What to plant this week in Zone 12b
Welcome to the tropical warmth of Zone 12b, where frost dates are a thing of the past and you can sow Malabar Spinach and Okra directly into the ground today. This is an exciting week as both of these crops will be ready for harvest soon after they establish themselves in the heat.
The next 7 days
Sample: Honolulu, HISow this week
2 crops- Malabar Spinach
- Okra
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
2 crops- Malabar Spinach
- Okra
Seasonal tips
- Keep soil moisture consistent to encourage rapid growth in these warm-weather staples.
- Space your Okra plants generously to ensure good air circulation and maximum pod production.
- Side-dress with compost or nitrogen fertilizer now to support vigorous leafy growth on your Malabar Spinach.
Pest & disease watch
- Monitor for aphids clustering on the tender new leaves of your spinach and okra.
- Watch for spider mites, which can thrive in this hot, dry climate and damage foliage quickly.
Watering this week
Water deeply in the early morning to keep roots cool and reduce evaporation during the intense midday heat.
Since frost is never a concern here, plan your next succession planting of Okra for continuous harvest throughout the summer.
Zone 12b planting calendar
3 cropsAverage planting and harvest windows for everything that grows in zone 12b — dates shift a week or two with the season, so treat them as a starting point and check the weekly guide above for what's open right now.
- Start indoors
- Sow outdoors
- Transplant
- Harvest
Vegetables 3
| Crop | Start indoors | Sow outdoors | Transplant | Harvest | Maturity | JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malabar Spinach | Jan 11 – Jan 18 | Feb 15 – Sep 22 | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Apr 16 – Dec 1 | 65d | |
| Okra | — | Feb 22 – Sep 27 | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | Apr 18 – Dec 1 | 60d | |
| Sweet Potato | — | — | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | May 16 – Jul 13 | 105d |