Fresno Gardening Green

It's a time of transition for the weather and daylight (back to standard time. Sigh, I like the later sunsets). Mother Nature is giving us a break from the awful heat we had this summer. However, forecasters predict a warmer and drier month than normal.

Create a visual feast with pomegranates, miniature pumpkins, Indian corn, gourds, fall flowers, and herbs from your garden. Tasks The tuberous roots of sweet potatoes will be ruined if the foliage is damaged by frost. Harvest before freezing temperatures kill the vines. Use fall leaves as mulch.

My neighbor is a very active and observant bird watcher and on my daily dog walk he told me to take a look at the stand of Chinese pistache trees down the block. They're full of red berries and the little birds are feasting on them, he told me.

Shorter days mean less time in the garden. Use the time to peruse gardening websites, magazines and seed catalogs instead. Tasks Stake newly planted trees in windy areas. Clean up debris to eliminate hiding places for pests (if necessary).

Favorite plants for winter gardens in Fresno County are brassicas such as cabbage, broccoli and kale which are available in standard and ornamental varieties. If you're growing these healthy vegetables, keep an eye out for cabbageworms.