Fall Planting Tips for the San Diego Area

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Fall, especially October and November, is prime planting time for native plants and most perennials.

Remove fading summer plants.

Add compost to your soil, and mulch on top. Keep the mulch a few inches away from tree trucks, as they are especially susceptible to fungal infections when they stay too damp.

Plant cool season vegetables:

Brassicas, such as broccoli, kale, cabbage, and cauliflower.

Root veggies, including beets, carrots, rutabaga, and garlic.

Leafy veggies, such as lettuce, spinach, and chard.

Peas and fava beans.

Flowers, such as California poppies, marigolds, snap dragons, stock, sweet peas, and pansies.

For a more detailed planting guide go to Master Gardener planting guide.

Summer Garden Tips

kids and carrots

Maintain a thick layer of mulch around plants to hold in moisture and suppress weeds.

Warm season vegetable seedlings (tomatoes, squash, peppers, eggplant) and seeds (corn, beans) can still be put into the ground through July for fall harvest.

Plant Brassica family seeds (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower) in August for winter harvest.

Carrots, beets, and turnips can be planted by seed all summer.

(Thank you to California Gardening Magazine, published by the San Diego Floral Association for wonderful seasonal gardening information.)

For a more detailed planting guide, go to Master Gardener planting guide.

Winter Gardening Tips

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Winter Veggies

Winter Veggies

1. Plant cool season vegetables which include beets, carrots, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, lettuce, peas, radishes, turnips, white potatoes.

2. Plant any of these flowers California poppy, dianthus, larkspur, marigold, snapdragon, stock, sweet pea, and pansies.

3. Plant seeds for dill, oregano, and parsley.

4. Plant bare root varieties of roses, fruit trees, rhubarb, and cane berries.

5. Prune roses and stone fruit trees.

6. Pull weeds before they flower and spread their seeds.

7. Take out old tomato, squash, and pepper plants and compost them. This helps control deceases and pests.

Bugs

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1. If snails, slugs and sow bugs are a problem, surround young plants with a dusting of diatomaceous earth, or crushed egg shells.

2. Looking for a great pet? Ducks love to eat snails, slugs, and sow bugs!

3. Aphids can be washed off with a strong spray of water. Repeat every few days until the bugs no longer reappear.