
- Tomato
- Fava Beans
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Kohlrabi
- Mustard
- Pea
- Runner & Snap Beans
- Beet
- Broccoli
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cabbage
- Carrot
- Early Corn
- Cucumber
- Lettuce
- Parsnip
- Pepper
- Potato tubers
- Radish
- Summer & Winter Squash
- Sunflowers
- Swiss Chard
- Turnips
- Eggplant
- Tomato
- Fava Beans
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Kohlrabi
- Mustard
- Pea
- Snap Beans
- Beets
- Broccoli
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cabbage
- Collards
- Early Corn
- Kohlrabi
- Lettuce
- Parsnip
- Potato tubers
- Radish
- Spinach
- Summer Squash
- Swiss Chard
- Turnips
- Fava Beans
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Mustard
- Beet
- Broccoli
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cabbage
- Carrot
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Collards
- Kale
- Kohlrabi
- Lettuce
- Mustard
- Parsnip
- Peas
- Potato tubers
- Radish
- Spinach
- Swiss Chard
- Turnips
- Fava Beans
- Fava Beans
- Beet
- Broccoli
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Collards
- Kale
- Lettuce
- Mustard
- Onion
- Peas
- Potato
- Radish
- Spinach
- Strawberry
- Swiss Chard
- Turnips
- Carrot
- Celery
- Kohlrabi
- Parsnip
- Artichoke root
- Fava Beans
- Lettuce
- Onion
- Peas
- Radish
- Spinach
- Strawberry
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Collards
- Garlic Sets
- Kohlrabi
- Parsnip
- Swiss Chard
- Turnips
- Broccoli
- Mustard
- Shallot Sets
- Artichoke root
- Fava Beans
- Garlic Sets
- Lettuce
- Onion
- Peas
- Radish
- Shallot Sets
- Strawberry
- Artichoke root
- Fava Beans
- Garlic Sets
- Lettuce
- Radish
- Shallot Sets
- Rhubarb Root
Update 10/10/2018: Added Onion Sets to chart
Sources:
https://sites.google.com/site/sfseedlibrary/planting-calendar
Pierce, Pam. Golden Gate Gardening: 3rd Edition. Sasquatch Books, 2010. Print.
http://smsf-mastergardeners.ucanr.edu/Vegetable_Schedule_for_San_Francisco_-_San_Mateo_Counties/