What to plant this week in San Diego, CA
In San Diego's perpetual spring, zone 11a conditions mean you are officially in the thick of harvest season with no frost fears to worry about. This week marks a critical time to pull your maturing Acorn Squash and Butternut Squash before birds get too good at picking them clean off the vine.
The next 7 days
San Diego, CAGrowing in San Diego right now
- Take full advantage of the coastal marine layer; if fog rolls in from the Pacific, harvest heavy crops like Zucchini and Honeydew Melon indoors overnight to prevent moisture-related rot on your leaves.
- San Diego's mild winters often keep weeds like Purslane and Malabar Spinach growing year-round; mow them down now as mulch for pathways rather than pulling them when they are already soft and fibrous.
- Soil in the local sandy loam dries out quickly under summer sun, so water your newly sown Daikon Radish deeply once to settle the soil before relying on light, frequent irrigation.
Sow this week
1 crops- Daikon Radish
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
32 crops- Acorn Squash
- Basil
- Butternut Squash
- Cantaloupe
- Celosia (Cockscomb)
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Delicata Squash
- French Marigold
- Garden Verbena
- Gomphrena (Globe Amaranth)
- Gourd (Ornamental/Bottle)
- Honeydew Melon
- Loofah (Luffa)
- Malabar Spinach
- Morning Glory
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Purslane
- Roselle (Cranberry Hibiscus)
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Spaghetti Squash
- Sunflower
- Sweet Corn
- Thai Basil
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Watermelon
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Seasonal tips
- Succession plant sweet corn or zucchini every two weeks for a continuous harvest throughout the season.
- Pinch back the tips of basil and shiso to encourage bushier growth before they set seed.
- Clear away any dead foliage from squash and melons to improve air circulation.
Pest & disease watch
- Watch closely for aphid colonies forming on the tender leaves of your Thai Basil and Shiso; a strong spray of water or neem oil works best in our dry heat.
- Spider mites can explode on Zinnias and Cosmos during hot, still afternoons when humidity drops low near the coast; misting plants early morning helps deter them.
- Cutworms love to hide at soil level around young Cucumber and Sweet Corn plants overnight; check seedlings before dawn and hand-pick any curled stems found.
Watering this week
Water deeply in the early morning to reduce evaporation, especially as heat builds up during the day.
Harvest okra pods daily when they are young and tender before they become tough and fibrous.
San Diego gardening questions
3Can I finally plant my Daikon Radish seeds now, or is the season over?
Yes, it is prime time to sow Daikon Radish in San Diego's mild climate where they will grow rapidly without cold stress. Just ensure you keep the soil consistently moist as germination happens fastest with steady moisture.
My Butternut and Acorn Squash are turning yellow but not falling off—should I leave them on the vine?
Leave them to mature fully in this frost-free zone until they develop a hard rind and deep tan color, usually another 10-14 days. Picking them too early results in softer flesh that won't store well through winter.
How do I prevent my Sweet Corn from getting earworms before it's ready to eat?
The best defense is hand-pollination by shaking the tassels over the silks when you see silk emergence, which also confuses moths looking for a meal. Additionally, placing a sticky barrier like Tanglefoot on top of the stalks can physically block crawling larvae from reaching the developing ears.
Other cities in zone 11a
2See the full zone 11a guide → · Plan your San Diego garden in SproutGuide →