Regional guide

Contra Costa Interior Vegetable Garden

A Contra Costa interior guide for Sunset zones 14-16, spring/summer beds, fall/winter resets, bean heat limits, artichoke frost risk, and interior timing.

Regional timing

Current regional planting plan

A Contra Costa interior guide for Sunset zones 14-16, spring/summer beds, fall/winter resets, bean heat limits, artichoke frost risk, and interior timing.

Source-backed timing UC Master Gardener Contra Costa interior vegetable planting guide

Contra Costa Interior 4 climate signals

Source source cues Local conditions

UC Master Gardener Contra Costa says the interior regions include Central and Eastern Contra Costa County in Sunset zones 14, 15, and 16.
The guide says these interior Contra Costa regions are influenced by both ocean air and inland air.
Snap beans can be sown May to early June, but hot temperatures above 80 F may reduce bean set.

Catalog priority: 18 priority crops
Climate checks: 4 climate signals
Timing basis: Use regional source signals

Source-backed timing UC Master Gardener Contra Costa says the interior regions include Central and Eastern Contra Costa County in Sunset zones 14, 15, and 16.

The guide says these interior Contra Costa regions are influenced by both ocean air and inland air.

Crop priority Green Globe Artichoke leads the catalog examples

Green Globe Artichoke, Provider Bush Bean, Detroit Dark Red Beet, Waltham 29 Broccoli

Next local check Use May-centered spring/summer beds for tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, beans, corn, cucumbers, squash, okra, and watermelon where the guide lists warm-season planting windows.

Use February-to-May and August-to-November fall/winter rows for carrots, lettuce, spinach, peas, beets, radish, broccoli, and cabbage where the guide lists cool-season repeats.

Calendar Convert regional timing into dated sowing, transplant, and harvest jobs. Frost dates Keep hardiness zone context separate from local first and last frost dates. All regions Compare this guide with the broader regional atlas. SF/San Mateo UC ANR calendar for San Mateo and San Francisco hot, sunny, and foggy vegetable planting windows plus year-round bed turnover.

Climate signals

UC Master Gardener Contra Costa says the interior regions include Central and Eastern Contra Costa County in Sunset zones 14, 15, and 16.
The guide says these interior Contra Costa regions are influenced by both ocean air and inland air.
Snap beans can be sown May to early June, but hot temperatures above 80 F may reduce bean set.
Artichokes need partial shade to reduce summer heat and may winter over only if temperatures stay above 25 F.

Planning notes

Use May-centered spring/summer beds for tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, beans, corn, cucumbers, squash, okra, and watermelon where the guide lists warm-season planting windows.
Use February-to-May and August-to-November fall/winter rows for carrots, lettuce, spinach, peas, beets, radish, broccoli, and cabbage where the guide lists cool-season repeats.
Treat broccoli and cabbage as fall/winter backbone crops even though the guide also gives early spring planting windows.
Use this page for the interior Central and Eastern Contra Costa scope; other Contra Costa regional guides use different local planting windows.

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
Golden Bantam Sweet Corn Vegetable · Warm · 80 days
Marketmore 76 Cucumber Vegetable · Warm · 58 days
Black Beauty Eggplant Vegetable · Warm · 80 days
Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce Vegetable · Cool · 45 days
Clemson Spineless Okra Vegetable · Warm · 56 days
Sugar Snap Pea Vegetable · Cool · 62 days
California Wonder Pepper Vegetable · Warm · 72 days
French Breakfast Radish Vegetable · Cool · 28 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

San Mateo/San Francisco Microclimate Calendar UC ANR calendar for San Mateo and San Francisco hot, sunny, and foggy vegetable planting windows plus year-round bed turnover.
Santa Clara County Vegetable Planting Chart UC Master Gardener chart for central Santa Clara County seeding, transplanting, borderline months, and warm/cool seasons.
Alameda West of East Bay Hills Planting Guide UC Alameda County Master Gardener guide for west of the East Bay Hills maritime gardens, microclimate caveats, and crop rows.
Sonoma County Vegetable Planting Summary UC Master Gardener Sonoma guide for local direct seeding, transplanting, weather protection, spacing, and maturity timing.
Napa County Seasonal Vegetable Planting Calendar UC Master Gardeners Napa County guide linking seasonal harvest pages, seed-starting advice, and a calendar-format planting PDF.
Marin County Monthly Edible Garden Schedule UC Marin Master Gardeners monthly edible schedule for sowing inside/outside, transplants, and maintenance rows.

Source: UC Master Gardener Contra Costa interior vegetable planting guide