Hi all, I've just found this place and I have a few questions. I live in Long Beach (near Los Angeles). I'm new to gardening (I haven't grown anything for about 8 years so I forgot most everything).
I think I'm a bit late to the party with this one. I just got my hands on some area to plant so I'm wondering if there is anything I can start planting now. I've currently got a few tomatoes, peppers, basil, chives, mint, parsley, cilantro and rosemary. I'd like to get some zucchinis, cucumbers, and lettuce started but I'm not sure if I've missed the game.
I'd also like to get some more tomatoes and pepper plants started but how many does one person need?
Thanks for your help,
Cody
-
rainbowgardener
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 25279
- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
- Location: TN/GA 7b
It isn't so late there for you in southern california with your pretty much year around growing season. For the lettuce at this point it is too early. Lettuce is a cool weather crop, that doesn't like the heat. You could probably plant it in October and it will be done by March.
But you can still go for the summer stuff like zucchini and cucumbers.
If you have a few tomato plants and they are indeterminate varieties, that just keep growing and producing, (these are the commonest ones) then you are probably fine, unless you really want to get in to canning, etc. Once they get going, they make a lot of tomatoes.
However while tomatoes like it warm and sunny, they really don't like it HOT. Above 85 they take a lot of watering and above 100 they quit producing. You can look for more heat tolerant varieties (they generally have names like sunmaster, solar set). Shade cloth over them would help. Or you can just start more later. If it is really hot and sunny there, fall might be a better time for growing them.
Here's a link to planting schedule for zones 9 and 10
https://www.thevegetablegarden.info/resources/planting-schedules/zones-9-10-planting-schedule
But you can still go for the summer stuff like zucchini and cucumbers.
If you have a few tomato plants and they are indeterminate varieties, that just keep growing and producing, (these are the commonest ones) then you are probably fine, unless you really want to get in to canning, etc. Once they get going, they make a lot of tomatoes.
However while tomatoes like it warm and sunny, they really don't like it HOT. Above 85 they take a lot of watering and above 100 they quit producing. You can look for more heat tolerant varieties (they generally have names like sunmaster, solar set). Shade cloth over them would help. Or you can just start more later. If it is really hot and sunny there, fall might be a better time for growing them.
Here's a link to planting schedule for zones 9 and 10
https://www.thevegetablegarden.info/resources/planting-schedules/zones-9-10-planting-schedule
The best guide I've found for gardening in California (and other states/provinces in the western continent) is the Sunset Western Garden Book.
The USDA Hardiness Zones tell us which plants won't survive the winter; Sunset tells us which plants are most likely to survive the spring/summer/fall growing season.
The Sunset climate zone system recognizes 29 climate zones in its area of interest, whereas there are only 11 USDA Hardiness Zones in the entire North American continent.
For example, Long Beach is shown lying on the boundary between Sunset climate zones 22 and 24, so the characteristics of your garden could share between the two or, due to the direction your house faces and other micro-climate considerations, it could be fully in one zone or the other.
Zone 22: "Cold-Winter Portions of Southern California's Coastal Climate"
Zone 24: "Marine Influence Along the Southern California Coast"
Sunset gives two or three paragraphs of description, together with maximum and minimum temps for the last 20 years, and a graphic showing the growing season, as well as a photograph of typical plants. In the listing of plants (which is the lion's share of the book), the zones in which each plant will thrive are provided. You can readily discover which plants are most likely to succeed in your climate zone, which gives you a head start on the inevitable "trial and error" aspect of gardening.
Take a look at the Western Garden Book at your local library (free!), garden-supply store, or perhaps hardware store.
When I moved here from Georgia after college, Sunset was the only book I could find that explained gardening "out here" in a way I could understand. I still use it frequently; it's beginner friendly as well as experienced friendly.
Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9
The USDA Hardiness Zones tell us which plants won't survive the winter; Sunset tells us which plants are most likely to survive the spring/summer/fall growing season.
The Sunset climate zone system recognizes 29 climate zones in its area of interest, whereas there are only 11 USDA Hardiness Zones in the entire North American continent.
For example, Long Beach is shown lying on the boundary between Sunset climate zones 22 and 24, so the characteristics of your garden could share between the two or, due to the direction your house faces and other micro-climate considerations, it could be fully in one zone or the other.
Zone 22: "Cold-Winter Portions of Southern California's Coastal Climate"
Zone 24: "Marine Influence Along the Southern California Coast"
Sunset gives two or three paragraphs of description, together with maximum and minimum temps for the last 20 years, and a graphic showing the growing season, as well as a photograph of typical plants. In the listing of plants (which is the lion's share of the book), the zones in which each plant will thrive are provided. You can readily discover which plants are most likely to succeed in your climate zone, which gives you a head start on the inevitable "trial and error" aspect of gardening.
Take a look at the Western Garden Book at your local library (free!), garden-supply store, or perhaps hardware store.
When I moved here from Georgia after college, Sunset was the only book I could find that explained gardening "out here" in a way I could understand. I still use it frequently; it's beginner friendly as well as experienced friendly.
Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9