Harvesting for Halloween and the upcoming holidays is such a treat, with mild and beautiful weather.  And even that glorious rainstorm soaking the garden!  Here’re some tips for picking and handling the glorious goodies at their prime.
 
Pumpkins

• Harvest winter squash, pumpkins, and decorative gourds when the vines are dry and the rinds are hard and resist easy puncture by a fingernail. Cut the stems rather than breaking or tearing them, and leave two inches of stem attached to the squash to lessen the chance of spoilage. Be careful to not nick or otherwise bruise the fruits, as these areas will be especially  prone to decay. 
• Toast--don't toss--your pumpkin seeds when you carve your Jack O'Lantern. Separate the seeds from the stringy pulp by washing the seeds well. Spread them on a cookie sheet and sprinkle lightly with salt if desired. Toast them for three or four minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, stir, and toast another two or three minutes until they're evenly golden. Cool them to room temperature, and enjoy!

 
Ornamental Gourds

• Allow ornamental gourds to dry completely before picking them (the seeds should rattle inside when the gourd is shaken).   Gourds will dry more quickly if you drill a small hole at each end. Let them cure in a dry, well-ventilated area at room temperature for two weeks.
• Store cured squash at 50 to 60 degrees in a dry area. Check them weekly for mold. If any appears, wipe it off with a paper towel moistened with vinegar.
• Dried squash should keep up to six months.
• Wipe the harvested gourds with a mild solution of bleach and water, and pat them dry with a towel. 
• If you prefer the glossy look, give them a coat of varnish or shellac, and let them dry for a full day, turning them once or twice to assure complete drying.

 
Herbs

• Harvest herbs for making wreaths or vinegars as holiday presents.
• Herb wreaths are easy to make and can include whatever herbs are most enjoyed by your recipient.
• Good choices include basil, oregano, marjoram, anise, parsley, thyme, sage, dill, and tarragon.

 
Leaf Lettuce Through the Winter

• Leaf lettuce can be harvested little by little -- literally, leaf by leaf -- over several months' time, rather than waiting for a single harvest of each mature head.  
• For continuous  harvests of tender and succulent leaves, pick only the outer two or three, and leave the two or three innermost ones to continue growing.  
• In this way, many plants  can be planted closely together in a small area and yield tasty  high-quality  salads over a long period of time.  
• Be sure to remove  outer  leaves that  are damaged or overmature,  so snails and sowbugs will not be attracted, and bolting will not be initiated too early.

 
Potatoes

• Harvest potatoes now, being careful not to cut or bruise them, or leave them in the soil for harvesting through the winter.
• Take care to not expose them to sunlight or soil cracks, however, or they'll develop inedible, bitter green areas. (After cutting off these greenish areas and discarding them, the remaining potato can be eaten.)
• After harvest, hold the potatoes at 75 to 85 degrees for a week, and then store them at 50 to 60 degrees with high humidity. They should keep for six to fifteen weeks.
• But don't refrigerate them – keeping them at 36 to 40 degrees will turn some of the starch into sugar, making them taste oddly sweet and fry dark.

 
Sweet Potatoes

• Harvest sweet potatoes when the vines yellow.
• Try to get them before the leaves are killed by frost.
• Air dry them for a day, keep them at 85 to 90 degrees with 90 to 95 percent humidity for one to two weeks, and then store them at 55 to 60 degrees and 90 to 95 percent humidity.
• The flavor gets sweeter during storage, as part of the starch content turns into sugar (what you didn't want to happen with the white potatoes).

 
Grape Branches

• Use grape branch cuttings to create wreathes for winter  holidays, Valentine's Day, birthdays, etc. Strip off the leaves, weave the vines into the desired shape, and decorate them.

 
Sunflower Stalks

• Save sunflower stalks, stripped of their branches and leaves, to use next year as trellises for peas and beans.

 
Turnips

• See my just-posted "News" item that turnips were the precursors to carved pumpkins.

For more "Monthly Tips," see November.
 
For more seasonal past blog discussions, see the "Major-Topic Blog Articles" listing on my homepage.

Pay close attention to plants' requirements for sun - or no sun.

Lots of vegetables will grow and produce well in containers.

Fruit and ornamental trees also can make good container plants.

Flowers also can do well in containers.

Plant high-yielding vegetables in containers.

Container gardening can allow gardeners to grow anything anywhere, but some guidelines will foster greater success.
 
Why?  Why Not?
Advantages

• Patio or balcony, fence or steps…anywhere where light level matches plant needs
• Move per seasons to follow or avoid direct sun
• Move for enjoyment when in bloom or fruiting
• Create special soil mix as for blueberries or orchids

 
Disadvantages

• Roots restricted
• Sensitive to weather – summer heat, winter cold, wind, indoor ventilation
• Frequent irrigation and fertilization
• Frequent root pruning and repotting

 
What Type of Container?
Almost any kind of container is usable, but here are some basic requirements.

