Blog by Patti Brantley

What’s Blooming—and What’s Setting Fruit—Right Now in Solano County

If you’ve been out in your garden lately, you’ve probably noticed a shift. Blossoms are everywhere, and in some cases, those flowers are already starting to change. This is the time of year when we move from bloom to fruit set—and it’s one of the most exciting transitions in the garden.

This year, we’ve had a warmer-than-usual start to spring, and it’s showing. Many trees are moving quickly through their bloom stage and are already beginning to set fruit earlier than we might typically expect.

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What’s Blooming Right Now

In Solano County, early spring brings a wide mix of blooms:

• Citrus trees (lemon, lime, orange) are flowering heavily, and the scent is divine!
• Stone fruit trees like peaches, plums, and apricots are finishing up their blooms.
• Strawberries are producing steady flowers.
• Early vegetables like peas, fava beans, and even some tomatoes that are already grown (in warmer areas) are starting to flower

These blooms aren’t just pretty, they’re the first step toward your harvest.

What Does “Setting Fruit” Mean?

“Fruit set” happens after a flower has been successfully pollinated. In simple terms, a flower becomes a fruit. After this happens, the petals of the blossom fall away, and the base of the flower begins to grow and swell (usually a green miniature version of the larger fruit). That’s a little part that is growing, which is your fruit starting to form.

So when gardeners say a plant is “setting fruit,” they mean: The plant has moved past flowering and is now developing actual fruits.

Why Fruit Set Matters

This stage tells you a few important things:

• Your plant is healthy enough to start producing fruit
• The growing season is moving forward
• Your future harvest is officially underway

If you see lots of flowers but no fruit forming, it may point to things like temperature swings or inconsistent watering.

What to Do Right Now

To support strong fruit set:

• Water consistently — avoid letting the soil go very dry and then very wet
• Fertilize lightly if needed — especially for plants like citrus or tomatoes
• Give it time — not every flower will turn into fruit, and that’s normal

A Quick Note on Expectations

Not every blossom will turn into fruit; that’s actually a good thing. Plants naturally drop some, so they don’t produce more fruit than they can support.

So if you see some flowers fall off without forming fruit, don’t worry. Focus on the ones that are remaining; that’s your garden moving into its next delicious phase.