Oroville

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

• Last frost runs a week or two later than the valley floor
• First fall frost can arrive earlier — watch October nights
• Good cold-air drainage on slopes; valleys and hollows frost first

Irrigation Notes

• Drip irrigation is the backbone of a valley garden here
• Water deeply two to three times a week in peak summer rather than a little every day
• Mulch holds moisture and keeps soil temperature down
• Morning watering reduces evaporation loss