What to do in the garden this week, what is ripe, and the weather that will decide both.
The growing week
This week: sunny, highs around 97°F and lows around 55°F.
Heat: highs near 97°F — water deeply and shade new transplants.
In the garden now
Garlic, cover crops and strawberries as the rains return
Plant garlic cloves point up, about four inches apart under an inch of soil. Now for a May or June lifting, when half the tops have fallen. Mulch with two to four inches of compost or straw. UC Master Gardeners of Sonoma County
Feed fruit trees around the drip line; citrus takes its own blend. A tablespoon of Epsom salts goes in with the citrus feed. Ease the rates back if the rainfall outlook is poor. UC Master Gardeners of Sonoma County
The rest of the month, and the whole year, is in the garden calendar.
At the farm stands
In October, look for apples, pears, winter squash, pumpkins, grapes, persimmons, pomegranates, and the last tomatoes.
Garden tasks come from the UC Master Gardener Program of Sonoma County and UC Integrated Pest Management, each linked to its source. Growing weather is from the National Weather Service. Your own microclimate — valley floor or hillside — will vary.