A houseplant is simply an outdoor plant brought inside. Light requirements vary for indoor plants, but most of them will not tolerate direct summer sun.
Tasks:
• Check drip emitters to adjust flow and unclog them if needed.
• Lightly trim lavenders after they have finished flowering to keep them compact.
• Support any heavily laden branches of fruit and nut trees.
• Water citrus, being careful not to overwater. Continuously wet soil in the upper few inches risks root rot.
Pruning:
• Deadhead roses, remove suckers and unwanted branches, and prune to improve air circulation.
• Divide iris every two or three years and replant new rhizomes.
Fertilizing:
• Lightly fertilize annuals and roses for fall bloom.
Planting:
• Any planting this month (including trees and shrubs) will require adequate water and sun protection.
• Bulbs, corms, tubers: Watsonia.
• Fruits and vegetables: lettuce, mustard, peas, potatoes, spinach, Swiss chard, turnips (plant from seed).
Enjoy now:
• Annuals and perennials: petunia, annual phlox (Phlox drummondii), moss rose (Portulaca), sage (Salvia), Stokes’ aster (Stokesia), verbena, zinnia.
• Bulbs, corms, tubers: lily (Lilium asiatic hybrid).
• Trees, shrubs, vines: desert willow (Chilopsis), rose, chaste tree (Vitex).
• Fruits and vegetables: cantaloupe, plum, tomato, tomatillo, squash.
Things to ponder:
• Do not allow vegetables to dry out — but do not overwater either. A consistent, even supply of moisture prevents bitterness in cucumbers and cracking and poor fruit quality in tomatoes.
• Standing water, even in the very smallest container, can be a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
• Browse fall catalogues or websites to order seeds and bulbs for winter and spring.
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Source: Adapted from A Gardener’s Companion for the Central San Joaquin Valley, 3rd edition, currently available from Fresno County Master Gardeners for $30. These can be purchased at our demonstration garden — Garden of the Sun, 1750 N Winery (McKinley/Winery), open Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9 a.m. to Noon, and via email at mgfresno@ucanr.edu. Gardening questions answered as well at mgfresno@ucanr.edu. Prepared by Terry Lewis, Master Gardener UCCE Fresno County.