• Drainage holes allow water to drain fully from air pores.
  • Use a piece of window-screening, coffee filter and a clay piece to block the drainage hole so soil mix won’t run out.  Using more than a single clay piece or “peanuts” reduces the space the root system can grow.
  • Planted container with drainage can be placed inside an larger container without a drip hole if drained water is poured out so it doesn’t stagnate. Filling the interspace with soilless mix will help insulate the plant’s root system.
• Size matches the plant’s root system – larger is better – to allow roots to develop as large a root system as possible within that confined space. 
• Deeper is better than wider so gravity holds cooler water at the base.  Shallower results in too much evaporation.
• Material and color affects plant growth. 
  • Glazed clay will evaporate less and insulate more
  • Unglazed clay will evaporate more
  • Wood will absorb and hold water and insulate more but will rot
  • Plastic will heat up more and evaporate less
  • Metal will heat up the most.
  • Light color will reflect sun’s heat.
  • Dark color will absorb sun’s heat.
• Hanging baskets require more frequent irrigation, especially if they’re in the direct sun and hot weather.

 
How Much Sun?
It depends on what kind of plant, and why you’re growing it.

• If you’re growing a plant for its foliage, it needs about 6 hours of direct sun daily.
• If you’re growing a plant for its flowers or fruits, it needs more than 8 hours of direct sun daily. This can be difficult to provide for indoor containers.
• Plants that require bright shade like African violets may also be grown as houseplants indoors.

 
What Kind of Soil Mix?

• Don’t use regular dirt since it may contain disease spores and weed seeds; it is generally too heavy to drain well in the restricted space of the container.
• Use a high-quality, sterilized soilless planting mix combination of organic materials that will absorb and hold moisture but also drain well so roots remain evenly moist with access to air pores. 
• When filling the container, leave a 1-inch space at the top after lightly compressing the soil mix with your fingertips to allow watering space.

 
What Can I Plant?
Vegetables
Food production requires as much space for root systems as possible, and more attention to irrigation and fertilization.
 
12” deep container
Beets                     3” apart
Bok Choy              6” apart
Carrots                 2” apart
Garlic                    3” apart
Leaf Lettuce         6” apart
Onions                  3” apart
Radishes                2” apart
Spinach                 5” apart
Strawberries        6” apart
Swiss Chard          9” apart

18” deep container
Beans                    5” apart
Broccoli                12” apart
Cabbage                24” apart
Cauliflower           24” apart
Cucumbers           5” apart
Eggplant                12” apart
Peas                      3” apart
Peppers                12” apart
Squash                  18” apart
 
24” deep container
Blackberries         18” apart
Blueberries           18” apart
Potatoes               6” apart
Tomatoes             18” apart
 
Fruit and Ornamental Trees
The largest possible container is best, and the most attention to fertilization and irrigation because you expect long-term growth.

• Will require root pruning and repotting every couple of years
• Fig trees can tolerate restricted root systems well, and extensive annual pruning will still produce a good-sized food crop.

 
Flowers
Most annuals and perennials will do well if container is large/deep enough and lots of bright light is provided. 

• Annuals will tolerate crowding.  Some include alyssum, begonia, coleus, impatiens, lobelia, marigold, nasturtium, pansy, petunia, snapdragon, sunflower, zinnia
• Bulbs do well when planted in layered depths, especially when topped with annuals. Some include daffodils, tulips
• Perennials, especially drought-tolerant varieties, will thrive for at least a couple of years before requiring root pruning and repotting. Some include bromeliad, chrysanthemum, clivia, coreopsis, geranium, lantana, orchids, salvia, succulents

 
How Many Plants Can I Plant In Each Container?
The more plants in a container, the less successful each will be because they’re competing for irrigation and fertilizer and light.  Estimate space use for both mature root systems and foliage.
 
Seeds or Transplants?
Both are fine when root and foliage space are considered.

• Seeds are best for plants that germinate and grow quickly.
• Transplants are best for eggplant, pepper, tomato, and most flowers.
• Both – at beginning of each season, sow seeds and purchase first seedlings of lettuce, spinach and Swiss chard from nurseries to get a quick start on harvests before your seedlings catch up.
• Choose high-yielding vegetables – beans, beets, broccoli, carrots, lettuces, peppers, radishes, squashes, tomatoes.

 
How Frequently Must I Water?
Keep soil mix evenly moist.  Timing will vary according to season, size of container, soil mix, and amount of direct sun it receives. During hot weather, check containers daily.

