Look for the "Southern California Gardening" book by Pat Welsh. It will give you all the basics you need on how to grow a great garden year round in So Cal, month by month, and it's a fun read, too. Many libraries have it if you don't want to buy it.

Paleogardener's advise is on mark about heat. Afternoon shade does wonders and so does extra water in extreme heat (but not on the leaves).

So let's concentrate on the cold, which is harder to combat for those who do not want to be on guard at 5:oo am. This is a particular problem for those of us who moved from San Diego or Orange County. We always thought of the Inland Empire as hot, but did not realize how cold it is in the winter. You should be more wise coming from the midwest.

Simply abandon plants that will not take the extreme cold and put all your effort into protecting from extreme heat. This will happen in the late afternoon when presumably you will be awake.

Yes, the cold of the IE is our limiting factor, not the summer heat. For winters of frost advisories (not this one) the answer is the same: mulch. Mulch in October when the leaves start to turn. Mulch again as we approach our "first average frost date". When a frost is forecast cover the sensitive guys with a blanket of leaves. When it warms up, pull the leaves back out of the crown. Repeat as we warm up & cool down. Mulching is the key to survival in our area. You also get the added benefit of earthworms in abundance & our plants love what earthworms do for the soil.
In the heat of summer when things start to check (wilt in the heat) they are telling us they need more mulch for water retention. By now the worms are deeper in the ground, This is when we pay them back for their winter work with deep waterings that carry organic material to the deep places where they reside. Growing plants that like the heat & provide shade for others helps as well. I like to grow "groves" of different kinds of sunflowers for this purpose. They look striking in large clumps & other plants love the dappled shade they provide.

thanks for all the information everyone. that book looks like a great resource - I just ordered it. should be a good place to start.

re: afternoon shade...are there options if I don't have a lot of natural shade in my yard? I was thinking of gardening beds with some sort of shade that could be attached in the hot months. probably complicated, though.

Shade options:
Some people have pergolas with a lattice cover that shades the entire growing area...
Strategically planted trees & plants that do well in our area works too. By "strategically" I mean specifically placed so they cast shade on the area where you want it, ideally in the hottest part of the summer. Even a little shade at the right time of day is beneficial. I find that sun observation & where shadows are cast is important when considering plant placement.
And heavy mulch if shade is not an option. In the heat of summer plants like to have cool moist feet even if their heads are in the sun & mulch is the way to achieve this. In summer mulch retains water, in winter it is a warm blanket.

Good information, thanks. Assuming I have plans to plant several trees down the road (avocado, orange, lemon, lime, etc), I'm hoping to plan them with the sun direction to cast shade on garden beds that I will use for my sun-sensitive plants. I assume that those trees will be more than fine with the heavy sun if I am watering regularly.

This post was edited by kmfdm on Wed, Jan 8, 14 at 16:29

Those trees are excellent choices. There are many ornamentals that do well too (please no eucalyptus!) & will provide autumn leaves in abundance. These in turn can be returned to your soil as compost & mulch. This will bring the earthworms & voila, a soil food web is born in which your green waste is given to the Mother. She will reward you with healthy plants, bountiful harvests & an endless procession of flowers.
About eucalypus: They are overdone in SoCal. They contain compounds that inhibit growth of other plants. When I encounter 'em in the wild I girdle 'em... Eucs were planted to the detriment of our native oaks early in the 20th century.

how close to a mature tree can I plant vegetables/fruit though? they would have to be pretty close to get shade during mid-day...wouldn't the tree roots interfere with the plants?

You want to strive to provide a break from the sun anytime from midday through the afternoon. Not total-no-sun-shade just a break. If the shade is dappled even better. That being said don't plant close to mature trees or the plants will become "leggy" & "reach" for the sun & be unproductive. If the trees are mature and I assume fairly large they will be more than adequate for providing a sun break. The palm tree I have casts his summer shadow all the way across my yard.

Last year was my first summer with a vegetable garden in Riverside. I have a 4'x6' raised bed in full sun, and the peppers and tomatoes stopped setting fruit in August. I pounded 6 Tposts into the ground at the corners and middle of my garden, and then purchased some shade fabric at Home Depot - sold by the linear foot. I got enough to cover everything for ~$15. Just throw it overtop of the poles, and then use binder clips to pinch the fabric to the metal. Everything started producing again. It may not have looked the greatest, but those tomatoes sure tasted good. Then take it off when everything cools down in Oct.

csross:
Nice improvisation for your peppers. That's the time of year I easily lose patience with them & they get yanked. This year I used trellises on the burn side & it worked, they got the shade they wanted. Just curious, are you still harvesting peppers in this non-winter? I'm still getting red bells, mole poblanos, scotch bonnets & cayennes. Some plants are beginning to peter out though as nighttime temps are flirting with the mid 30's where I'm at.

Paleogardner: I only have bell peppers, and harvested the last red one this week. Still have a few orange ones ripening. Haven't had any new production for maybe 2 months, but when I went out tonight, I noticed the red bell has some flowers and a dime size green pepper starting! Guess it thinks we're done with winter! I'm not a big fan of hot peppers, but am hoping to grow a poblano in a 5 gallon bucket this year. Also just started harvesting snap peas and lettuce. I grew up in Pennsylvania, so this is a total new experience for me!

Being able to grow things in every season will quickly spoil a person! I can't believe this January we are having. Only now am I yanking the summer stuff to make room for winter vegetables. A whole 2 months later than last year. I have to keep reminding myself that winter has only just begun.

Some things thrive in Temecula. Some don't. Wine grapes! Plant those! Also, Olives. YUM! Rosemary! Pistachio Trees. Most Mediterranean veggies do well in Temecula. Tomatoes thrive! Lilacs! I think garlic grows everywhere!

We live in Riverside County, so North Temecula, South Hemet. The drive to Temecula is so pleasant with all the crops and vineyards dotting the countryside. We have close to the Temecula climate here. It does snow, but it never sticks.

Last night the Turbines went on from the Citrus Orchards in the valley below. It's warmer up here on the hill, but the commercial orchards have protection. It would be hard for you to grow citrus and have it be happy.

Good luck and have fun!
Suzi

Have you been to the Farmer's markets in Temecula or Murrieta, KFMDM? Maybe there is a local grower or two there. You can see what they have and ask them about their techniques. Even if they are not to talkative studying the table will tell you something about what is possible.

I live on the border between Alpine and Jamul which, according to Sunset Western Gardener, puts me in and around Temecula microclimate wise.

My blackberries are doing fantastic for 4 years now. They are "Olallieberries" . We get hundreds of 1/2 pints of berries from a 35 foot row of blackberries on a 5' tall 3 wire trellis.

Year round is easier if you get the right varieties and set up microclimates as you all have been talking about...for instance I harvested big heads of good broccoli in October that I planted transplants I grew and put in in August under 30% shade cloth but it was a type I found that won't bolt. Finding these varieties and requirements is a big puzzle and I have only barely cracked into it.

For annual vegetables, I don't find that afternoon shade from a tree or building is near as good as full sun with shade cloth...or full sun with frost blankets, and black plastic on the ground for season extension of warm weather crops. Sometimes I have shade and plastic or row cover working together, one by day and one by night. Like on my seed starting tables. Plastic to block the wind on 3 sides and shade cloth on the south side and top to keep the soil in the flats from getting too hot. Then the plastic pr frost blankets gets pull over at night to keep things warm. Depend on what is on the table getting started.

If you are lucky you have something blocking the santa ana winds from your garden. Mine is out in the open so , no.

Here is a link that might be useful: olallieberry

This post was edited by rustico_2009 on Wed, Jan 15, 14 at 17:12