Sowing Seeds in the Inland Summer Garden

When a summer rain storm falls on our inland mediterranean garden, as we recently experienced, it rarely produces enough moisture to replace a regular, scheduled irrigation program. 

The I provided in my last column can still be useful, modifying the run times to suit individual plant needs.

You still have time to make a final planting of annual summer maturing vegetables from seed, to grow fresh, nutrituous food to supplement your dinner table. 

Bush beans, cucumbers, oakleaf lettuce, New Zealand spinach, and summer squash sown now in prepared beds or containers will be ready to harvest by fall.

Here are some other edibles to plant now through early fall for a harvest between winter and spring of 2012:

• Beets 
• Brussels Sprouts 
• Broccoli
• Cabbages
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Chard
• Endive
• Escarole
• Garlic
• Kale
• Kohlrabi
• Leeks
• Onion
• Parsley
• Peas
• White Potatoes
• Radishes
• Shallots
• and Spinach 

The for a colorful fall and winter garden is even more extensive.

When planting, amend the growing beds or containers with a quality compost and either a slow-release vegetable or flower fertilizer.

Apply a thin layer of mulch and maintain even moisture until it's time to thin the the seedlings and mulch to maintain moisture and prevent weed germination. You will reap the bounty and beauty of your labor for months to come!

Next week, learn which flowers, shrubs, and trees to plant now for fall color as well as other timely garden tasks.