July can get too hot to spend much time outside. Early morning and late evening make working in the garden far more comfortable, but leave most of the heavy work to the plants as they produce leaves, stems, and fruit in response to all that sunlight. The best things you can do for your garden in July is irrigate properly and monitor plants for pests and diseases.


Monitoring for pests and diseases

You know what they say about an ounce of prevention. Well, here are a few helpful July ideas that work to prevent problems in the garden before they have a chance to get started:
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• Check on the undersides of leaves for pest damage, fungal growth, frass, or webbing.
• Inspect leaves for curling, galls, stippling, or wilting that can be caused by water stress, thrips, aphids, or other pests. Common summer pests include cucumber beetles, stinkbugs, squash bugs, mites, crickets and grasshoppers, and hornworm. Of course, we’re never done battling earwigs, aphids, or slugs and snails!
• Use trellises and other supports to lift melons, squash, and other produce off the ground to keep them away from pests and fungi.
• Eliminate all standing water, no matter how small. Mosquitoes can be a serious health hazard.
• Keep the compost pile decomposing properly with plenty of moisture. It should be as wet as a wrung out sponge.
• Avoid fertilizing in summer. New growth uses a lot of water and can stress a marginally healthy plant.
• Use netting, row covers, tree cages, and chicken wire to help protect plants against damage by squirrels, rats, birds, and voles.
• Be sure to harvest the fruits of your labors as soon as they are ready. Allowing ripe produce to sit only invites pests and disease, and it takes away from the delicious freshness you were looking forward to when you started your garden in the first place!

Trees

It’s all too easy to forget about the trees in your landscape, but scorching summer heat and an extended drought can be devastating. Trees are a big investment of time and space, so be sure to include them in your watering plan. The only exception is California live oaks - they are accustomed to hot, dry summers and watering them only makes them susceptible to disease.


Irrigation

There is no fixed magic formula for watering plants in the garden. There are simply too many variables, such as plant variety and age, soil structure, feeding practices, sun and wind exposure, overall plant health and life stage - you get the idea. The best way to assure that your garden plants are getting the water they need is to learn as much as you can about the specific varieties and their water needs. This information will help you to provide them with the growing conditions they need. Be sure to water tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and squash consistently, to avoid blossom end rot.


Container plants

During summer, container plants may need a drink practically every day. Just be sure to avoid overwatering - a drowning plant looks an awful lot like a plant that’s dying of thirst. An inexpensive moisture meter ($10-15) can help prevent irrigation errors. Also, be sure to get those containers up off the concrete. Even the smallest air space underneath can significantly reduce temperatures for potted plants.


Lawn

If you still have a lawn, be sure to raise the blade on your mower. Taller grass shades the ground, reducing water loss and stabilizing soil temperatures. By the end of July, your lawn will probably be brown, and that’s okay. Keep watering it. The root system will stay alive, and green shoots will come back in the fall after temperatures go down. [I use water from my washing machine with no negative results and my lawn stays green far longer.]


Basil and other heat lovers

It is finally warm enough for crops such as basil, melons, eggplant, and peppers to really thrive. These are some of my favorite plants. You can train melons up a trellis or ladder, and you can never have too much basil. If you have more than you can use fresh, simply whip up a batch of pesto and throw it in the freezer. Come January, you’ll be glad you did!


Mulch and top dressings

Summer is an excellent time to mulch unused garden areas. As it breaks down, the organic material will improve soil structure and add valuable plant nutrients. This is particularly helpful if you have compacted soil. Until it does break down, mulch stabilizes soil temperatures, reduces weed competition, and helps soil retain water. In the same way, top dressing the plants in your garden or foodscape with aged compost is a trouble-free way to add nutrients to growing plants without applying chemical fertilizers.


