Butte County Summer Overview

Butte County’s Mediterranean climate in summer consists of drought, long hot days and warm nights. Summer’s bounty includes flowers and mature fruits, and fresh produce from backyard gardens. Hillside grasses turn from green to golden brown, and the potential of wildfires increases as high temperatures persist desiccate vegetation. Caring for vegetable gardens involves mulching to hold and conserve precious water. We owe our thriving agricultural economy to our long growing season and available water.

Summer Preparation

• Mulch plants to control weeds and conserve moisture.
• Maintain moisture in compost pile.
• Check irrigation system for efficiency, especially if new plants have been added to garden or if weather is warmer than expected. Make necessary repairs and adjustments.
• Water early in the day to conserve water and minimize plant disease.
  Water lawns deeply every two to three days between 3 a.m. and 10 a.m.
• Conserve water: Hook up smart controllers to your drip-irrigation system to adjust the frequency and length of time of watering based on soil moisture and weather.
• Set mower blades high to reduce turf stress during the summer and to help increase competition with summer weeds.
• Check soil moisture in hot weather to be sure you are irrigating sufficiently.
• Trap gophers whenever they appear.
• Well-established native trees and shrubs may not require any water at all during summer. (If they were watered regularly in the past, wean native perennials with a gradual water reduction by lengthening the intervals between watering, starting in spring.)
• To reduce fire risk clear debris from your yard; check to ensure your rain gutters are clear of debris; prune away any tree limbs closer than 15 feet from the roof; and maintain a buffer of low growing, irrigated plants around your home.
  
  

Produce in Season

Mid-June to Mid-September