• Larger container with more soil mix helps moderate soil temperature so the plant can grow an extensive root system.
• Double-potting moderates even more.
• Determine whether the container needs watering by sticking your finger all the way into the soil mix. If it’s moist more than 1 inch down, it doesn’t need water.  If it’s dry 2 or more inches down, it needs water.
• Water slowly enough so the soil mix absorbs it before draining out the bottom hole. 
• If the soil mix is dry, the water may run down the insides of the container instead of moistening the mix.  Roughen up the surface soil and water again; it may take 3 fillings before excess water exits the drainage hole after moistening the mix. 
• During warm months, provide a drip pan to catch the drained water so the plant can reabsorb it as it needs it.
• During cold rainy months, remove the drip pan so the soil mix won’t remain oversaturated.

 
How Frequently Must I Fertilize?
Since plant roots are restricted in the container, they depend on you for nutrition, and every watering drains away nutrition.

• Use a “balanced” fertilizer which contains all 3 macronutrients:  N = Nitrogen for green leaves.  P = Phosphorus for flowers and fruits.  K = Potassium for root growth.
• Choose fertilizers that also include trace elements for broad-spectrum nutrition.
• Organic fertilizers include fish emulsion, seaweed, kelp, blood meal and bone meal. 
• Feed with a quarter-strength liquid fertilizer every other time you water.

Now through November is a great time to divide and replant perennials that have grown well for several years but perhaps haven’t bloomed well this past year.  While daytime air temperatures are cooling down, soil temperatures will remain warm and inviting to newly-transplanted perennials so they can develop extensive root systems before slowing down for the winter, giving them a full season's root development over those planted in the spring. Set them out in the cooler late afternoons or evenings, and water them in.

Here are some specifics to consider.
 
Bearded Irises
Divide clumps if they have less than an inch of soil space between rhizomes or if they didn’t bloom well last spring.  Trim foliage fans to about eight inches from the rhizome. Discard the old, leafless center sections, even if they appear firm since they won’t bloom again.  Trim white- and cream-colored roots of the newer sections to two inches in length.  Trim shriveled brown or black dead roots off completely.  Point the green fan growth in the direction that you want them to grow.  Plant the rhizome so the roots are under the soil surface but the rhizome’s top half is uncovered.  Don't fertilize them, and don’t mulch them, since the rhizomes need to be open to the direct sun and air.  Water them in well after planting and every other week to keep the soil barely moist so the roots can develop more fully. 
 
Coral Bells
Coral Bells send out stringers of baby plants.  If they’re already rooted, separate them from the mother plant with a trowel or knife.  If they’re not yet already rooted, then clear a 4” area of soil and nudge the base of the baby into the soil so it’ll root for transplanting later.  On the separated rooted baby plants, remove dead and outer leaves, leaving several new-growth center leaves to continue photosynthesis. Mother plants that are fully developed into a clump of plants can also be separated into individual plants by gently pulling it apart and planting them. 
 
Daylilies
Dig clumps of daylilies and trim foliage back to about a foot tall.  Separate smaller individual groups of fleshy roots as they’ll easily come apart, or insert a spading fork or shovel between them to wiggle or slice them apart into groups of several each.  Plant new groups about an inch deep in well-drained soil amended with organic matter, with each of the root “fingers” extending outward and downward.  They’ll bloom nicely in full sun but will tolerate partial shade, as long as they get a full 6 hours of sun daily.  Smaller varieties will do fine in pots that are large enough to allow extensive root growth.
 
Lilies
Dig up clumps of lily bulbs, separating the individually-rooted bulbs gently.  If any of the “scales” on the bulbs fall apart, they can be replanted in their original direction so hopefully they’ll root. There may also be some tiny bulbs at the base of the flower stalk that you can pot up to bloom in a couple of years.  Leave all the roots on the individual bulbs as you replant them, or slightly trim any really long ones.  Keep a three-inch layer of humus on top of the replanted roots, and keep the soil barely moist as the bulbs don't ever go fully dormant even after losing all their top foliage.
 
Shasta Daisies
Shasta daisies are perhaps the easiest of this bunch to dig up and separate because the individual young plants grow so loosely together so are separated the most readily, without cutting or ripping. 
 
Yarrow
Yarrow multiplies by underground rooted runners so is easily pulled or dug up, separated, and replanted.  Yarrow can suffer from some transplant shock, so keep the transplanted area protected from direct sun, and keep the soil moist, until new growth is apparent.  Depending on the variety and your garden’s growing conditions, it may become more vigorous than you’d like, especially in richly amended soil.
 
For More Garden Tasks
See September and October
 

     The bit of chill each morning alerts us to the changing of season, from summer to fall and the resulting refocus on cool-season veggie and posy crops.  Even though daytime temperatures will continue to be blasting hot – this week’s threatened highs are in the high 90-degrees – but we know the trend is ultimately toward cooler temperatures.  So we can begin the first of several sowings of overwintering types of edibles and posies. 
 
