← Growing Guide
Zone 9b · Northern Sacramento Valley
Red Bluff
Red Bluff anchors the south end of this hot upper-valley pocket. Expect long triple-digit stretches, dry summers, and mild winters, with strong afternoon winds at times that dry beds out fast.
Climate Reality
The honest picture
- Long, very hot summers — triple digits are normal in July and August
- Mild winters with light frost, but rarely a hard freeze
- Bone dry May through October — irrigation is not optional
- Spring is short and fast — the window before heat stress is narrow
- Fall is long and forgiving — some of the best growing is September through November
What Grows Well
Vegetables
TomatoesPeppersEggplantOkraCucumbersPumpkinsWatermelonSweet potatoesSquashBeansPeasBrassicas
Flowers
SunflowersZinniasCosmosMarigoldsCelosiaGomphrena
Fruit Trees
FigsPomegranatesPeachesPlums
Berries & Vines
BlackberriesStrawberriesGrapes
Herbs
BasilDillCilantroOreganoThymeRosemary
Cover Crops
CloverVetchField peasRyeBarley
Seeds To Stock
- Sunflowers
- Okra
- Cowpeas
- Bush beans
- Pole beans
- Cucumbers
- Watermelon
- Pumpkins
- Winter squash
- Zucchini
- Tomatoes
- Peppers
- Basil
- Zinnias
- Cosmos
- Marigolds
- Kale
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Lettuce
- Spinach
- Carrots
- Beets
- Radishes
- Peas
- Cilantro
- Dill
- Garlic
- Onion
- Cover crop mix
Direct Sow Now
- Sunflowers
- Okra
- Cowpeas
- Bush beans
- Cucumbers
- Zinnias
- Cosmos
- Marigolds
Start In Trays Now
- Broccoli (for fall)
- Cabbage (for fall)
- Cauliflower (for fall)
- Kale (for fall)
- Collards (for fall)
- Fall herbs
Transplants To Buy
- Basil
- Peppers
- Eggplant
- Heat-tolerant flowers
- Sweet potato slips
This Week's Tasks
- Water early before the heat builds
- Mulch any bare soil — exposed ground bakes and dries out fast
- Shade new transplants for the first week
- Check drip emitters — clogged lines stress plants
- Start fall brassicas in trays, even if it still feels too hot
- Pull weeds before they set seed
- Prep strawberry beds for September planting
- Plan the next succession of sunflowers
Prepare Next
- Fall garden beds — clear summer crops and add compost
- Garlic order — place it early
- Onion planning for winter starts
- Strawberry patch expansion
- Compost system — build or improve it
- Cover crops for empty beds
Heat Notes
- Heat is the main challenge here, not frost
- Deep, infrequent watering trains roots downward and beats daily shallow watering
- Fall crops need to start in trays while it still feels too hot — trust the timing
- 30–50% shade cloth makes a real difference for fall transplants going in during lingering heat
Frost Notes
- Frost is light and usually shows up November through February
- Hard freezes are rare but possible — watch the forecast in cold snaps
- Citrus and basil are the most vulnerable; cover them when frost is called
Irrigation Notes
- Drip irrigation is essential through the dry summer
- Afternoon winds dry beds quickly — mulch heavily and check soil moisture often
- Water deeply two to three times a week rather than daily
- Run drip before dawn to limit evaporation
Common Local Challenges
What trips people up here
- Extreme summer heat stalling fruit set on tomatoes and peppers
- Sunscald on exposed fruit
- Spider mites in hot, dusty conditions
- Keeping fall starts alive through September heat
- Gophers and ground squirrels
Recommended Varieties
| Tomatoes | Heat-setting types like Heatmaster, Phoenix, Solar Fire, and Sun Gold for cherries |
|---|---|
| Peppers | Reliable producers like Shishito, Jimmy Nardello, and Big Bertha |
| Cucumbers | Armenian, Lemon, and Burpless hold up to heat better than standard slicers |
| Sunflowers | ProCut series for cut flowers, Mammoth for seed and height |
| Beans | Rattlesnake pole and Provider bush both handle the heat |
Monthly Planning
Current month is highlighted. Click any month to see the plan.
Red Bluff
JuneThis month
Plant Now
- Okra
- Cowpeas
- Armenian cucumbers
- Lemon cucumbers
- Beans (succession)
- Watermelon
- Sunflowers
- Zinnias
- Marigolds
Start In Trays
- Broccoli for fall
- Cabbage for fall
- Cauliflower for fall
Harvest
- Zucchini
- Beans
- Cucumbers
- Early tomatoes
- Herbs
- Beets
- Garlic (late month)
Prepare Next
- Start fall brassicas even though it's hot
- Order garlic for fall
- Plan the fall garden
- Switch to deep, infrequent watering
For the deepest version of this area's playbook — extreme heat strategy, watering, fall and winter gardens, and our family projects — see the Anderson / Redding / Red Bluff guide.