A year ago I wrote about "the blessings of glorious rain" but today it is only a vague memory.  Southern Arizona has been my home since I was a teenager and I've never seen a summer so hot and dry - even my heat loving peppers are waving the white flag!

October is the beginning of "winter vegetable season" and the seed of hope grows within us to anticipate a new crop.  As gardeners we are eternal optimists and are at our best with our hands in the soil.  We are fortunate to garden year round by rotating types of crops.  Lower temperatures will come and the nights should be noticeably cooler by month's end.

Replenish soil nutrients before you put in seeds or plants.  Plant roots can only take up nutrients that are dissolved in water and pH directly affects the solubility of a particular nutrient.  Our desert soils and water are slightly alkaline (pH above 7.0) which means our plants may not be able to get enough phosphorus and some micronutrients.  The chemical form of the nutrient is also important as in iron; iron chelate EDDHA is readily available to plant roots at our soil pH, but iron sulfate not so much.  Nitrogen, sulphur, manganese, zinc, and boron are often in short supply for plant growth and frequent watering washes the soluble nutrients away from the plant roots.  Because of this we need to reapply a soluble form of fertilizer containing both macronutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) and micronutrients (those needed in small amounts) to supply the needs of our growing plants.

The constant dryness, bright sunshine and high temperatures shrivel up organic matter, earthworms, and microorganisms in our soils.  But the regular addition of organic matter in the form of mushroom compost, steer manure, peat, and composted plant debris helps with aeration, water retention, nutrient supply, earthworms and microorganisms.  

In that newly replenished soil put transplants of cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, Swiss chard, spinach, cilantro and kale (wait on onion plants).  Put in seeds of carrots, beets, Swiss chard, kale, lettuce, spinach, cilantro, peas, radishes, kohlrabi, rutabaga, parsnips, short-day onions, and turnips.  

Insect pests like tomato hornworms and grasshoppers have been minimal this summer- but don't let your guard down yet!  A pest that warrants mentioning is the cabbage looper.  Watch those little brassicas for the tiny green caterpillars that gobble up leaves; treat with BT and be sure to wet the underside of the leaves also.  Even a few grasshoppers can devour young plants in short order; so shielding your young plants and seedlings with covers that allow light and water through is the best bet to their survival.  

Garlic goes in this month and stays in till May or June.  I've had good success with garlic from the 99 cent store, just pull it apart and bury individual cloves in the soil, point up about 2 inches apart, make sure it will receive irrigation.  Interesting varieties may be available from seed catalogs. 

Don't plant "winter squash"; that's a term for hard skinned squash that stores well but it is very frost sensitive and grows in the summer.  Also, don't plant potatoes yet; Irish potatoes will plant in February, sweet potatoes in May. 

If your tomato plants are still healthy and blooming they may begin to set fruit again in the cooler weather.