Seeding Veggies
    Last night, I sowed into my seed trays bok choy, celery, chard, chives, cilantro, collards, several other greens, kale, leeks, lettuce, onions, parsley and spinach.  Next week, directly into the beds where they’ll mature, I’ll sow beets, carrots, garlic, kohlrabi, peas and radishes.  I’ll wait another month to purchase seedlings from nurseries of broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower since they’re always much stronger than ones I start from seeds.
     This time around, I was much more careful than I’ve been in the past about allowing only 2 seeds to fall into each section of the seed trays.  Even if both of the seeds germinate, this will allow their root systems to develop more fully.  Then, when they’re ready for transplanting, I’ll sacrifice the weaker of the two plantlets by cutting it off at the soil surface so I don’t disturb the root ball.  The cut bits of foliage will go into that night’s salad.
 
Ordering Flowering Bulbs and Planting Seedlings    
     On the pretty side, I ordered several kinds of flowering bulbs from online sources so I’ll receive them as soon as they’re shipped, in a month or so, perfect time to plant into the cooling soil.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have some rain then to water them in!
     I’ll also keep my eye on bulbs becoming available in local nurseries so I can immediately purchase the freshest, largest ones for planting.  I know to choose big, plump bulbs as these have the most stored food and will produce the largest and most numerous blooms over the longest period of time. This is definitely NOT the time to wait for bargain prices at the end of the season!
     When considering which bulb varieties to purchase, try to stay with ones that supposedly thrive within our local zones 9 and 10, especially if you’re interested in their potentially multiplying each year.  Bulbs suitable for colder zones won’t get enough cold from our “winters” so probably won’t bloom or even survive past this first year. 
     I know this because in the past I’ve purchased quite a selection of different colors and shapes of daffodils, only to have them never reappear the following year.  And this situation gets even worse with our increasingly warm winters due to climate change. 
     As overwintering flowering seedlings become available in nurseries, both annuals and perennials, I purchase some that promise long-time color until early spring.  Some, like Johnny-Jump-Ups, I keep in mind to plant on top of the bulbs in large containers to offer color before, during, and after the bulbs do their thing.
 
2021 Tomato Results
     This wasn’t a great year for my tomatoes, with 1013 fruits from 30 plants.  Although this total number sounds good, 828 of them were from cherry-sized fruits, and only 185 of them either medium or large sized.  The real successes were for two Sungold plants that yielded 667 fruits that I actually picked and ate, with many more going to my neighbors’ additional harvesting. The other good producers were Black Cherry, Celebrity, Green Zebra and Stupice. 
 
185 Medium- to Large Fruits
14 Black Krim
1 Black Russian
3 Brandy Boy
7 Carbon
63 Celebrity – 3 plants
2 Cherokee Carbon
11 Cherokee Purple – 2 plants
30 Green Zebra
0 Kellogg’s Breakfast (that’s right, none)
5 Paul Robeson – 2 plants
6 Pineapple
32 Stupice
7 volunteers – 2 plants transplanted from my compost pile
 
828 Small and Cherry Fruits
1 Atomic Fusion
93 Black Cherry
1 Black Zebra
3 Brad’s Atomic Grape
1 Indigo Gold Berries
11 Isis Candy
20 Jaune Flamme
667 Sungold – 2 plants
31 volunteer – another seedling transplanted from my compost pile that I have no idea what it was!
 
Taste Winners
My favorites in the flavor department are – in alphabetical order – Black Krim, Celebrity, Cherokee Purple, Isis Candy and Sungold.  I’ll grow these varieties every year, usually with multiple plants because they’ve been so successful.
 
For more gardening opportunities and tasks, see September Monthly Tips

Why plant bulbs now for Spring color?  They’re easy to plant, require little maintenance, and provide years of increasing color.  What’s not to love?  You can choose among several characteristics – early bloomers, critter-resistant, fragrant, shade-tolerant, cut flowers, or forcing indoors.  Here are tips like what’s a healthy bulb look like, when to plant, how to plant, how to care after they bloom.  Then, my comments from my garden on 27 common types to choose, and online resources.  Go for it!

Why Plant Bulbs?

• Easy to plant
• Little maintenance
• Years of increasing color

 
Specific Bulb Characteristics

• Early bloomers: Anemone, chasmanthe, crocus, hyacinth.
• Critter resistant: Paperwhite, snowflake.
• Fragrant: Allium, daffodil, freesia, grape hyacinth, hyacinth, narcissus, paperwhite, tulip.
• Shade tolerant: Camassia, daffodil, galanthus (snowdrop).
• Cut flowers: Allium, anemone, daffodil, freesia, hyacinth, ranunculus, and tulip.  However, you don’t want to cut too many blooming stems because this will deprive the bulbs of their energy for next year’s bloom. 
• Indoor forcing:  Crocus, daffodil, grape hyacinth, hyacinth, tulip. Bulbs probably won’t retain sufficient energy for planting and blooming in the future.

