Any tomatoes currently on the plant as summer winds down are likely to ripen nicely in the next month or so. Current blossoms, however, may lead to good tomatoes, mealy tasteless tomatoes or none at all. It depends on the weather as we head into fall. Photo courtesy Getty Images.
Do you have a gardening question? The UC Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County can help. Our volunteers are part of the University of California’s Cooperative Extension program, and we are trained to use research-based information to educate our fellow residents on home horticulture, pest management, and sustainable landscape practices specific to our area.
Our monthly “Ask a Master Gardener” column will answer your questions and offer tips. Have a question? Email lifestyle@embarcaderopublishing.com.
Will my tomato plants produce fruit through fall?
Answer: How many more edible tomatoes can you expect to get this year? Any tomatoes currently on the plant are likely to ripen nicely in the next month or so. Current blossoms, however, may lead to good tomatoes, mealy tasteless tomatoes or none at all. It depends on the weather.
Many of us have taken the gamble and eaten tomatoes into December and beyond, more for the challenge and bragging rights than for exquisite flavor. A cool fall can affect production and quality, and some gardeners start removing blossoms now. This allows the plant’s energy to go into the existing fruit. If we have another mild winter like last year, the plant could survive and produce another crop of tomatoes next summer!
More information: Growing tomatoes in the home garden
September gardening tips
Replenish soil with cover crops
You may want to rest in the winter, but the soil life needs to remain active and protected and preferably weed-free.
If you’re not planting vegetables or ornamentals in an area for a few months, consider using plants that help feed the soil and its organisms. Known as cover crops, these plants are perfect for replenishing nutrients in your soil and reducing weed growth.
Fava beans are the most popular cover crop in this region and can be seen growing abundantly in community gardens. Other common cover crops include clover, vetch, and bell beans.
Different types of cover crops offer various benefits. Cereals like oats and barley help increase organic matter. Legumes such as beans and others in the legume family fix nitrogen from the air and make it available to the soil and plants. Their roots also break up heavy clay soil and improve its structure. Before planting a summer garden, the cover crop is cut down and worked into the soil. Here’s more information on cover crops:
You also can layer cardboard over weeded soil and then cover it with compost and mulch. This method both suppresses weeds and feeds the soil over winter. It blocks sunlight to kill existing weeds and prevents new seeds from sprouting. The cardboard, which is also a haven for worms, eventually decomposes and enriches the soil. Here are some do’s and don’ts for more insights.
Beware of Roundup’s new formula
The active ingredient in the weed killer Roundup used to be the herbicide glyphosate, and many people used the product name interchangeably with the ingredient. Roundup’s producer has recently replaced glyphosate with a family of products with new formulations. But you would never know unless you read the label carefully. Why does it matter? The new formula is not rated safe to use in vegetable gardens, not even for killing off weeds before starting a new garden. It’s always important to read the product labels carefully, even when you think you “know” the product, since manufacturers can change the formula at any time while keeping the package looking the same. Read more here.
Mark your calendar: The Master Gardener Fall Garden Fair is Oct. 11
Your summer garden is waning, so now is the time to think about cool-season gardening. Mark your calendar for our annual Fall Garden Fair, part of Martial Cottle Park’s Fall Festival in San Jose on Oct. 11 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Learn about fall gardening, sharpen tools, swap seeds and get expert advice at our help desk. The plant sale features vegetable, native and ornamental seedlings, along with garlic, shallots, succulents and herbs. A bonus: If you wish to start your fall garden earlier, we’re selling cool-season vegetable seedlings at our regular third Saturday sale on Sept. 20 from 9 a.m. to noon.
Check annuals for root knot nematodes
As you pull out your annual plants, inspect the roots, especially if the plant didn’t do well. Look for the presence of root knot nematodes (microscopic parasitic worms), which usually cause distinctive swellings, called galls, on the roots of affected plants. They can infest a wide variety of plants, including many favorite summer vegetables. They are easily spread via soil left on tools or shoes. Infested plants may not die but may be sickly or less productive. Avoid spreading root knot nematodes by cleaning tools thoroughly. Consider letting an infested bed lie fallow for a season, or plant a cover crop of French marigolds next summer, which will help suppress some nematodes.
Upcoming events
UC Master Gardener gardening events are taking place throughout the county this month. Here are some of them, with more listed on our events page.
Protect California’s Waters from Invasive Species – Online, Sept. 3
Hands-On Summer Fruit Tree Pruning – San Jose, Sept. 6
Lawn Alternatives for Home Landscapes – Palo Alto, Sept. 6
Open Garden Saturdays – Palo Alto, Sept. 6
Waterwise Landscape Design: Three-Week Course – Sunnyvale, Sept. 9
Plant Clinic Online – Sept. 9
MRG Growing Cool-Season Asian Vegetables – Cupertino, Sept. 13
PADG Open Garden Saturdays – Palo Alto, Sept. 13
Growing Winter Vegetables and Herbs in Containers – Mountain View, Sept.13
When Wildlife Become Pests – Online, Sept. 18
Succulent, Garlic, and Fall Vegetable Open House & Sale – San Jose, Sept. 20
Success with Cool-Season Vegetables! – San Jose, Sept. 20
Open Garden Saturdays – Palo Alto, Sept. 20
Beauty and Biodiversity: The Benefits of Native Plants – Sunnyvale, Sept. 20
PADG Open Garden Saturdays – Palo Alto, Sept. 27
Plant cool-season vegetables now
September is the ideal time to plant cool-season vegetables, including greens (spinach, arugula, cabbage, collards), root vegetables (carrots, beets, radishes, turnips) and cole crops (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi). Cilantro and peas also thrive in the fall when the weather is a little cooler.
You can purchase transplants from nurseries now. In Santa Clara County, many cool-season crops planted in September or October can be replanted in February and March. You can get in another crop before it’s time to put summer vegetables in the ground.
A big advantage of cool-season vegetables is that they need less supplemental water due to lower temperatures and fewer daylight hours and rain. There are also fewer pest problems in the winter. Cool-season vegetables grow well in temperatures ranging from 55°F to 75°F, at locations with six to eight hours of daily sunlight.
Check out our video on cool-season vegetables, along with a host of other gardening videos for education and inspiration.
Find out how the Medfly quarantine could impact you
The invasive Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Medfly) has been detected in Santa Clara County. The California Department of Food and Agriculture has declared a quarantine for a large part of San Jose, as well as sections of Campbell, Los Gatos, Milpitas and Santa Clara.
Residents in quarantine areas are urged not to move vegetables, fruits or nuts from their property. Those who reside outside quarantine areas are urged not to move homegrown fruit, vegetables or soil through the quarantine areas.
Medfly is a destructive insect pest that attacks more than 250 kinds of fruits, nuts and vegetables.
Get links to the quarantine map and guidelines for handling fruits and vegetables on our Insect and Disease Quarantines web page.
Would you like to ask a UC Master Gardener about a plant problem? Submit questions to our Help Desk online. You can also attend our Zoom Plant Clinic Online on Tuesday, September 9 at 7:00 pm.
You can also subscribe to our monthly Tips and Events newsletter. San Mateo residents can also find gardening advice on the UC Master Gardeners of San Mateo and San Francisco website.
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