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What's in season in March 2024, and other timely information:

What's in Season - Typical Crop Availability in California-

Harvest Calendar for California

Click here for typical crop availability / harvest dates in Northern California and here for Southern California

We also have a page with links to our own simple instructions on canning, freezing and drying  many fruits and vegetables, such as  how to make jam, apple butter, applesauce, spaghetti sauce, salsa, pickles, ketchup or freezing corn.


Ripening Dates for Fruits and Vegetables in California

Please note that actual dates may vary by as much as two or three weeks due to weather conditions, geographical location of the farm, and other factors. And since new varieties are always being developed, and farms may plant different varieties, it is always advisable to call a farm earlier than the expected beginning of a season to verify on the status of the product you are interested in.  This is a general guide only!

Southern and Central California is immediately below,

Northern California is farther down the page.

Typical Crop / Harvest Availability Dates for
South and Central California
(all but the southern 1/4, the northern 1/4 and the coastal area)


  Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July August Sept Oct Nov Dec
Apricots           X X        
Arugula    


      X X
Avocado         X            
Beans - string           X X X X      
Beans - Fava       X X X        
Beans - Lima           X X        
Beans - Yellow Wax           X X X X X
Beets X X X X X X X X X X X X
Blackberries           X X    
Boysenberries           X X X        
Ollallieberries
          X X X        
Bok Choy       X X X X X X X X X
Broccoli X X X X X X       X
Cabbage X X X X X X       X X
Carrots
X X X X X X X X X X X X
Caulifllower X X X X X X       X X
Celery X X X X X X       X X
Chard    
X X X X X X X X X
Cilantro X X X X X X X X X X X X
Cucumbers           X X X X X X X
Cucumbers - Pickling           X X X X      
Eggplant             X X X      
Fennel X X X X X X X X X X X X
Grapefruit X X X X X X        
Kale X X X X           X X
Kohlrabi X X X X X X X X X X X X
Leeks X X X X XX X X
Lemons X X X X X X X X X X  
Lettuce X X X X X X X X X X X X
Mandarins X X X X X
       
Nectarines X X X X X
Okra           X X X    
Onions - Sweet     X X X      
Orange - Navel X X X X

    X
Orange - Valencia           X X      
Parsley X X X X X X
Peaches X X X X X
Peas - Blackeye             X X X    
Peas - English       X X X X X X X X X
Peas - Snap       X X X X X X X X X
Peppers             X X X X X
Plums         X X X X X      
Potatoes           X X      
Potatoes - Sweet           X X      
Pumpkins           X    
Radishes X X X X X X X X X X X X
Raspberries
            X X X X
Spinach X X X X X X  
  X X X
Squash - Summer         X X X X
Strawberries X X X X X X X X  
Tomatoes         X X X X X
Turnips       X X X X X X X X X

 

Southern and Central California Harvest Dates, In Chronological Order

CROP MONTH
Asparagus March -April
Strawberries Apr.10 - June 30
Blackberries June 1 - July 30
Blueberries May 15 - June 30
Boysenberries May 10 - July 5
Cherries  (more detail) May 5 - June 30
Apricots May 10 to August 15
Peaches May 20 - September 5
Nectarines May 20 - September 15
Olallieberries June 1 to July 31
Plums June 1 - September 5
Pears August 10 - September 10
Green Beans June 15 - September 15
Peas June 15 - September 15
Corn June 25 - September 30
Raspberries July 1 - September 15
Grapes July 10 - October 15
Apples July 15 (early apples) - September 25
Tomatoes July 15 - September 15
Okra July 15 - September 15
Almonds August 20 - December . 13
Figs September 05 - October 31
Persimmons September 20 - October 31
Walnuts September 25 - Jan. 10
Oranges Most of the year, depends on the variety.
Overall, November through June.
Cara Cara: late December through March;
Manadrin: November through April


Typical Crop / Harvest Availability Dates for
Northern California

CROP MONTH
Asparagus March - June
Strawberries Apr.10 - July 30
Peas May 1 - September 30
Cherries (more detail) May 5 - June 25
Blueberries May 15 - July 30
Blackberries May 15 - July 30
Boysenberries May 15 - July 31
Apricots May 25 - July 10
Grapes May 25 - December . 15
Olallieberries June 1 to July 31
Tomatoes June 1 - September 30
Pears August 20 - September 30
Peaches June 20 - September 10
Plums June 15 - July 30
Green Beans June 15 - September 15
Nectarines June 15 - September 15
Corn June 25 - September 30
Raspberries July 1 - September 15
Apples July 25 - November 30
Okra July 15 - September 15
Almonds August 20 - December . 13
Figs September 05 - October 31
Walnuts September 25 - Jan. 10
Persimmons September 20 - October 31
Asian Pears September 10 - November 20
Oranges December to June, depends on the variety.
Naval oranges: November thru June
Mandarins: November thru April
Minneola: mid-February thru March

Cara Cara: mid-December thru March
other Citrus November to July
Avocados Year round

 

GROWING CALIFORNIA STRAWBERRIES

  • From the end of September through the end of October, strawberries are planted and harvesting occurs from mid- December through mid-July in Ventura County, CA, which produces more than 27 percent of the state's strawberries. The peak harvesting season in California runs from April through June, when up to 10 million pint baskets of strawberries are shipped daily.
  • The largest producing state, California harvests 83% of the strawberries grown in the U.S. on approximately 24,500 acres. And with about 5,000 commercial acres, Florida is the second largest producing state. Ideal temperature for strawberry plants should not exceed higher than 78 degrees or lower than 55 degrees.
  • Every strawberry plant is hand-picked approximately every three days. This is the time in which it takes for strawberries to complete their cycle of turning from green to white to red. There is no storage of fresh strawberries. After picking, they are rushed to coolers where huge fans extract the field heat. Then they are delivered to supermarkets across the country via refrigerated trucks.

Strawberry Fun Facts and Trivia courtesy of The California Strawberry Commission

 

Other related links:

October
Ukiah PumpkinFest and Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off - From 10 am to 1 pm, Ukiah Safeway on South State Street. Come see the giant pumpkins! Food, Music & Fun!!! Call the City Parks and Recreation Department for more information or to find out how to enter your pumpkin at 468-3063
October
Ukiah Country PumpkinFest - The Annual Harvest Street Festival boasts a parade along State Street at 11 am on Saturday and a Fiddle Contest Sunday. Enjoy the continuous live entertainment, children's carnival, Scarecrow City, arts & crafts and food booths all weekend in downtown on School Street and in Alex R. Thomas Plaza. 10 am to 5 pm Saturday, 11 am to 4 pm Sunday. Admission is free.
October
Hopland Fall Passport - Join the Hopland wineries this weekend and be sure to get your passport stamped at Brutocao Cellars! Fun, food, and wine for a minimal charge. Sign up to stomp grapes and win a t-shirt! Info & RSVP; Phone: 800-433-3689 $25.00.
May through October   Orchard Plaza Farmer's Market: May-October - every Saturday from 8:30am - 12noon at the Orchard Plaza in downtown Ukiah. Shop for locally grown fruits, vegetables and other products from the land such as honey, eggs, jams, wool, lavender and much more. Meet a friend, listen to music, watch a cooking demonstration and get some fresh air. Local artists display their work at this social event. Call Lee Rossavick at 707-743-1342 or visit quietmountain.org/clients/ufm/main.html