4 Tasks Every California Gardener Should Do This Week

Many gardeners in California’s coastal areas and inland valleys will be heading to their yards in the next few days. Here are four tasks each should have on a to-do list:

Monitor. Monitor plants regularly, at least every other day during warm weather and every day during hot weather to catch wilting, irrigation, pest, disease, weed, and other problems early. Maintain or add mulch.

Harvest. Harvest thinnings and spring crops. Harvest more aggressively before heat waves, including whole plants or all vegetables for cool-season crops such as arugula, basil, beets, red-or-multi-colored chard, lettuce and spinach. Cut off expired plant stems at ground level after harvest or as plants die, leaving roots in place to feed soil.

Feed. Gardeners in warmer inland valleys should use caution when adding nitrogen in the weeks before the full heat of summer arrives. Gardeners in areas of coastal influence may add nitrogen as appropriate for each plant.

Water. Provide consistent soil moisture and shade during heat waves to extend harvests.

To view customized growing information for your area, go to GardenZeus and enter your zip code, then go to plant in which you are interested. Related articles of interest include GardenZeus Tips for Shading Vegetables During Hot Weather and The GardenZeus Guide to Watering Cucumbers, Melons and Squash (Cucurbits).