What to plant this week in Riverside, CA
Riverside gardeners are deep in the heart of summer heat, where the air stays warm enough for frost-free growth from January through December. This week marks a critical window to harvest your early crops like basil and bush beans while simultaneously sowing heat-loving staples such as cantaloupe, watermelon, and okra that thrive in our valley sun.
The next 7 days
Riverside, CAGrowing in Riverside right now
- Our Riverside soil tends to bake out quickly under the basin heat, so mulch heavily around young transplants and established beds to retain moisture and keep roots cool.
- The region's intense afternoon UV radiation can scorch tender leaves; provide temporary afternoon shade for newly seeded cosmos or zinnias until they develop tougher foliage.
- With limited natural rainfall in summer, check your irrigation timers daily during heat spikes to ensure consistent watering without waterlogging sandy-loam soils common near the Santa Ana River.
- Plant cover crops like borage or nasturtium now; they tolerate our dry summers well and attract beneficial insects that help control local pests.
Sow this week
33 crops- Basil
- Borage
- Bush Bean
- Cantaloupe
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Edamame
- Fennel
- Flour Corn
- French Marigold
- Garden Verbena
- Gourd (Ornamental/Bottle)
- Honeydew Melon
- Lima Bean
- Malabar Spinach
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Pole Bean
- Pumpkin
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Summer Savory
- Sunflower
- Sweet Corn
- Thai Basil
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Watermelon
- Winter Squash
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
35 crops- Basil
- Borage
- Bush Bean
- Cantaloupe
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Edamame
- Fennel
- Flour Corn
- French Marigold
- Garden Verbena
- Gourd (Ornamental/Bottle)
- Honeydew Melon
- Lima Bean
- Loofah (Luffa)
- Malabar Spinach
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Pole Bean
- Pumpkin
- Roselle (Cranberry Hibiscus)
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Summer Savory
- Sunflower
- Sweet Corn
- Thai Basil
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Watermelon
- Winter Squash
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Seasonal tips
- Succession sow bush beans and pole beans every two weeks to ensure a steady harvest throughout the growing season.
- Pinch back the tips of basil and summer savory regularly to encourage bushier growth and prevent flowering.
- Apply a light layer of mulch around newly transplanted squash and pumpkins to retain moisture as soil warms up.
Pest & disease watch
- Aphid populations are surging on the undersides of basil, fennel, and vegetable leaves as temperatures stabilize in the 90s.
- Spider mites are becoming active on sunflowers and zucchini when humidity drops below 40% during our dry summer days.
- Powdery mildew is starting to appear on squash varieties if foliage has been sitting wet from evening watering; switch to morning irrigation.
Watering this week
Water deeply at the base of plants every 2-3 days during this hot season to keep roots cool and productive.
Harvest young zucchini fruits daily when they are small to signal the plant to continue producing more fruit.
Riverside gardening questions
3Can I still plant tomatoes or peppers this week in Riverside?
No, tomatoes and peppers are not currently listed as sowable or transplantable for our zone 10a conditions, which suggests the extreme summer heat is less ideal for starting these now compared to late spring.
When should I stop watering my watermelons and cantaloupes?
Water consistently until about three weeks before harvest to encourage sweet fruit development, but reduce frequency slightly if you see signs of blossom-end rot.
Are there any specific diseases I should watch for on my okra and scarlet runner beans?
Watch closely for anthracnose and bacterial blight, which thrive in our high humidity pockets near water sources during late summer rains.
Other cities in zone 10a
6See the full zone 10a guide → · Plan your Riverside garden in SproutGuide →