October Tips & Events for Santa Clara County
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“Gardening imparts an organic perspective on the passage of time.
”
— William Cowper
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Fall Garden Market
Join us for our
Fall Garden Market
at the Martial Cottle Park Harvest Festival on October 6, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. We will have talks by UC Master Gardeners, children’s activities, a Green Elephant sale, an “Ask a Master Gardener” booth, and hundreds of winter vegetable & flowers seedlings and succulents for sale! Arrive early for best selection.
Additional vegetable seedling sale: Saturday, October 13, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
at Guglielmo Winery
in Morgan Hill
Photo: lettuce seedlings, by Allen Buchinski
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Nature Knows
Nature has been successfully taking care of plants for 700 million years. We are most successful in our gardening when we mimic nature rather than fight against it. Finding out the origin of the plants you choose and trying to meet the native conditions will produce a healthier plant. Did your plant originate in the desert? Then it calls for full sun and sandy soil. Is it originally a forest understory plant? It needs shade, perhaps on the north side of your house. For us, the easiest choice is California native plants which have evolved with our local climate, local soils, and local pollinators.
Photo: Berger Native Garden, by Rebecca Schoenenberger
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Fire Protection
Wildfires are a fact of life in California. A little fire may be okay if you’re a redwood tree with fire-resistant bark and with cones that need heat to release their seeds. But to protect people and homes, there are some steps we can take as gardeners, especially on property near the foothills or other vulnerable areas. Grow plants that hold moisture, clear brush and any dead plants or plant parts, and space plants so that they do not easily spread flames.
Illustration courtesy of CALFIRE, Zone 1 30', Zone 2 30–100'
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Wildflowers
Wildflower seeds planted now will start growing with the winter rains and produce blooms in late winter and early spring. Scatter them over an area and just minimally mix or cover with soil. Make sure the area is free of weeds to reduce competition for moisture and space. Some favorites are lupines, clarkia, and our official state flower, the California Poppy. They can be planted individually or as a blend. And if allowed to go to seed, they will return year after year.
Photo: Yellow lupine and California poppies at Martial Cottle Park, by Hank Morales
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Prickly Pear Cactus
Prickly pear cactus can be seen loaded with bright red fruit right now. Both the pads (nopales) and fruits (tunas) have a variety of culinary and medicinal uses. Take great care when harvesting the spiny plant parts: wear thick gloves and hold them with tongs while slicing off pads or twisting off fruit. The plants are easy to propagate. You can cut off a pad, let it sit for a week or two to callous over the cut, then just stick it in the ground, one inch deep, with the cut side down. They do best in sun with little if any supplemental water.
Photo by Laura Monczynski
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Garlic
Living in the land of the Gilroy Garlic Festival, we know that peak harvest is in July. Yet this month and next are the best times for planting pungent garlic. Choose healthy bulbs or heads of garlic and gently break them apart. Select the largest cloves; do not peel. Add compost to well-drained soil. Plant the cloves six inches apart and about an inch below the soil surface, with the pointy side up. Water them lightly until the winter rains start. You can buy garlic specifically for planting or you can take your chances with garlic from the produce section.
Photo by Laura Monczynski
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Visit or subscribe to
our blog
for longer articles on seasonal topics
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Upcoming Events
We offer lots of free or low-cost gardening talks, workshops, and courses all over the county, as well as hosting information tables at many community events. Please join us and bring your questions!
Palo Alto Demo Garden Open Saturdays from 10 a.m.–noon (May–Oct)
Come see what we're growing at our
edible and water-wise gardens
and get answers to your gardening questions. Feel free to bring plant pests or disease samples for identification. We're located at Eleanor Pardee Community Gardens, on Center Road near Martin Street,
Palo Alto
(v
iew map
).
Sat, Oct 13, 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.,
Seed Day 2018
, Rancho Rinconada Pk & Rec Ctr, 18000 Chelmsford Ave,
Cupertino
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Have a gardening question? Contact our Hotline (for Santa Clara County residents). Start by reviewing our plant
problem diagnosis tips
.
The University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Santa Clara County Master Gardener Program volunteers are trained under the auspices of the UCCE. Our mission is to promote sustainable gardening practices by providing up-to-date, research-based horticultural information to home gardeners.
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University policy is intended to be consistent with the provisions of applicable State and Federal laws.
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