- Author: Help Desk Team
We have all heard of this magical stuff called compost. But what is it? Where does it come from? Why is it so important for our gardens? The reason compost is so important is because it enriches our soil, adding important nutrients that are used by plants for growth. When we create compost, we are breaking down organic matter into a form that provides a rich amendment for the soil and promotes healthy microbial activity. With these nutrients, plants can better resist disease and insects. In addition, compost increases water retention and helps reduce soil diseases. And it can be rewarding to make your own!
What do you need for great compost?
Green material—Yard waste, kitchen vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, or fresh grass clippings. This fresh waste provides the compost's nitrogen content. Do not add meat, dairy products, oil, fat, or dog or cat manure.
Brown material—Dried leaves, torn up newspaper, pieces of cardboard boxes, or shredded paper bags. This dry material provides the carbon content. The smaller you cut the pieces, the faster the composting process will be.
How much of each—Start with equal parts of green and brown material and add up to twice as much brown material as green. Don't use more green material than brown.
Water—Water each layer of the pile to the level of a wrung out wet sponge. If the bin is exposed to rain and gets too much water, you might need to cover it.
Air—Turn the pile every few days, if possible, but at least once a week for air circulation. A pitchfork works well for turning. In addition to letting the pile “breathe”, it helps prevent problems with flies and rodents. Turning the pile helps maintain an optimal temperature, while mixing prevents dense clumping of some materials such as wet green grass.
Temperature—Heat in the pile is generated by bacteria feeding on the green material. Temperatures above 140°F will kill many pathogens and weed seeds and will also accelerate decomposition for faster composting (see below). A compost thermometer with a long probe gives good information about when to turn the pile and when to water it.
Different methods of composting—Factors to consider when choosing a method include the time and energy needed to maintain the pile, the amount of compost needed, and the time needed to achieve the finished product. The pile needs to be at least 3 feet square to generate enough heat for decomposition. You can build the compost pile right on the ground but if you build a structure to contain the pile, it should be 3–5 feet with one side open for easy access to build or turn the pile. Sun or shade does not matter as the temperature of the pile depends on its composition, not exposure to the sun. Other composting containers can include a closed container, like a rolling barrel, or an open bin composter. There are many ways to make compost: underground, above ground, in bins, in boxes, in pits, in bags, in barrels, in strips, in sheets, and in trenches.
Slow composting method (easy but slow)—Continuously add materials to the pile with little or no chopping of materials. Bury ‘green' scraps 6–12 inches in the center of your bin to reduce attracting flies and rodents. Turn and water as desired for finished compost in 12 to 18 months.
Intermediate composting method (a little more work but faster)—Build a 3' x 3' x 3' pile with materials cut into 2-inch pieces. Turn and water the pile weekly without adding more material to get finished compost in 3 to 8 months.
Fast composting method (the most work but finished fastest)—Build a 3' x 3' x 3' pile with materials chopped to ½ to 1½ inch pieces. Check the temperature of the pile every day with a thermometer in the center of the pile. Turn the pile immediately if the temperature is 150 degrees F or above. Turn and water daily while the pile is between 140–150 degrees F. As the pile cools, turn it whenever it reaches 120 degrees F. Once the pile cools below 120 degrees F, turn and water every week for finished compost in 6–8 weeks.
When is the compost done? The pile will shrink, losing about 1/3 of its volume. It will be dark brown and crumbly with an earthy smell. You should no longer be able to tell what each of the individual ingredients was. Allow compost to age for two weeks before you add it to the soil around plants. Or incorporate it into the soil, but don't sow seeds or transplant seedlings for two weeks.
For more details about composting and what materials to use:
https://sacmg.ucanr.edu/files/163139.pdf
For information about how to use compost in the home garden:
https://ucanr.edu/sites/ccmg/files/221120.pdf
This video is from our own composting experts at our demonstration garden in Walnut Creek: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E77Yps9K2bw The garden is open to the public on Wednesday mornings April through October. Please stop by and ask questions.
We hope to see you at Our Garden!
Help Desk of the UC Master Gardeners of Contra Costa County (JRB)
- Author: Help Desk Team
The 2024 Great Tomato Plant Sale is just around the corner, from April 13 to April 27, in three locations this year: Walnut Creek, Antioch and Richmond. This year's sale will feature 67 varieties of tomatoes chosen not only for flavor, but also for their ability to thrive in our Contra Costa County climate. Whether you're growing in beds or containers, in the heat of East County, the cool fog of West County, or somewhere in between, the Great Tomato Plant Sale will have a variety that will work great for you!
With so many choices, how do you know where to start? One possibility is to think about how you plan to use your tomatoes. Do you want to eat them straight off the vine? Do you imagine using them in fresh salads or hearty sandwiches? Maybe you want to make sauce or tomato paste, or are thinking about roasting, canning, or frying them. For those of you with certain culinary goals in mind, remember that tomatoes can be specialists. Each has its own unique flavor ranging from sweet and fruity to acidic and tangy. Some are meaty, some juicy, some sturdy enough to slice for a sandwich. Here are some of our favorites.
