September Tips & Events for Santa Clara County
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“Someone's sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago."
— Warren Buffett
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Asian Vegetables
You can easily grow some vegetables used in different types of Asian cuisine and found in Asian markets. They are not necessarily native to Asia but have found their way into various cuisines. One way to decide which food to grow yourself is to choose varieties that aren't readily available or are more expensive in your local markets. It’s also fun to impress your family, friends, and neighbors with something they may not have seen growing before. Possibilities include sesame seeds, bittermelon, daikon radishes, gai choy, and opo. You can start cruciferous vegetables such as bok choy and Napa cabbage from seed now.
Photo: Sesame pods, by Barbara Williams-Sheng
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Oleander
These plants are obviously not terribly picky about conditions if they live and thrive in freeway medians. Oleander are drought tolerant once established. They rarely, if ever, need to be fertilized in our local soils or sprayed or pruned. But if you want to prune them to fit into a small yard space or to make them look like a tree rather than a bush, you can do so now. As with all pruning, first cut out any dead or dying branches. Then cut any that are deformed or growing in an undesirable direction. After that you can prune for size and shape. Cut it back to a little smaller than the size you ultimately want, keeping in mind that it will regrow. Take care not to prune off more than one third of the plant at a time. Make cuts above nodes that face out in the direction in which you want new growth to go. All parts of the plant are poisonous so do not eat it, burn it, or work on it without gloves. The good news is that this latter quality makes it deer resistant.
Photo by Allen Buchinski
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Powdery Mildew
Many plants are susceptible to
powdery mildew
, and different strains of the fungus attack different families of plants. It occurs on plants as varied as crape myrtle, roses, grapes, and squash. Unlike most other fungi, it does not need moisture to thrive. We tend to see a lot of it in September as we still have warm dry days, yet the nights are starting to cool off. Early symptoms include yellow chlorotic spots on the leaves. The presence of the fungus becomes obvious as it starts to produce spores that look like white powder on leaves and sometimes on fruit. Eventually the leaves will turn brown and dry. Some strategies for dealing with powdery mildew are planting resistant varieties, washing off powder in the mornings, using sulfur sprays (careful with edibles), and removing affected parts.
More Information about powdery mildew on:
Photo: powdery mildew on grape leaf, UC image by Jack Kelly Clark
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Ornamental Trees and Bushes
Spring is when thoughts turn to planting, yet fall is an excellent time to plant perennials. You can plant many trees, shrubs, and other long-lasting plants now. This applies particularly well to California native plants. Putting them in now will give them a chance to start developing strong root systems with the winter rains, before they are stressed by summer heat. When choosing plants, consider our general Mediterranean climate as well as the microclimate of your yard. Sun times, water needs, wind exposure, and soil type can all impact the success of a plant. Make sure you know how large the plant will become, even if it looks innocent now in a one gallon or five gallon container.
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Illustration: Planting a Tree from a Container: California Master Gardener Handbook v2
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Invasive Plants
Plants not native to a particular area that are either planted on purpose or hitchhike in can escape into the wild and disrupt existing habitats. They can displace native plants and therefore the native wildlife that depend on those native plants for survival. They can also do significant environmental and economic damage. You are probably already aware of the risks if you live near open space or a sensitive ecosystem. Yet closed-in backyards in an urban or suburban area can also contribute to the problem. Remember that birds and animals can carry seeds long distances. With just a little research you can avoid using plants that are unfriendly to the Bay Area. The California Invasive Plant Council (Cal-IPC)
Don’t Plant a Pest!
website will help you find alternatives to common invasive plants.
Photo: Scotch broom growing in Sanborn County Park, by Allen Buchinski
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Fall Garden Market
There are many reasons to start vegetables from transplants. They will be bigger and stronger when they go into the ground and are therefore less likely to be eaten by critters. They can stay in their pots, or be potted up into larger pots, while you continue to enjoy your current harvest. And buying them at the Master Gardeners Fall Garden Market will give you access to varieties not seen in local nurseries. You will also help support the programs the Master Gardeners offer to the gardening public all year long. We hope that you will enjoy the cool season vegetables we have seeded for you, and also the Master Gardener classes and workshops, research and demonstration gardens, help desk, and various events offered throughout the county. The 2019 Fall Garden Market will take place Saturday, October 5, 10:00-3:00, at Martial Cottle Park in San Jose.
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Visit or subscribe to
our blog
for longer articles on seasonal topics
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Upcoming Events
We offer 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, Sep 07, 10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.,
Compost!
, Palo Alto Demonstration Garden, 851 Center Dr,
Palo Alto
Sun, Sep 08, 2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m.,
Saving Seeds
, Eddie Souza Community Garden, Monroe and San Thomas Expressway,
Santa Clara
Tue, Sep 10, 7:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m.,
Growing Garlic
, Campbell Library, 77 Harrison Ave,
Campbell
Sat, Sep 21, 11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.,
Saving Vegetable Seeds
, Berryessa Library Community Room, 3355 Noble Ave,
San Jose
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Have a gardening question? Contact our Help Desk (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.
The University of California prohibits discrimination or harassment of any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy (including childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth), physical or mental disability, medical condition (cancer-related or genetic characteristics), ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, citizenship, or status as a covered veteran (covered veterans are special disabled veterans, recently separated veterans, Vietnam era veterans, or any other veterans who served on active duty during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized) in any of its programs or activities.
University policy is intended to be consistent with the provisions of applicable State and Federal laws.
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