California zone 7 what to put in my fall/winter garden
- Thread starter dinnertym
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digitS'
Garden Master
I took a look at USDA map for zone 7 in California and am left thinking that it would be north of Redding, maybe. Probably about the same as the Rogue River Valley where I grew up. I'm fairly sure that Medford is considered a zone 7. If I'm wrong just ignore what I have to say . . .
We would not have been planting anything in the way of an annual in the garden this late.
You can look at what Sunset suggests for northern California/southern Oregon in September (click). And, what they suggest for October (click). The only mention of vegetables in October has to do with clean-up.
Sunset has a number of plant starts and seeds that they say are good choices for September but that is now over 3 weeks past.
Unless you can be a little more specific and have a TEG gardener with nearby experience, I don't see a whole lot of reason to encourage planting much anything in a vegetable garden at this time of year.
Steve :/
We would not have been planting anything in the way of an annual in the garden this late.
You can look at what Sunset suggests for northern California/southern Oregon in September (click). And, what they suggest for October (click). The only mention of vegetables in October has to do with clean-up.
Sunset has a number of plant starts and seeds that they say are good choices for September but that is now over 3 weeks past.
Unless you can be a little more specific and have a TEG gardener with nearby experience, I don't see a whole lot of reason to encourage planting much anything in a vegetable garden at this time of year.
Steve :/
Ridgerunner
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Those zones are just real general approximations. There can be a lot of difference in your zone 7 and someone elses. That's why all gardening is local. There can be so much difference in other things, especially moisture, that it makes it hard to really recommend much to others, especially at this rather delicate time of year.
I know it does not really promote this forum, but this is the type of thing that it would really be nice to get local input. Maybe tie up with a local Master Gardener for suggestions? You can probably find one through your county extension agent, in the phone book under county government.
All that said, now is probably a good time to plant garlic. It may not send up any sprouts this late but the roots will position themselves for growth early next spring. You might have some luck with leaf lettuce or maybe mesclun, but that would almost certainly need to be in a cold frame, and even that will be tricky. Mustard and turnips are good cool weather crops, but it may be too late for yiou to get them started.
It's just too late to plant much of anything this year. For me, most of the fall/winter stuff needs to be planted in late August or at the latest, early September. For me, that means carrots, beets, cabbage, broccoli, chard, kale, and leeks. The carrots usually make and can be left in the ground over the winter if you mulch them. They keep real well in the soil, so just go get a few when you need them. Once they start growing again in the spring they turn real bitter, so use them before then. The beets are for greens, they probably won't make beetroot. You can harvest the cabbage and broccoli with some luck, though sometimes an early hard freeze gets me. They can handle a light frost but I always cover them if any frost or freeze is forecast. Leeks, like the garlic, are planted for harvest next year. You will probably get some chard and kale that fall, but if you mulch it pretty good and protect it from the hard freezes, it should live through the winter and provide some really nice early greens next spring. The kale will probably bolt fairly early, but you've got some to eat on while your spring crops are growing.
This time of year for me is a good time for clean-up and preparation for next year. It's a good time to get a soils test and lime if you need to.
Due to my wet springs, I pre-prepare the area I will be planting my early spring crops. I clean any grass or weeds out of it and turn and till it if it needs it. Some areas don't. Then I spread a layer of wheat straw on this. In the spring, I usually just barely get a little time in late March or early April where it gets dry enough to get in the garden and work. If I don't prepare it in the fall, I have a lot of trouble getting the early spring stuff in before it turns wet again. My way, I just have to rake the straw off, plant it, and I have seasoned mulch ready to go.
I know it does not really promote this forum, but this is the type of thing that it would really be nice to get local input. Maybe tie up with a local Master Gardener for suggestions? You can probably find one through your county extension agent, in the phone book under county government.
All that said, now is probably a good time to plant garlic. It may not send up any sprouts this late but the roots will position themselves for growth early next spring. You might have some luck with leaf lettuce or maybe mesclun, but that would almost certainly need to be in a cold frame, and even that will be tricky. Mustard and turnips are good cool weather crops, but it may be too late for yiou to get them started.
It's just too late to plant much of anything this year. For me, most of the fall/winter stuff needs to be planted in late August or at the latest, early September. For me, that means carrots, beets, cabbage, broccoli, chard, kale, and leeks. The carrots usually make and can be left in the ground over the winter if you mulch them. They keep real well in the soil, so just go get a few when you need them. Once they start growing again in the spring they turn real bitter, so use them before then. The beets are for greens, they probably won't make beetroot. You can harvest the cabbage and broccoli with some luck, though sometimes an early hard freeze gets me. They can handle a light frost but I always cover them if any frost or freeze is forecast. Leeks, like the garlic, are planted for harvest next year. You will probably get some chard and kale that fall, but if you mulch it pretty good and protect it from the hard freezes, it should live through the winter and provide some really nice early greens next spring. The kale will probably bolt fairly early, but you've got some to eat on while your spring crops are growing.
This time of year for me is a good time for clean-up and preparation for next year. It's a good time to get a soils test and lime if you need to.
Due to my wet springs, I pre-prepare the area I will be planting my early spring crops. I clean any grass or weeds out of it and turn and till it if it needs it. Some areas don't. Then I spread a layer of wheat straw on this. In the spring, I usually just barely get a little time in late March or early April where it gets dry enough to get in the garden and work. If I don't prepare it in the fall, I have a lot of trouble getting the early spring stuff in before it turns wet again. My way, I just have to rake the straw off, plant it, and I have seasoned mulch ready to go.