Fresh Snacks
Pop them in your mouth as “garden candy” or add to a salad or skewer. Cherry and grape tomatoes or small fruited slicer tomatoes are perfect for bite-sized snacks, kebabs, or including on a vegetable tray.
• Orange Paruche—it glows a brilliant, neon orange. One inch round fruits are thin-skinned and crack-and-disease-resistant with a superb flavor.
• Black cherry—dusky purple-brown grape-like 1” tomatoes with a rich, complex flavor.
• Sun sugar—very sweet, fruity-tasting orange cherry tomatoes in long clusters on vigorous plants.
• Tommy Toe—bright red and prolific with excellent flavor and plenty of juice.
• Yellow pear—wonderful in salads or as garden candy with a delightfully sweet flavor.
Salads and Sandwiches
Slicers, some heirloom tomatoes, and beefsteak tomatoes all have varieties that are delicious when eaten fresh. Their high water content means they are not the best for cooking, but they hold together well, making them ideal for sandwiches. And they come in a variety of colors to add exuberance to a salad such as the Caprese. Your choices will depend primarily on your growing conditions and your personal flavor preferences.
• Early Girl—4- to 6-ounce, bright crimson fruits with a tangy flavor.
• Black Sea Man—produces early and does well in containers. With attractive marbled flesh and a rich flavor.
• Aunt Ruby's Green—1 pound lime to yellow-green fruit with a superb fruity, slightly tangy taste.
• Caspian Pink—an incredibly sweet and juicy fruit that can reach one pound or larger. Great either fresh or cooked.
• Chocolate Stripe—these large tomato plants yield a big crop of mahogany colored fruit with dark, olive green-striping.
• Paul Robeson—7- to 10-ounce, blackish brick-red fruits with a sweet and smoky flavor.
Sauce, Paste and Canning
Look for thick flesh, rich flavor, tender texture, mild acidity, and low water content. These tomatoes, often known as paste tomatoes, have been developed for sauces. They peel easily and cook well, making a thick and delicious sauce quickly. Varieties include Roma and the famous Italian cooking tomato, San Marzano.
• Granadero—attractive, bright red, 4- to 5-ounce tomatoes with very good flavor. These thick-walled fruits are ideal for fresh tomato sauces, salsas, and salads.
• La Roma III—high yields of 5- to 8-ounce plum tomatoes on healthy, disease resistant and vigorous vines.
• Big Mama—5-inch-long paste tomatoes that are meaty, easy to peel and have very few seeds.
• San Marzano—solid flesh is perfect for canning/freezing for rich pasta sauce all winter.
Roasting, Salsa
Have you ever wanted to make your own salsa? Perhaps roasting cherry tomatoes or topping tomato slices with parmesan cheese sounds like something you'd enjoy. Paste tomatoes make great salsa and all tomatoes can be roasted. Experiment, mix different types, roast and then puree them with the skins on. Toss them in with pasta, use them for sauce, or can them for next winter when you miss the flavors of summer.
You Can't Go Wrong
There's a lot more to learn about tomatoes. Some will fare better than others in the dry heat of East County; others will thrive in the cooler climate of West County. If you have limited space, try cherry tomatoes in containers or a compact determinate (bush) variety. If you want the harvest to spread out all summer, choose an array of varieties with different ripening dates, or grow indeterminate (vine) tomatoes which tend to produce all summer. Our website explains all the differences, and even provides a shopping list for planning. https://ccmg.ucanr.edu/EdibleGardening/GreatTomatoPlantSale/
Remember, you can't choose a bad tomato. Experiment and have fun!
All photos courtesy of Pamela Schroeder, Master Gardener and tomato lover.
Help Desk of the UC Master Gardeners of Contra Costa County (RDH)
- Author: Help Desk Team
Perhaps you've seen them. You're digging into the soil to plant something and as you dig you run across a few earthworms. Most of us have heard from childhood that worms are good for the soil. You may also be aware of vermiculture, or worm composting, using worms to help turn organic waste into nutrient rich compost for the soil. When you see earthworms in your garden, what does their presence suggest about the soil health? Should you add more?
Earthworms and Wigglers
The earthworms you typically see in your garden are considered "migratory" which means they will travel to find the habitat best suited to their success. They tend to cluster in the top 6 to 8 inches of soil around the roots of plants where they feed on decaying material and the fungi and other organisms that live there. As they travel through the soil, they drag leaves and other litter down into their burrows where soil microorganisms also begin digesting the material. These worms can tolerate colder temperatures through the winter months when they burrow deeper into the soil.