Fire safe gardening 

Summer fires can be devastating, but you can slow the spread of fire with fire safe gardening. Rural areas of California and other states are required, by law, to maintain a defensible space around homes. You can use the same ideas to protect your home and family:
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• remove all dead vegetation
• remove dry leaves and pine needles from the roof and rain gutters
• prune tree branches to keep them 10 feet away from your home and each other
• move patio furniture and other flammables away from trees and shrubs
• move wood piles and other flammable materials as far from the house as possible
• keep grasses mowed to 4 inches or less
• rake up fallen leaves, needles, and twigs
• create horizontal space between shrubs and trees
• create vertical space between trees, shrubs, and grass

And leave the fireworks to the pros.


As you lounge in the shade with an iced tea, remember that July is an excellent time to consider what cool season crops can be added in fall!

June is a busy month in the garden. Rising temperatures and strong growth increase the need for irrigation. Sowbugs and other pests seem to be everywhere. Fruits, flowers, and mulch are the name of the game when it comes to June garden chores.

Bees

Bees are everywhere you look, collecting pollen and nectar for their families (and pollinating nearly all of our garden crops). If you see a swarm, don’t panic. Swarming bees are surprisingly docile. Their bellies are full of honey and they are simply looking for a new home. Contact your local Bee Guild or Master Gardeners for information on swarm collection. Under no circumstances should honey bee swarms be sprayed with insecticides. 

​Be sure to put on your sunscreen, wear a hat, and keep those tools clean and sharp as you enjoy the garden in June!

April is a busy month in most gardens. With scorching summers on a not-too-distant horizon, flowers, weeds, and everything else seem to be striding toward sunlight. Cool nights may hold this rampant growth in check for another week or two, but most gardeners have plenty of April garden tasks to keep them occupied.


It’s planting time!

Temperatures are nearing or have reached the point when gardeners can plant most herbs, leafy greens, and vegetables. Lettuce, arugula, spinach, bok choy, basil, parsley, cilantro, and radishes can be planted every couple of weeks in succession for a continuous harvest until temperatures get too hot.


In warmer regions, potatoes, bush and pole beans, corn, cucumber, summer and winter squash, and tomato seeds can be planted now. Be sure to read packet directions for planting depth, spacing, and sun requirements for the best results. [If you haven't already, email me for a customized planting chart based on your USDA Hardiness Zone.]

Codling moth

Codling moth larvae can devastate apple, plum, pear, and walnut crops. The larvae pierce the fruit and burrow into its core, where it then feeds on the fruit, making it inedible. On apples, look for tiny dimples with a small hole in the center. These holes are usually filled with frass (bug poop). Trees should be monitored every week for signs of infestation. Infested fruit should be removed and discarded, to break the codling moth life cycle. Pheromone traps can be hung in isolated trees, but you need to understand that these traps attract codling moths to the tree. The traps are really a population monitoring device, not a control measure. Fruit can be bagged for protection, but this is a very labor-intensive method. Kaolin clay application is an excellent organic control method. Heavy infestations may require the use of pesticides before fruit is affected.


​Deadheading

As flowers begin blooming, you can increase production by removing spent blooms.This works equally well for roses and artichokes.  Take a look at buds further down the stem and clip just above a bud that points in the direction you want the new growth to go. Deadheading can help the plant structurally and it allows for good airflow, as well as stimulate new flower development.​


​Fungal diseases

Spring rains bring moisture that can cause many fungal diseases. Anthracnose, brown spot, powdery mildew, sooty mold, and verticillium wilt should all be watched for and treated. Many of these conditions can be avoided with pruning that allows good air flow and irrigation that does not come from overhead. Overhead watering splashes millions of fungal spores onto uninfected plants, spreading the disease (plus, it wastes water through evaporation).


Irrigation & greywater

As temperatures rise, irrigation becomes more important. Containers and raised beds will begin to dry out and need to be checked every day. If the irrigation system wasn’t inspected in March, be sure to do it now. Greywater, from sinks, washing machines, and rain barrels can be used to irrigate ornamentals and lawns. I also use water collected from the shower, as it heats up, to water edibles.


