Regional guide
California Interior Valley Vegetable Planting Guide
UC Master Gardener guide for Sacramento and San Joaquin Interior Valley timing, temperature bands, frost checks, and crop rows.
Climate signals
- UC Master Gardener says average seasonal temperatures are the most important factor in determining planting times.
- The source says California growing areas are large, so planting dates are only approximate and climate can vary even in small sections.
- The Interior Valleys column applies to Sacramento, San Joaquin, and similar valleys.
- Cool-season crops grow best when average temperatures range from 55 F to 75 F and tolerate slight frosts.
- Warm-season crops grow best when average temperatures range from 65 F to 95 F.
- Use local first and last frost dates, and start seed indoors 6-8 weeks before the outdoor planting time if using transplants.
Planning notes
- Use the Interior Valleys column in the UC table instead of copying South Coast or Desert Valley dates.
- Planting dates are for seed unless otherwise noted; asterisks mark rows where transplants, shoots, or roots are used for field planting.
- Interior Valley cool-season rows include artichoke July; beets Feb-April and Aug; broccoli Dec-Feb and July; cabbage July and Feb; carrots Aug-Sept and Feb-April; cauliflower July-Aug; celery June-Aug; kale Aug-Sept; kohlrabi Aug; lettuce Aug and Nov-March; bulb onions Oct-Nov and Jan-March; green onions Aug-Dec; parsley Dec-May; parsnips May-July; and spinach Sept-Jan.
- Interior Valley warm-season rows include snap beans April-May and July-Aug; cantaloupes and other melons April-June; chayote May-June; sweet corn March-July and Aug; cucumbers April-July; eggplant April-May; okra May; peppers May; sweet potatoes Apr-Jun; pumpkins April-June; summer squash April-July; winter squash April-June; tomatoes April-May; and watermelons April-June.
- Garlic uses an Oct-Dec Interior Valley row, white potatoes use Feb-Mar and Aug rows, and rhubarb uses a Dec-Feb row, but there are no matching catalog seed links yet.
- Use these priority catalog links as crop-row examples only, not UC cultivar recommendations.
Catalog crop examples
These catalog entries match crops covered by the regional timing source; variety-specific details remain tied to each seed entry's own source.
- Green Globe Artichoke Vegetable · Warm · 120 days
- Provider Bush Bean Vegetable · Warm · 50 days
- Detroit Dark Red Beet Vegetable · Cool · 58 days
- Waltham 29 Broccoli Vegetable · Cool · 74 days
- Golden Acre Cabbage Vegetable · Cool · 64 days
- Danvers 126 Carrot Vegetable · Shoulder · 70 days
- Snowball Y Cauliflower Vegetable · Cool · 70 days
- Tall Utah Celery Vegetable · Cool · 110 days
- Golden Bantam Sweet Corn Vegetable · Warm · 80 days
- Marketmore 76 Cucumber Vegetable · Warm · 58 days
- Black Beauty Eggplant Vegetable · Warm · 80 days
- Lacinato Kale Vegetable · Cool · 60 days
- Early White Vienna Kohlrabi Vegetable · Cool · 55 days
- Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce Vegetable · Cool · 45 days
- Hale's Best Jumbo Melon Vegetable · Warm · 85 days
- Clemson Spineless Okra Vegetable · Warm · 56 days
- Evergreen Bunching Onion Vegetable · Shoulder · 65 days
- Italian Flat Leaf Parsley Herb · Shoulder · 75 days
- Hollow Crown Parsnip Vegetable · Cool · 120 days
- California Wonder Pepper Vegetable · Warm · 72 days
- Small Sugar Pumpkin Vegetable · Warm · 100 days
- Bloomsdale Spinach Vegetable · Cool · 42 days
- Waltham Butternut Squash Vegetable · Warm · 95 days
- Roma Tomato Vegetable · Warm · 76 days
- Sugar Baby Watermelon Vegetable · Warm · 80 days
Related regional guides
- Placer County Elevation-Frost Vegetable Planting Guide UC Placer County guide for elevation-adjusted frost dates, warm/cool crop windows, and crop-row examples.
- Tulare/Kings San Joaquin Valley Vegetable Guide UC Master Gardener Tulare/Kings guide for San Joaquin Valley vegetable rows, protected starts, fall pest pressure, and crop examples.
- Sacramento Area Vegetable Planting Schedule UC Master Gardeners Sacramento guide for EHN 11 month-grid seed, transplant, and protected-start vegetable timing.
- Yolo County Spring Warm-Season Vegetable Guide UC ANR Savvy Sage guide for Yolo County April warm-season transition rows, soil-warmth cautions, and crop-row examples.
- Shasta County Valley Monthly Planting Guide UC ANR monthly guide for Shasta County valley areas covering protected starts, direct outside seed rows, and starter-plant timing.
- Butte County Foothill Planting Guide UC Master Gardeners Butte County foothill vegetable guide for elevation-adjusted frost timing and crop-row planning.