 
Bulb Planting Tips

• What does a healthy bulb look like?  Large for their type, firm, and dry. Don’t even consider tiny, shriveled bulbs or any that have mold or squishy spots, especially late in the season.
• When to plant bulbs: Bulbs that flower in the spring are planted in the fall. Purchase and plant them as soon as they’re available so you get the highest quality, and they have as long a growing season as possible before blooming.

• How to plant bulbs: Generally, plant bulbs 2 or 3 times as deep as the bulb is tall – Larger bulbs like daffodils are planted up to 6” deep, and smaller bulbs like crocus are planted up to 4” deep. Plant the pointy side of the bulb facing upwards (or with any visible roots facing down).  If you can’t tell (as with anemone), simply plant the bulb on its side, and the bulb’s roots and shoots will find their correct direction. See below for more techniques in planting masses of bulbs.
• How to care for bulbs after they flower: When the bulbs are done blooming, allow the spent flower stalk and the foliage to dry back naturally.  Wait until the foliage is crispy brown, then break them off at ground level. This enables the bulb to reabsorb the nutrients for the following season.  Cutting the foliage off too early will lessen the energy available for the next year’s bloom.

 
Planting Masses of Bulbs

• Dig a wider hole. Instead of digging separate holes for each bulb, simple dig a wider hole.  Place several of the bulbs at their recommended depth and spacing, top with soil, and water in.
• Layer the bulbs. If your space is limited, as in a container, and you have several types of bulbs, layer the bulbs. Plant the larger bulbs the deepest. Add enough soil to barely cover them.  Place the medium-sized bulbs a bit offset from the points of the larger bulbs. Barely cover with soil.  Place the smaller bulbs. 
• Top with blooming annuals. You may also want to transplant fall-blooming annuals on top to camouflage the bare soil and provide color until and while the bulbs sprout and bloom.

 
Fall-Planting Bulb Choices
Allium
Amaryllis
Anemone (Windflower)
Bearded Iris
Brodiaea (Fool’s Onion)
Camassia (Wild Hyacinth)
Chasmanthe
Chiondoxa (Glory of the Snow)
Crocus
Daffodil (Narcissus)
Daylily
Dutch Iris
Freesia
Galanthus (Snowdrop)
Hyacinth
Hyacinthoides (Wood Hyacinth, Bluebells)
Ipheion (Starflower)
Ixia (African Corn Flower, Wandflower)
Leucojum (Snowflake)
Lycoris (Spider Lily)
Muscari (Grape Hyacinth)
Nerine
Ornithogalum (Star of Bethlehem)
Ranunculus (Buttercup)
Scilla (Squill)
Tulip

Online Bulb Resources

• American Meadows - https://www.americanmeadows.com/
• Bluestone Perennials - https://www.bluestoneperennials.com/
• Brecks -                           https://www.brecks.com/
• Dutch Grown -   https://www.dutchgrown.com/
• Easy To Grow Bulbs - www.easytogrowbulbs.com
• Eden Brothers - https://www.edenbrothers.com/
• High Country Gardens - https://www.highcountrygardens.com/
• Holland Bulb Farms - https://www.hollandbulbfarms.com/
• K. van Bourgondien - https://www.dutchbulbs.com/
• White Flower Farm - https://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/

 

     I’m afraid that I’ve already had enough of this heat, partly because my tomatoes and squash and beans are pretty dried-up and crispy, despite the lack of over-the-top torrid heat and having kept everyone’s roots sufficiently moist. They’ve just run their course, and we’ve eaten all that they provided.  I haven’t replanted new tomato plants in June for several years due to the drought – which in previous history these plants produced more tomatoes through fall.  So, not having these delicious orbs to continue looking forward to, I’ve had it with my hot-weather garden.  The three remaining delights are my blooming plumerias, the figs hurrying to ripen, and the promise of cool weather to come – which means sowing seeds for winter-through-spring eating!
 
Sorting through your old seed
Assuming that you’ve kept your open packets of seeds in a dark, dry, moderate-temperature (about 70 degrees) place, most seed will still be viable for 3 or 4 years, but you may have to sow a bit more thickly than if you’re purchasing the seed new.  Exceptions are leeks (2 years), onion (1 year), and parsley (1 year).
 
Purchasing new seed
Be sure to purchase from a vendor who keeps the seed display racks indoors in the shade – as close to that dark/dry/70-degree temperature place as possible.
 
Which to Sow, and Which to Transplant?

