February Planting Guide-Zones 9 & 10

February is a great month to start gardening, especially in zones 9 & 10! The milder winters in zones 9 & 10 mean that there are plenty of plants that you can get started, even in February! This February planting guide is geared specifically for those of you who are in zones 9 & 10.

If you’re not in zones 9 or 10, check out these posts:

Not sure what your garden zone is? Follow this link to find out!

Frost Dates

Before we get started, let’s talk about frost dates. It’s important to know what the last frost date is in your area so that you can time when to start seeds indoors and outdoors. This will differ based on what type of crop you are planting. Here’s a general overview of the earliest you will be able to start warm and cool-season crops:

Warm-season crops can be started indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost date.
Cool-season crops can be started indoors 10-12 weeks before the last frost date.
Cool-season crops can be started outdoors 4-6 weeks before the last frost date.

Not sure what the difference is between warm and cool season crops? Read this article here for more info: Warm vs Cool Season Crops.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way let’s get into the February planting guide for zones 9 & 10!

I also filmed a video this month explaining what you can plant in February:

February Planting Guide-Cool Season Crops:

These plants are cool-season crops, so they can be planted outdoors in February.

Broccoli

There’s nothing better than fresh broccoli from your own garden. In zones 9 & 10 you’ll want to get your broccoli starts planted outdoors in February!

Cabbage

You can also plant cabbage starts in February! We’ve had trouble with pests on cabbage in the past, so check out this article on how we use fabric row covers to protect our plants from pests!

Onions

We love onions! February is the time to get your onion starts planted If you’ve read our other February planting guides you may have noticed that they’re one of our favorites. Onions are simple to grow and they’re a great plant for beginners!

Celery

You’ll want to get your celery starts planted in February in zones 9 & 10. Celery needs 140-150 days of cool weather to grow, so you won’t want to wait too long to get it started!

Peas

One of my favorite plants on this February planting guide is peas! In zones 9 & 10, you’ll want to get pea seeds started in February. Peas don’t do well if the temperature gets above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, so you’ll need to start your peas now to make sure they have time to mature before the weather gets too warm! You can learn more about starting peas in this article.

Spring Salad Plants (Leafy Greens)

All of these plants can be started as seeds outside in February. When they are ready to be harvested, you’ll have a delicious (and nutrient-packed) salad!

February Planting Guide-Warm Season Crops:

You can start these plants outdoors AFTER the last frost date. Don’t start them too soon or you’ll risk losing them to frost!

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are one of my personal favorites, so I’m excited that I can include them on the February planting guide for zones 9 & 10! There are a lot of things you can do to improve your tomato harvest, check out my tips here: 10 tips for growing tomatoes

Peppers

I’m already dreaming about fresh homemade salsa! Yum! No salsa is complete without including your own home-grown peppers, so get planting now!

Summer Squash

Summer squash is a great plant for beginner gardeners to start in zones 9 & 10 this month! It’s easy to grow and it is productive!

Cucumbers

Cucumbers are great for beginners as well! And in zones 9 & 10 you can get them started in February! (I’m jealous!) Check out my guide for growing cucumbers here

Plants you can start indoors:

Get a head start on your summer harvest by planting these crops indoors!

Melons
Tomatoes
- You can get these started indoors or outdoors (depending on the last frost date in your area!)
Eggplant
Peppers

I hope you enjoyed this February Planting Guide for zones 9 & 10! Let me know what you are planning on getting started in your garden! Happy gardening!

If you are looking for seeds check out Honest Seed Co! You can find their website here: Honest Seed Co.