Mosquitoes

Before you get too excited about planting, take a few minutes to inspect your property for mosquito breeding grounds. Mosquito larvae can grow in as little as one tablespoon of water. Birdbaths, rain barrels, clogged rain gutters, and planter pot saucers can all harbor these pests. Mosquito dunks, also available as granular bits, contain a bacteria, Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bt.i), that is deadly to mosquito larvae but harmless against all other living things. You can also use Bt.i against fungus gnats. Mosquitofish can also be used to reduce mosquito populations.

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Mulch

To add nutrients, reduce weeds, and help retain moisture, nothing beats mulch. Wood chips and aged compost both make excellent mulch. You can request free arborist chips from local tree trimmers. To stop weeds from growing, the mulch should be 4" to 6” thick. I used to recommend a layer of cardboard or newspaper be placed underneath, but then I learned that these materials attract termites and voles. Cardboard also slows gas and water exchanges. Be sure to keep mulch at least 8” away from tree and shrub trunks, to avoid fungal diseases, such as crown rot and butt rot.


Oranges

If you have navel orange trees, the crop will be ripening in April. Oranges left on the tree too long will dry out and become inedible. Instead, harvest the entire crop by the end of the month and you can make my new favorites, Cardamom Orange Marmalade, Orange Cumin Chutney, and Spiced Oranges. Once canned, these delicious condiments make lovely gifts. You’ll want to be sure to save plenty for yourself - it’s that good!


​Valencia oranges will ripen during the summer and they make excellent juice. April is a good time to add nitrogen for orange trees. One-year-old trees will need 1/10 of a pound of nitrogen, while mature trees need approximately 1-1/2 pounds. These amounts should be divided into three different feedings in April, June, and August. Blood meal is an excellent source of nitrogen, without all the fillers.

Weeding

One of the most important April garden tasks is to get rid of those weeds. Since they can go to seed faster than everything else in the garden, removing them now will save you countless hours of work later on, in the summer.

Disease prevention

Winter and spring moisture provide the perfect habitat for many pathogens. You can prevent diseases, such as fireblight on apples, pears, quince, and loquat, with fixed copper sprays. You can also reduce the chance of powdery mildew on grapes by applying sulfur at this time.


Feed young trees

As young trees continue putting out new roots, shoots, and leaves, they will benefit from being fed in March. Check the specific species of tree for more information on how much fertilizer should be provided. Since my soil tests indicate that everything is present in abundance, except for nitrogen and iron, those are the only two I add. Money saved. Environment protected. Check.


Irrigation

Another common March task is to inspect and repair sprinklers, drip systems, and water collection systems. How do you know if you have an irrigation leak? It can be difficult to spot, especially if it is small. The most common indication is an area that gets and stays wet or green longer than everywhere else. Sprinklers should be aimed so that they do not hit tree trunks, walkways, driveways, or sidewalks. The former can cause fungal diseases and the latter creates wasteful urban drool. 


Pruning

March is also a good time to prune out dead branches and twigs from fruit and nut trees and ornamental trees and shrubs. It is easier to see the structure of each plant before it is covered with leaves. The only exception is those trees susceptible to Eutypa dieback. Pruning grapes or stone fruits, such as apricot or cherry, before the rains are completely over can create an opportunity for infection. I know it's hard to wait, but you should.​

Slugs and snails

Our warming temperatures and moisture work together to create the perfect habitat for slugs and snails. These mollusks can devastate seedlings in a single night, so be prepared. I urge you to follow the link to slugs and snails to learn more about the specific ingredients in different bait products. They are not created equally, and some can harm pets. Choose accordingly. Be on the lookout for pillbugs, too.


Soil test

If you have not conducted a soil test recently, now is the time. Find out what is in your soil before you start adding plants or fertilizer.. This will help avoid nutrient imbalances that can wreak havoc on plant health.


Weeds

Walk through your garden in March and you are sure to see weeds coming up in every location imaginable (and a few unimaginable places!). Your Number One March garden task is weeding. Since some weeds can go to seed in as little as a week, now is the time to cut them off at ground level with a hoe. Wait until later in the season and thousands of seeds will already be sown. Healthy weeds make great additions to the compost pile. Personally, I feed them to my chickens.

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​Enjoy the early blossoms!