• The general rule is to sow root crops like beets, carrots, parsnips, radishes -- directly where the crops will mature so roots can develop long straight roots. This applies also to peas, so root systems can develop deeply into soil where they’ll mature, instead of having to overcome transplant shock.
• Others – like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi, leek, lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard -- can be sown into seed trays or sixpacks to be later transplanted into larger containers once or twice before planting them into the garden where they’ll mature.  This allows you to monitor the plants so they’re more mature and well-formed when transplanted.  Because they tend to lean as they develop, you may need to bury the stem up to the first leaves to give them more stem support to grow straight; their hard cuticle will prevent any rotting.
• Many seeds – like beets, kale, leek, lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard -- will do fine whichever method you choose. 

 
Don’t soak seeds ahead of time. 

• Rather than enabling quicker germination, this softens the delicate outer seed coat, which then can break as you sow the seed, potentially letting in diseases. 
• Instead, thoroughly moisten the seedbed or row ahead of sowing, gently drop in the dry seed, pull soil over it, and water it in thoroughly.  This “melts” the soil closely to the seed, enabling the best possible germination. 
• Once the seed sprout itself breaks through the seed coat, it’s developed sufficient energy and hormones to withstand any exterior disease elements.  

 
Keep Beds Moist

• Keep seed beds or flats moist and shaded during the hottest portion of the day until the seeds germinate.
• A light mulch helps keep the soil surface from crusting, especially over tiny seeds that take a while to germinate, like carrots and parsley.

 
Sow Consecutive Crops
Sow another batch of seeds every couple of weeks through October for a succession of tender crops through the winter.  Even if some seeds don’t seem to germinate, keep repeated sowing.  Last year, I resowed my peas 3 times, and then they ALL came up!
 
See August for More Tips and Tasks
 

    Dare I say what a great relief the last couple of weeks have been, with temperatures in the high 80s instead of the forecasted 100+!  Especially since our living room air conditioner blew out three weeks ago and the new one has just been installed.  And the mornings’ overcast skies have added to the pleasure and forestalled the afternoon’s warmth. 
     The garden’s plants have felt the relief as well, with the heavily-laden tomatoes not looking wiped out at the end of each day, the beans and squash continuing their fruit sets, and the figs looking absolutely thrilled with large perky leaves and many fruits filling out.
     Taking heart with this wonderfully mild version of summer, I’ve made more sowings of beans and squash seeds to continue my current harvests and fed my tomatoes for renewed energy in putting out more blossoms.   
     And, dare of dares that this pleasant weather will continue for at least a while, I’ve transplanted several native milkweed plants -- Asclepias speciosa 'Davis', Asclepias speciosa ‘Showy’, Asclepias syriaca ‘Virginia Silk’, Asclepias fascicularis ‘Narrow Leaved’, and Asclepias physocarpa ‘Family Jewels Tree’. 
     All of these milkweeds are available online at Annie's Annuals & Perennials.  Although located in Richmond, on the “warm” side of the San Francisco Bay, I’ve found it to be an excellent source of 4-inch pots of a tremendous variety of plants that thrive in Southern California.  I heartedly recommend getting onto its mailing list to receive notice when your wishlist items become available.
 
Veggie Problems?

• See my 3/14/21 blog if you’re having problems with any remaining cool-season plants, including asparagus, beets, carrots, celery, lettuce, onion family (chives, garlic, leek, onion, shallot), peas, radishes, and spinach.  If you had any of these problems in the past, these notes will also help you prepare for the upcoming planting season.
• See my 3/28/21 blog if you’re having problems with any warm-season plants, including beans, corn, cucumber family (cucumbers, pumpkins, squash), melons (honeydew, muskmelon, watermelon), peppers and eggplants, sweet potatoes, and white potatoes.

 
My Search Bar
Whatever issues you may be curious about, type in terms or phrases into my Search Bar on my Blog page, on the right side, above “Archives”.  Lots of referrals will come up for you to explore.
 
More July Tips
See July.
 

     In my Pasadena area garden, we’ve been lucky enough to escape the over-100-degree heat that other Southern California areas are suffering through, with our temperatures getting only into the high 80s and low 90s – the top edge where we can still leave the windows and doors open and enjoy our iced tea without the ice melting immediately.  To add to the delight, our summer harvests have begun.
 
Tomatoes Are Ripening

• Cherry-sized harvest started back on May 29 with Sungold, and we’ve harvested 334 since then from two plants.  Since June 12, I’ve picked 22 Black Cherry.  Just yesterday, we also picked 6 Jaune Flamme, 1 Brad’s Atomic Grape, and 5 Isis Candy.
• Big-sized fruit harvest started with 3 Black Krim on June 12.  My three Celebrity plants are loaded with fruit turning red, and I’ve picked 9 so far.
• Black Krim has harvested 3 fruits.  I do love their slightly-salted and sweet flavor.
• For the perfectly-ripe tomato, wait to pick them until they gently “give” a bit when you exert slight pressure as you cup each in your hand.
• Be sure to keep your tomatoes well watered deeply.  A bit of droopy foliage at night is to be expected after a hot day, but if it’s still droopy in the morning, water immediately.

