As the summer sun fades and the air turns crisp, fall gardening in California comes alive. Whether you live along the coast, in the Central Valley, or up in the mountain regions, autumn offers the perfect window for cool-season crops and companion planting that supports a healthy, productive garden.

Below you’ll find what to plant in fall for California’s different USDA zones (7–10) — plus expert tips on companion planting to keep your soil balanced, reduce pests naturally, and make the most of your raised beds or garden space.

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🌦 Understanding California’s Garden Zones

California’s diverse climate means gardening varies dramatically depending on your zone:

• Zone 7: Foothills, mountain valleys, and parts of inland Northern California — cold winters and shorter growing seasons.

• Zone 8: Central Valley, parts of inland Bay Area — mild winters and long growing seasons.

• Zone 9: Coastal areas like Santa Cruz, Monterey, and Los Angeles — ideal year-round growing conditions.

• Zone 10: Southern California coastal and desert regions — warm winters and hot summers, great for tropicals and extended fall crops.

Knowing your zone helps determine when to plant and which companion crops will thrive together.

Comment on this post where you live and I’ll send you your zone and what you can grow for fall!

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🥕 Zone-by-Zone Fall Planting Guide

Zone 7 – Cool & Crisp Autumn

Fall brings early frosts here, so plant cool-season veggies that mature quickly.
What to plant: Kale, spinach, carrots, radishes, garlic, onions, and peas.
Companion tips:

• Carrots + Onions: Onions repel carrot flies and improve soil nutrients.

• Kale + Garlic: Garlic deters pests that like leafy greens.

• Peas + Lettuce: Peas fix nitrogen, enriching the soil for tender greens.

🪴 Pro tip: Use row covers to extend your growing season into November.

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Zone 8 – Central Valley Sweet Spot

This zone enjoys mild fall temps — perfect for planting root and leafy crops.
What to plant: Beets, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, arugula, and Swiss chard.
Companion tips:

• Broccoli + Onions: Onions deter pests like cabbage worms.

• Beets + Lettuce: Lettuce provides ground cover that keeps beets cool.

• Kale + Herbs (like dill or rosemary): Herbs attract beneficial insects.

🪴 Pro tip: Mulch heavily to conserve moisture and prevent weeds.

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Zone 9 – Coastal Gold

In places like Santa Cruz, Monterey, or Los Gatos, the fall garden thrives nearly year-round.
What to plant: Carrots, radishes, leeks, fennel, spinach, lettuce, garlic, and peas.
Companion tips:

• Lettuce + Radishes: Quick radishes loosen the soil for lettuce roots.

• Fennel + Dill: Avoid pairing—these compete for nutrients.

• Spinach + Strawberries: A surprising combo! Spinach shades the soil and acts as a living mulch.

🪴 Pro tip: Use raised beds to improve drainage during coastal rains.

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Zone 10 – Southern California Sunshine

Fall here feels like late summer elsewhere — you can still plant heat-tolerant and cool-season crops.
What to plant: Tomatoes, peppers, squash, lettuce, kale, garlic, and carrots.
Companion tips:

• Tomatoes + Basil: Classic pair that deters aphids and enhances flavor.

• Squash + Corn + Beans (Three Sisters): Beans fix nitrogen, corn provides structure, squash shades the soil.

• Carrots + Chives: Chives repel carrot flies and add nutrients back into the soil.

🪴 Pro tip: Add compost or worm castings to keep your soil rich after long summer harvests.

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🌱 Fall Companion Planting Essentials

Companion planting isn’t just about tradition — it’s a natural way to boost biodiversity, deter pests, and enrich your soil.
Here are some classic fall pairings to try across all California zones:

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🍁 How to Create a Fall Companion Garden

1. Plan your layout – Group plants by water and sunlight needs.

2. Rotate your crops – Avoid planting the same family in the same spot each season.

3. Mix herbs and flowers – Marigolds, chamomile, and calendula keep pests at bay and add beauty.

4. Feed your soil – Use compost, cover crops, or leaf mulch to prepare for winter.

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🚫 Do Not Plant Onions Near:

1. Beans (Bush or Pole)
   • Onions release compounds that inhibit bean growth and can reduce their yield.
   • Beans also prefer different soil microbes than onions.
2. Peas
   • Similar to beans — onions can interfere with peas’ ability to fix nitrogen in the soil.
3. Asparagus
   • Onions and asparagus compete for the same nutrients and space, leading to weaker plants.
4. Sage
   • Both can stunt each other’s growth — their root systems and chemical compounds don’t play well together.
5. Other Alliums in Excess (Garlic, Leeks, Shallots)
   • While they’re family, planting too many together can lead to nutrient depletion and higher pest risk (especially onion maggots).

