When to Plant Sweet Alyssum in USDA Zone 10b
June in Zone 10b — your action list
Welcome to June in Zone 10b. These are the moves that will have the biggest impact on your growing season.
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Survive, don't thrive
June-August is endurance gardening. Keep okra, peppers, sweet potatoes, and southern peas alive. Harvest everything daily before the heat damages produce on the vine.
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Start fall tomato seeds indoors
Yes, indoors — under lights or in AC. They'll be ready to transplant in August when temperatures briefly moderate.
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Add compost to empty beds
Empty beds get a thick layer of compost + mulch to suppress weeds and feed the soil for fall planting.
Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima) is a low-growing cool-season annual prized for its honey-scented clusters of tiny white, pink, or purple flowers. A workhorse border plant, it tolerates light frost, self-seeds readily, and attracts beneficial insects throughout its bloom season. In warm climates it often re-blooms in fall after summer heat fades.
In Zone 10b, the average last spring frost is around January 1 and the first fall frost is around December 31, giving you a growing season of approximately 364 days.
Sweet Alyssum Planting Timeline — Zone 10b
Where Is USDA Zone 10b?
The map below highlights the states that contain Zone 10b. Click any state to see the Sweet Alyssum planting schedule for that location.
Sweet Alyssum Planting Calendar — Zone 10b
| Activity | When | Date Range |
|---|---|---|
| Transplant Outdoors | November 13 | Nov 13 – Nov 27 |
| Direct Sow | October 16 | Oct 16 – Nov 6 |
| Bloom | December 11 | Dec 11 – Mar 5 |
| Fall Sowing | October 8 | Oct 8 – Oct 22 |
· 6" apart · Rows 8" apart
Month-by-Month Timeline
| Month | Activities |
|---|---|
| January | Bloom |
| February | Bloom |
| March | Bloom |
| April | — |
| May | — |
| June | — |
| July | — |
| August | — |
| September | — |
| October | Direct Sow Fall Sowing |
| November | Transplant Outdoors Direct Sow |
| December | Bloom |
Free Zone 10b Planting Calendar PDF
Know exactly when to plant every crop in your zone. Get a printable month-by-month calendar customized for Zone 10b with start dates, transplant windows, and harvest times.
Growing Conditions
Sun
Full Sun (6-8+ hours)
💧 Water
Low — drought tolerant
Days to Maturity
45–60 days
Soil pH
6 – 7.5
Zone Temperature Range
35°F to 40°F average annual minimum
Growing Season
365 days (Zone 10b average)
Planting Specifications
| Plant Spacing | 6 inches apart |
| Row Spacing | 8 inches between rows |
Succession Planting Sweet Alyssum in Zone 10b
Sow every 5.1 weeks for continuous harvest throughout the season.
Growing Tips for Sweet Alyssum in Zone 10b
Zone 10b offers a long growing season (~365 days). You can plant Sweet Alyssum earlier and may get multiple harvests.
Surface-sow seeds — they need light to germinate. Direct-sow as soon as soil can be worked in spring; in zones 7+ also sow in fall. Thin to 6 inches apart. Shear back hard in midsummer when heat causes dormancy — plants recover and re-bloom when cool weather returns. Self-seeds prolifically; allow a few plants to set seed for a perpetual colony.
Companion Planting
Good Companions
The Gardener's Encyclopedia to Companion Planting
The pairings that make vegetables, herbs, and flowers grow better — and the ones that quietly wreck a bed.
- Proven pairings for 200+ vegetables, herbs, flowers, and fruits
- Full seed-starting + planting schedule with timing and spacing
- Bonus: square-foot gardening guide + printable seasonal planners
Saving Sweet Alyssum Seeds
Recommended for Your Garden
Reduce heat stress and sun scorch in hot climates with UV-stabilized shade cloth.
Start seeds indoors with reusable cell trays and humidity domes.
Test your soil pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium levels before planting.
Related Plants
Sweet Alyssum in Other Zones
Sweet Alyssum by State
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I plant Sweet Alyssum in Zone 10b?
In Zone 10b, plan your Sweet Alyssum planting around the average last frost date of January 1. Direct sow outdoors around October 16. Transplant seedlings around November 13.
Can Sweet Alyssum grow in Zone 10b?
Yes, Sweet Alyssum can grow well in Zone 10b, hardy in USDA zones 3a through 11b. Zone 10b has a growing season of approximately 364 days, which is sufficient for Sweet Alyssum (45-60 days to maturity).
When can I harvest Sweet Alyssum in Zone 10b?
In Zone 10b, expect to harvest Sweet Alyssum from December 11 – March 5. Sweet Alyssum takes 45-60 days from planting to harvest.
What is the last frost date for Zone 10b?
The average last spring frost in Zone 10b is around January 1, and the first fall frost is around December 31. This gives a growing season of approximately 364 days. These are 50% probability dates — actual frost dates vary year to year.
What should I plant next to Sweet Alyssum?
Good companion plants for Sweet Alyssum include Lettuce, Broccoli, Strawberries, Tomatoes. These companions can help with pest control, pollination, and nutrient sharing.
Your Zone 10b Garden Planner — Free
A 22-page printable planner tailored to Zone 10b. Planting dates, monthly task lists, harvest log, seed inventory, and succession charts — everything you need to plan a full season.