Owens Valley Growing Guide | UC Agriculture and Natural Resources

About This Guide

This guide is intended as a printable document that can local gardeners can refer to easily. It's not comprehensive, but it does cover the basics.

It is provided in both HTML and PDF versions for accessibility. Each PDF file is one, single-sided sheet.

Printable PDF Versions:

This version was created by local Master Gardener Kerry Lozito based on a previous version provided by Ian Scott.

Gardening Tips

A small, manageable garden can be more satisfying than a large, overwhelming one. Common mistakes include starting too big, over-watering, failing to weed, and planting seeds and starts too close together.

Owens Valley Climate: USDA Zone 7b or 8a. Microclimates vary throughout the region; ask your neighbors or Master Gardeners.

(More detailed temperature information available at this site.)

Spring is windy and temperatures vary; summers are sunny, hot, and dry. Most vegetables can’t survive our freezing winters. Season extenders (cold frames, water tents) allow earlier starts but require more work. Cover plants during frost, and shade cold-weather crops to prevent bolting.

Average Last Frost: Bishop early/mid-May, Lone Pine late April.

Average First Frost: Bishop mid-October, Lone Pine late October.

Waiting to plant by average frost date may shorten the growing season and reduce harvest. It's better to plant when soil warms and then frost-protect. Most warm-season vegetables thrive at 60°F soil temperature, while okra, squash, watermelon, eggplant, basil, and peppers need warmer. Cool-season plants grow at 45°F.

Water: Owens Valley’s dry climate leads many to over-water. Avoid watering between plants or rows to prevent weeds. Use drip irrigation or a watering can for targeted watering. Set timers for 10-15 minutes daily, water mornings or evenings, and avoid soaking pathways or soil outside raised beds. We don’t recommend soaker hoses, or overhead watering from a hose or sprinkler.

Weeds compete with plants for space, nutrients, and water, and may establish roots and seeds, causing issues next year. Plan to pull or hoe at least weekly. Mulch helps but doesn't eliminate weeds.

Spacing: Follow seed packet recommendations. Avoid overcrowding transplants. Peppers and eggplants thrive 18-24 inches apart, and mature tomato plants grow large by August.

Soil Fertilizers and Amendments: Most Owens Valley soils benefit from annual compost additions, eliminating the need for inorganic fertilizers. Compost can be purchased or made from 'green' (kitchen scraps, including coffee grounds) and 'brown' (leaves, wood chips) waste. Compost manure before using to avoid burning plants or spreading weeds/disease. More information at https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8037.pdf .

Raised Beds are useful for poor soils, maximizing space, warming soil early, and controlling weeds. Visit https://ucanr.edu/sites/newinyomonomg/files/323516.pdf for guidance.

Organic Mulch offers water retention, temperature protection, nutrient addition, and weed suppression. For more information on mulches, visit https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8672.pdf.

Planting Guide

Note: Date to harvest depends on the variety.

Cold Weather Crops Frost-resistant and cold tolerant. Plant Feb-April, or again in fall with heat protection.

Crop	How to start?*	Owens Valley Growing Notes
Beets	seeds	Heat tolerant, and greens can be eaten.
Broccoli	transplants	Benefits from partial shade. Prone to aphids.
Brussels Sprouts	transplants	Better to plant in fall than spring.
Cabbage	transplants	Prone to aphids. Often unavailable at local nurseries.
Carrots	seeds	Slow to germinate; seeds and seedlings need daily water. Thrive once established.
Cauliflower	transplants	Often unavailable at local nurseries. Heat will damage.
Swiss Chard	seeds	Resists bolting and can also over-winter.
Cilantro	either	Bolts early without protection from heat.
Collards	seeds	Collards thrive in the heat; prone to aphids.
Dill	either	Will reseed and produce volunteers each year.
Fennel	either	Prone to aphids.
Garlic	cloves	Sow Late Sept.-November.
Kale	seeds	Resists bolting, prone to aphids.
Lettuce	seeds	Arugula bolts early, romaine tolerates heat, others bolt by the end of June. Protect from heat for fall planting.
Mustard Greens	seeds	Will eventually bolt as the days lengthen.
Onions	bulbs (sets)	Thrive in the Owens Valley and can over-winter.
Radishes	seeds	Produce quickly/bolt early.
Pak Choy	seeds	Easy, quick crop.
Parsnips	seeds	Similar to carrots.
Parsley	transplants	Technically biennial, but second year plants often flower early.
Peas	seeds	Snow peas can be planted as early as February.
Potatoes	seed potatoes	Plant in Mar-April in trenches, bury as they grow. Leaves damaged by frost, but plant will survive.
Spinach	seeds	Bolts early.
Turnips	seeds	Heat tolerant.

Warm Weather Crops will not survive freezing, need warm temperatures both day and night to thrive. Plant after last frost (see back) or when soil warms. Protect small seedlings and transplants if frost is forecast.

Crop	How to start?	Owens Valley Growing Notes
Basil	transplants	Thrives in the Owens Valley.
Beans	seeds	Bush beans produce sooner than pole types. Some won’t set fruit in summer heat.
Corn	seeds	Needs a lot of space. Plant in blocks. High temps can affect pollination. Heavy feeders.
Cucumbers	transplants	Prone to squash bugs, less than summer squash. Gets aphids. May get powdery mildew.
Eggplants	transplants	Grow best when hot. Asian varieties mature earlier and more reliably than larger types.
Melons	seeds	Take space unless trellised. Some varieties of watermelon take 100+ days to produce.
Okra	seeds	Soil should be 70 degrees to plant. Harvest often.
Peppers	transplants	Thrive. Harden transplants, because prone to sun damage. Bell peppers prone to sunscald.
Summer squash	seeds	Zucchini and yellow squash are especially prone to squash bugs and powdery mildew. Give plenty of space.
Winter squash	seeds	Acorn, butternut, pumpkins, and other winter squash thrive; less prone to squash bugs, but can become infested.
Tomatillos	either	Thrive. Reseed and can become invasive. Plants may need support.
Tomatoes	transplants	Can stop flowering in summer heat, then resume as it cools down. Subject to curly top virus.

Perennials survive year to year, and can be planted in early spring or fall.

Perennial marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage, and thyme do well here.

Artichokes Takes up a lot of garden space

Asparagus Don’t harvest year one.

Chives Spreads and may need to be divided.

Mint Best in containers, spreads readily.

Rhubarb Only stems (petioles) are edible.

*Transplants enable an earlier harvest. However, some nurseries sell starts that don’t transplant well. If the chart above says “seeds,” it means that starts don’t work any better than sowing seeds directly. Starts should be “hardened” by gradual exposure to direct sun, wind, and outdoor temperatures 7-14 days before transplant.