    
Crookneck Squash

• I do love my small crookneck squash.  Picked when they’re barely 5 inches long, their delicate flavor and perky yellow color, steamed till barely “squashy” and a small dollop of butter is just heaven.  I’ve enjoyed them so much this simple way that my Mom made them, that I’ve never wanted to “waste” them by preparing them any other way – and it’s been some 65 years!  I must admit though that I more enjoy the globe portion, and I freeze the solid neck portion and the cooking water for later use in soups and stews.
• This year, I’m growing 5 varieties to compare plant growth rates, fruit set, and flavor distinctions – Butter Dish, Dixie Hybrid, Early Prolific, and Pic ‘N’ Pic.

 
Green and Yellow and Purple Beans

• Over the years, I’ve tried every bush and pole bean variety I could find.  After a couple of years, I narrowed my choices to the stringless ones.  This avoids the nuisance of keeping track of which kind you’re harvesting each time so you know which to remove the string so it doesn’t get stuck in your teeth when you’re eating
• Bush varieties grow only about two feet tall, can be kept from sprawling with cages, and bear many pods over a period of two to three weeks if kept well watered and picked every other day or so.
• Pole varieties can grow more than six feet tall so definitely need tall cages, will continue bearing for a month or more but with fewer pods each time. 
• This year, I’ve grown these bush varieties:  Blue Lake, Cherokee Wax, Contender, Gold Rush, Golden Wax Improved, Provider, Rolande, Roc ‘d Or, Royalty Purple Pod, Stringless Green Pod, and Weekend.
• I’ve been very pleased with the full growth and heavy yields of the Blue Lake, Cherokee Wax, Contender, and Royalty Purple Pod varieties. 
• As a note to new cooks puzzled with how long to simmer beans, Royalty Purple Pod beans turn green when they’re sufficiently cooked, so are an excellent timing cue.
• I’m also growing these pole varieties:  Asparagus Yard Long, Chinese Red Noodle, and Orient Wonder.  Planted at the same time as the bush varieties, they’re still growing and haven’t set any beans yet. 

 
Peppers

• My plants from a year ago continue to bear fruits in several colors - why I purchase the six-pack with one plant of each color - though smaller.

Chard

• My several chard plants are finally bolting (going to seed) after harvesting them since October.  The leaves are thicker than they were during the spring, but still usable, and they haven’t gone bitter the way bolting lettuce does.  My husband likes the chard best mixed with lettuce in raw salads, whereas I like them better sauteed with leeks and added to my breakfast burritos. 
• At the end of the month, I’ll start more chard seeds in trays and in my beds, and hope to transplant them the month after that for another year-long harvest. 
• For those of you who’re in cooler climes, starting new chard seeds and the other veggies in my July Monthly Column should work fine since you won’t have the blasting heat of July and August to deal with.

 
Cucumbers

• Since the drought started several years ago, I haven't grown cucumbers because they take too much water for the number of cukes to harvest, and the ones that do result many times are bitter just because that gene gets concentrated due to insufficient water.

See July for more tasks and opportunities

     With several over-90-degree days, including a couple of over-100-degree days starting next Monday, this weekend is the time to water deeply and have some shadecloth on hand.  Since our garden plants and trees have been blithely growing with nary a day of harsh conditions until now, they’ll be shocked to suddenly have to endure these coming days.  So, the more water and shade you can provide them ahead of time, the better they’ll be able to handle those stressful conditions when they occur.       
    Here’s how to help your plants survive the onslaught and continue thriving afterwards.
 
Plants Shut Down Above 100 Degrees

• Plants stop functioning during torrid heat, going into self-preservation mode where leaves stop transpiring so they won’t evaporate too much moisture, and roots stop absorbing moisture because the leaves can’t get rid of it.  So the plant just sits there to wait out the extreme conditions.
• It’s better to water plants well before the heat hits so the soil is thoroughly moist but well drained so roots have access to both moisture and air.
• If you water during the extensive heat, you run the risk of drowning the plant because it can’t absorb the moisture through the roots or release it through the leaves.
• Plants will resume functioning once the temperatures lower down to at least 85 degrees for several days up to 2 weeks.  This includes setting new blossoms on tomatoes, so hopefully you’ve already had a good fruitset on plants before this heat so they’ll be ripening before new blossoms set.

 
Hold Off On Planting Anything
     Existing plants, whether already in the garden or still in their storebought containers, will be dealing with more than enough stress just making it through these several days of suddenly-hot temperatures, so no need to inflict even more stress by transplanting new plants.  Do keep them in a lightly shaded area until temperatures lower and you can proceed with transplanting them. 
 
