June: What to plant in Northern California and Central Valley areas

Hi, and sorry for no posts since March. Both my parents were in and out of hospitals for the past few months. We said goodbye to Dad a few weeks ago. I'm back and hopefully will keep posting each month.
Here is what you might plant in June...

Luffa (also Loofah, plant sponge) Plant in garden.
Harvest from October

Marrow Plant in garden.
Harvest from October

Okra (also Ladyfinger, gumbo) Plant in garden.
Harvest from November.

Peas Plant in garden.
Harvest from October.

Sweet corn (also maize) Plant in garden.
Harvest from October

Sweet Potato/Kumara Plant in garden.
Harvest from November.

Let's get growing!!

PNG Grandma, I'm in Fresno

Not too late for sweet potatoes? I love them. Are they grown the same way as potatoes? That is: Cut eye sections, dry for a day, plant on top of 2" MM, then cover with 2" MM. Add MM as they grow every few inches. Use a food grade white 5-gallon bucket with bottom holes?

I'm excited and hopeful. Please let me know. Thanks, Sanderson

sanderson wrote:I'm in Fresno
Not too late for sweet potatoes? Are they grown the same way as potatoes? Thanks, Sanderson

Hi Sanderson,
I just checked on the USDA maps and they show Fresno in zone 9b, the same as for our Modesto area. However, the PlantMaps for Professional Landscapers says we're both in 9a!

I use a combination of zones 8a and 9b to cover the "Northern CA and Central Valley" areas ... both zones have similar if not exactly the same planting schedules. I would think you could plant the same things, just be sure to watch your watering and shading... if the plants seem to be struggling then a bit of shade in the hottest part of the day might help, and a bit more water may keep them going.

Here in our Modesto area we have those lovely Delta breezes almost every evening bringing the moisture from the Stockton area so we can grow just about anything... with some special attention to a few plants by keeping them in more of a micro-climate.

As for planting sweet potatoes... this is from Gardenate:

"Plant shoots or cuttings (Slips). Best planted at soil temperatures between 63°F and 95°F. Best in Separate bed.
Frost tender Sweet Potatoes require a long warm growing season. Plant in free draining loose soil . Fertilize before planting but no more when the plants are growing as it will encourage vine growth. They will go for miles and you will get no tubers. If they do start spreading, lift the vines off the ground to prevent them rooting.
Mound up the soil about 20cm (8 in) before planting Let the plants die down, (leaves die or turn yellow) before harvesting the tubers. Dry them in the sun for a few days, then store in a cool dry place for up to five months."

Hope this helps!

Grandma, Thanks for the sweet potato info. Sanderson

Good luck with your sweet potatoes!
One of our Apollo Gardeners harvested a huge amount of sweet potatoes last year in her 4 x 8 garden box. We were all amazed at the size, and the taste... she shared with many of us!

My sweet potato just broke the surface, so thanks for the info. Last year I started them in a 5 x 10 bed and they started taking it over so I ended up pulling them up to plant other things. This year I created a bed out of our back hillside just for potatoes. We'll see :-)

Sorry to hear about your dad and mom. Life takes priority at times like these - we all understand.
audrey

Bump. June sort of sneaked up on me.

PNG_Grandma wrote:
Luffa (also Loofah, plant sponge) Plant in garden.
Harvest from October

Marrow Plant in garden.
Harvest from October

Okra (also Ladyfinger, gumbo) Plant in garden.
Harvest from November.

Peas Plant in garden.
Harvest from October.

Sweet corn (also maize) Plant in garden.
Harvest from October

Sweet Potato/Kumara Plant in garden.
Harvest from November.

Let's get growing!!

Weather temps are already hot. Fresno - high 90's, Yuba City - 80s & 90's, Elk Groove - 80s, Palm Desert - 104*F today and San Mateo around 70s. Water, mulch and shade cover are the key works.

Luffa (Loofah, plant sponge) Plant in garden. Harvest from October

Marrow Plant in garden. Harvest from October

Okra. Plant in garden. Harvest from November.

Peas. Plant in garden. Harvest from October.

Sweet corn. Plant in garden. Harvest from October

Sweet Potato. Plant in garden. Harvest from November.

sanderson wrote:Weather temps are already hot.  Fresno - high 90's, Yuba City - 80s & 90's, Elk Groove - 80s, Palm Desert - 104*F today and San Mateo around 70s.  Water, mulch and shade cover are the key works.

Peas.  Plant in garden.  Harvest from October.

Peas in these temps.  What kind of peas.  The only peas we can plant now in my climate are southern peas.  I am planting Top Pick Pinkeye Purple Hull Peas today.

Beats me. This is from Gardenate. The only peas I plant are snow peas for winter.

June and July are not great planting months for Zone 9A in the lower latitudes as temps can get into the 100s.  Keep watering, provide shade and mulch heavily.  Watch for leaf-footed bugs, spider mites, tomato worms, and as the fruits ripen, 4-legged munchers.  Before we know, it will be August and September when we can start working on starting winter plant seedlings.  If you plan on canning this summer, this is also a good time to start searching for a pressure canner.  For the timid, check out Seal-a-Meal type bargains for freezing summer produce for winter.

Planting now in June for the USA - Zone 9a zone
Cowpeas / Black eye peas / Southern peas Plant in garden. Harvest from October.
Okra   Plant in garden. Harvest from October.
Sweet Potato   Plant in garden. Harvest from October.

Planting in July
Collards Start undercover in seed trays and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Harvest from September.
Cowpeas / Black eye peas /  Southern peas   Plant in garden. Harvest from October.

Ha!  Peas....no, not now for y'all!

The cow pea / black-eyed pea should be tolerable, but not green peas. ??

sanderson wrote:The cow pea / black-eyed pea should be tolerable, but not green peas.  ??

Correct.  Cow Peas like it hot.  Green peas like it cool.  But don't do Black eye peas.  They are probably the worst tasting cow pea.  I just planted my Lady cowpeas, waiting on the onions to all mature and then will plant White Acre cowpeas.  Waiting on the potatoes to mature and then will plant Pinkeye Purple Hull cowpeas.

Thanks, Yolos.

We didn't get much of a spring, but summer is now here.  Hopefully, everything is planted with the exception of cow peas, okra, maybe some fast maturing corn, and sweet potato slips in micro-climates with late frost.

I'm bumping this from June 1. 2017.

sanderson wrote:June and July are not great planting months for Zone 9A in the lower latitudes as temps can get into the 100s.  Keep watering, provide shade and mulch heavily.  Watch for leaf-footed bugs, spider mites, tomato worms, and as the fruits ripen, 4-legged munchers.  Before we know, it will be August and September when we can start working on starting winter plant seedlings.  If you plan on canning this summer, this is also a good time to start searching for a pressure canner.  For the timid, check out Seal-a-Meal type bargains for freezing summer produce for winter.

Planting now in June for the USA - Zone 9a zone
Cowpeas / Black eye peas / Southern peas Plant in garden. Harvest from October.
Okra   Plant in garden. Harvest from October.
Sweet Potato   Plant in garden. Harvest from October.

Planting in July
Collards Start undercover in seed trays and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Harvest from September.
Cowpeas / Black eye peas /  Southern peas   Plant in garden. Harvest from October.

The soy beans haven't come up. In fact, I can't find any of the seeds. I'm going to plant 8 cotton plants in this bed for fun.

The only things to plant now are okra and cow peas. For the next 90-100 days, many areas of CA will be HOT, like in the 90s and 100s. Water, shade cloth, water, mulch and water are in order.