🌸 Good Companions for Onions:

If you want to boost your garden health, onions love being near:

• Carrots (mutual pest protection)
• Lettuce (onions deter aphids)
• Beets
• Strawberries
• Tomatoes
• Cabbage family (broccoli, kale, cabbage — onions repel cabbage worms)

Onions and sweet peas don’t make the best companions because onions (and all alliums) release natural sulfur compounds that can inhibit the growth and nitrogen-fixing ability of peas. But don’t worry — you can still grow them in the same bed if you give them enough breathing room and manage your soil carefully.

Here’s how to handle it 👇

🌱 Ideal Separation

If they’re sharing the same large raised bed:

• Keep at least 2–3 feet (60–90 cm) between your onions and sweet peas.
• Ideally, plant them in opposite ends of the bed or separate sections divided by another neutral plant (like lettuce, spinach, or herbs such as basil or parsley).

That little bit of distance helps prevent the onion’s root exudates from interfering with the peas’ nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

🌸 Bonus Tips

• If your peas are climbing, trellis them so the roots stay contained on one side.
• When the peas finish producing, don’t pull up the roots — just cut the vines at the base. The leftover roots will enrich the soil with nitrogen that future onion crops will actually love.
• Next season, try rotating so onions and peas aren’t in the same bed — they’ll each perform better when grown separately year to year.

🪴 Seasonal Bed Rotation Plan

🩵 Bed 1 – Roots & Alliums

Spring: onions, garlic, carrots, beets
Summer: onions (finish), carrots succession, radishes interplanted
Fall: beets, turnips, green onions
Winter: cover crop (winter rye or clover)

➡ Keep this your “root zone.” Avoid legumes here (like peas/beans).

💚 Bed 2 – Leafy Greens & Herbs

Spring: lettuce, spinach, kale, arugula, cilantro, dill
Summer: basil, chard, Malabar spinach, parsley
Fall: kale, Asian greens, lettuces again
Winter: garlic chives, mache, or cold-frame lettuce

➡ Perfect near the kitchen — fast harvests, low nutrient drain.

❤️ Bed 3 – Fruit-Bearers (Tomato Family)

Spring: early tomatoes started indoors, then transplanted mid-spring
Summer: tomatoes, peppers, basil, marigolds
Fall: remove tomatoes, sow leafy greens or mustard cover crop
Winter: rest with mulch + compost

➡ Add compost before planting each year; heavy feeders need rich soil.

💛 Bed 4 – Legumes & Climbers

Spring: sweet peas (your existing ones!), trellised on north side
Summer: switch to bush or pole beans
Fall: fava beans (they love cool weather & fix nitrogen)
Winter: mulch or plant cover crop

➡ This is your nitrogen-builder bed — rotate legumes here each year to refresh soil.

🧡 Bed 5 – Cucurbits & Pollinators

Spring: zucchini, cucumbers, nasturtiums
Summer: melons, squash, marigolds, borage (bee magnet!)
Fall: pumpkins or winter squash
Winter: mulch heavily or plant peas here next cycle

➡ Great for spreading vines; give space and lots of compost.

🔄 Rotation Schedule (Year-to-Year)

Every new spring, rotate each bed one “category” forward:
1️⃣ Roots → 2️⃣ Leafy → 3️⃣ Fruiting → 4️⃣ Legumes → 5️⃣ Cucurbits → back to 1️⃣ Roots

That way, no plant family grows in the same soil two years in a row — your fertility and pest balance stay perfect.

🌸 Bonus Companion Tips

• Onions → next to carrots, lettuce, beets
• Peas/Beans → away from onions/garlic, near carrots & cucumbers
• Tomatoes → love basil, marigolds, chives
• Squash & Cucumbers → enjoy nasturtiums & borage for pest control
• Greens → thrive beside herbs (dill, cilantro, parsley)
  

  🌻 Final Thoughts

  California’s fall season is a gardener’s dream — cooler weather, fewer pests, and a chance to reset your soil before spring. By planting the right vegetables for your zone and pairing them with ideal companions, you’ll create a balanced, thriving garden ecosystem that rewards you well into winter.

  Whether you’re in Santa Cruz, Los Gatos, Tahoe, or San Diego, fall companion planting brings the joy of nature’s harmony right into your backyard.