Hold Off On Pruning Anything
     Trimming is a shock to plants, so even if bloomed-out plants are shabby looking, leave them alone until the air temperatures lower back down into the mid-80s. When plants are comfortably growing again, do your light trimming. 

Afternoon Is The Worst Time of Day
From about 2 to 6pm is the most intensely hot direct sun, so provide some protection to plants during that time. 

• Lightweight shade cloth is generally available at nurseries and online. 
• Even cheesecloth or paper bags will serve nicely. 
• Clothespins or other clips will anchor the fabric or paper so it doesn’t blow away.

 
Move Containers Into Afternoon Shade

• By their very nature, container plants need considerable attention since they’re captive in their containers and so can be victims of what seem to be minimal changes in their environment. 
• You may have to water them every day – or even more frequently – just to keep the potting soil moist.
• Moving them into afternoon shade will help them moderate the damaging effects of the too-intense sun and extreme heat.

 

Four different colors of epiphyllum.

Aren’t we lucky -- we’re still experiencing warm but mild spring weather!  We’ve made it through May with nary a hot day over 90 degrees, much less our week of over 100-degrees that has plagued us in the past.  But, those over-90 degree days are forecast for this coming week, so we’ll see what’s to come later in the month.  As long as we continue to have this glorious spring weather with just enough heat to keep the tomatoes happily growing and sweetly ripening their fruits, I’m in heaven!
 
Continue Sowing and Transplanting

• In the hopes of continuing nice weather for at least a couple of weeks, it’s worth continuing to sow more seeds and transplant more seedlings of veggies and flowers so they’ll get settled in nicely before getting blasted with the coming summer heat.
• Do make a point of choosing heat-tolerant and bolt-resistant vegetable varieties to assure that you truly do get a crop to enjoy before they move on to setting seed.
• Choose transplants that aren't rootbound.  They'll have to spend too much effort trying to reach out into the soil to get established, and may not even manage it before the heat hits.
• Gently loosen the rootballs of transplants before planting them so roots can quickly reach out into surrounding soil to establish themselves and access moisture and fertilizer.
• Transplant them closely enough so that the leaves of the mature plants will shade the soil between the plants. This will keep plant roots cooler, and there's less evaporation, so you'll have to water less.
• Provide transplants with light shade for at least a week, and keep them evenly moist so the roots can reestablish themselves and begin putting out new growth.

 
Corn

• If you’re a beginning gardener and have a block of garden space of at least 4 feet by 4 feet, I urge you to grow corn, just for the experience.  You probably won’t get a great crop because the ears won’t completely fill out due to incomplete pollination and fertilization, and it’ll take a long time to get one or two ears per stalk.  The process just takes up too much garden space for too long to get too little to eat. But then you’ll know the process and consequently appreciate even more buying your corn at the farmers market!
• Sow seed no later than this month.  If sown later, they'll likely develop big grey and black puffy fungus in place of kernels when harvested in the fall.  However, like regular mushrooms (also a fungus), they make a tasty addition to omelettes.  Your choice to appreciate it or not!

 
Get More Tomato Fruits

• When tomato blossoms appear, you can help spread the sticky pollen easily by flicking each bloom during the driest part of the day. Big plants can be taken care of with one or two shakes while holding onto their cages or stakes.
• I accomplish this simply every time I water each plant by tucking more of the branches under the rungs of the cages.  Just moving all this foliage every other day or so makes the magic happen as new blossoms appear.
• When blossoms appear, fertilize your plants so they have the nutrition to support all the foliage, keep producing blossoms, setting fruit, and ripening the fruit.  Big fruits may take a good 30-45 days to mature.
• If your garden gets good air circulation, allow foliage to grow as it will – more foliage means more photosynthesis for more energy, and shade for developing fruit.
• If your garden doesn’t get much air circulation, or gets a lot of air moisture like toward the coast, you may want to do some pruning of interior growth so diseases don’t get a foothold in the crowded foliage.

Root Cuttings of Ornamentals

• Now’s a great time to root cuttings of firm green and woody branches, including azalea, chrysanthemum, carnation, fuchsia, geranium, hydrangea, loquat and succulents.
• Choose growth that is somewhat woody and not still bright green and pliable.
• Cut a five- or six- inch piece, and strip off all of the leaves but the tiny young top growth and one or two well-developed more mature leaves.
• Place the cutting in light, sandy soil or planting mix up to the bottom leaf.
• Sprinkle the foliage and thoroughly wet the soil mixture.
• Provide filtered light in a sheltered location and keep the soil mix moist but not soggy until the rootings are well-established and new foliage appears in about a month.
• Gently tug on the rooted seedling, and when it gives resistance, gently remove the potting mix to see whether it has several new white roots.
• If it does, transplant it to its permanent home.
• If it doesn’t, repot it and water it in for further growth and checking in another month.

 
For more garden tasks, see June.