There are many ways to interpret the phrase growing season. Strictly it refers to the period of time between killing frosts. In the Bay Area that would be the period between mid March and mid November. Gardens that we grow during this season are possible thanks to man made water projects. With out this extensive water distribution network our frost free season would be a very dry and dusty time. The dry nature of our growing season is evident in the wild fires that burn the natural hillsides during late summer. By watching the wild lands we discover that, in our climate, the only time there is enough water for native plants grow is during the months outside of the frost free growing season.

Californians pride themselves as residents in a land of free thinkers were people do things their own way. I have heard it said that we start trends out here,” As goes California so goes the nation.” When it comes to gardening it appears the claim of independent thinking doesn’t hold up. As gardeners we are followers. We tend to follow the mass consciousness into the spring time garden as if our weather was the same as Minnesota’s

In the Bay Area gardeners would benefit from paying less attention to what the rest of the country was doing and more attention to whether it was raining or not. Perhaps it would make more sense if we refer to our climate as having two gardening seasons, one Gardening Season that is hot and dry and another that is cool, wet and green. Ask yourself, which season sounds like the best time to plant? A logical response would be the season when it rains because new plants need water not dry heat. Since our frosts are few and mild we would gain a natural advantage if we did most of our gardening in the rainy season when water is free from the sky.

The coming of autumn should signal the big push for our garden efforts. Summer is a great time to kill weeds and pick berries but fall is a time to plant. The water used for summer gardening comes at a cost and should be used wisely. Let’s save the hose for warm season plants like zucchini, tomatoes and Zinnias that can’t be grown during our rainy season. Wet season planting matches the natural rhythms of the climate and will usually give us better results with less input than planting during dry weather. Cool, moist days prevent heat stress on new plants and the short days of winter promote root development. Plants installed in the fall can enter summer weather with a root system up to four times larger than the same plants installed in the spring.

The popular idea that gardening begins in spring has negative effect on California’s environment. Summer gardeners tend to worry about whether their plants are receiving enough water. Hot weather encourages gardeners to over water plants. Heavy water usage can cause plants to rot, washes chemicals into the streams, and never gives gardens a chance to grow nice deep roots seeking out natural ground water from the winter.

One of the first questions I often hear from local gardeners how much water does it need? Californians are often fixated on sprinklers systems and garden hoses. We talk green but often our garden practices don’t walk the walk. Environmentally sound gardening principles for a seasonally dry climate should take into account what plants grow well in this weather, how little water we really need to use and routinely planting with the coming of the rainy season. We can learn a lot by working with the natural rhythms of the climate. Relying on our watering systems to create an artificial Growing Season is hard on the planet and stifles the development our local garden wisdom.

Fall is upon us, I can smell rain in the air. Head for the shed, time to sharpen the shovels and find your favorite trowel. It’s planting time again in the Bay Area!

Bill Merrill, www.greengardenservice.net