Earthworms need a light airy soil and rely on decaying organic material for nourishment. Introducing these earthworms to an inhospitable environment such as heavy clay, or compacted and/or dry soil, will result in them either leaving or dying. Where they flourish, however, they are important in mixing the dead surface litter with the main body of the soil. If you regularly add compost and a layer of mulch to your garden to improve the soil you may find the worms 'magically' appear, attracted to the habitat you are creating. In turn their constant burrowing and feeding activities help mix and distribute organic matter throughout the soil, improve soil aeration and water penetration, promoting a healthier root environment for your plants. Their excrement, known as castings, is richer in nitrogen, potassium carbon, sulfur, and other minerals than the rest of the soil, and acts as a natural fertilizer.
There is a second type of worm which lives close to the soil surface in areas of abundant organic material. These worms, including the popular species red wigglers, reproduce rapidly and thrive in warm, crowded conditions. They are less likely to survive in your garden environment, particularly during cold weather. Instead, these worms are ideally suited to worm bins, and you will usually find them for sale for use in vermiculture. In a bin they can rapidly break down food scraps and other organic waste materials, and their castings also act as a natural fertilizer when collected and added to garden soils. Think of these worms as composting specialists.
A Note of Caution
There is a type of worm known as a jumping worm, an invasive species capable of harming native forests which has been seen in California and many other states. It is recognizable by a milky-white band wrapping all around its body near the head. When disturbed, jumping worms have been known to throw themselves into the air and thrash around. It is very difficult to eliminate these worms once established, so make sure to check new mulch, compost, and potting soil for the worms, as well as soil in nursery pots. Because they live close to the surface their castings are often visible as a coffee-ground-like substance on the soil. Don't use these worms for fishing, vermiculture, or gardening. You can learn more about jumping worms at https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=56929.
The Bottom Line
Should you add worms to your garden soil? Ultimately, it's a chicken and egg situation. Do earthworms create healthy soil or are they attracted to healthy soil? Few valid studies have been done to link the presence of earthworms with improved plant growth. However, both plants and earthworms need temperatures between 60°F and 100°F, water (but not too much or too little), oxygen, and a soil that isn't too acidic, basic, or salty. It's clear the conditions that are good for plants are also good for earthworms, and improving your soil by regularly adding compost and mulch ends up supporting a thriving community of both healthy plants and earthworms.
Help Desk of the UC Master Gardeners of Contra Costa County (RDH)
- Author: Help Desk Team
Were you bothered by yellowjackets last summer? Now is the time to get traps baited and placed outdoors. Overwintering western yellowjacket queens have been dormant all winter and are emerging now that spring is here, to feed and start a new nest. If you can capture the queen, you can prevent a new colony from forming.
There are two kinds of social wasps in our area that look somewhat alike—yellowjackets and paper wasps. Yellowjackets are the more problematic ones because their colonies can be much larger—there can be several thousand or up to fifteen thousand—and they vigorously defend their nests when disturbed. Their nests are usually underground in rodent burrows. These are the wasps that visit picnics and barbecues to scavenge meat and sugary foods.
Paper wasps are less defensive and rarely sting people. They build their paper nests in protected areas such as under house eaves. They can be a problem when the nest is over a doorway. The population in a nest is seldom over 100 wasps and is commonly only one or two dozen wasps.
Both yellowjackets and paper wasps provide a beneficial service by eating large numbers of pest insects. It is later in the summer when their colonies have grown larger and need more and more food that yellowjackets become scavengers, looking for whatever protein or sugar sources they can find. At this point, it is almost impossible to control their population. This is why it's so important to start the control process before you start to see yellowjackets flying around your picnic.
You can purchase yellowjacket traps at hardware stores or nurseries. These yellow plastic traps have a chemical attractant that lures yellowjackets into the trap. Follow package directions carefully. Make sure you don't get the attractant on your hands when you are setting it up to avoid attracting yellowjackets to your hands.
What to do if you find a nest on your property? Contra Costa Mosquito and Vector Control will treat ground-nesting yellowjackets at no charge. Contact them at 925-685-9301 or https://www.contracostamosquito.com/request-services For above-ground nests, you should call a licensed pest control company.
For more information on controlling yellowjackets and other social wasps, see this link: https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7450.html
Quick Tips: https://ipm.ucanr.edu/QT/yellowjacketscard.html
Help Desk of the UC Master Gardeners of Contra Costa County (SEH)
- Author: Help Desk Team
Most of us in urban and suburban areas don't have enough room for a large edible garden. Our space is limited for growing vegetables, so we need to try different techniques to maximize our yields.
The Family Garden Bed at Our Garden demonstration garden in Walnut Creek is a tangible example of what a family can accomplish when planting vegetables in their own backyard. Over the past couple of years, our 5'x20' plot has yielded roughly 500 pounds of produce each year.
Our Family Garden Bed was created 6 years ago when our garden team decided to dedicate one of our 30 existing garden plots to create and demonstrate what a family can accomplish in a small space in their own backyard. The plans for the bed evolved into a square-foot gardening concept resulting in greater vegetable yields.
Our most successful and prolific vegetable plantings are sweet potatoes, squash, onions, and tomatoes, so we plant these vegetables every year. However, we are not planning to plant sweet potatoes this season to make room for other experimental vegetables.
We have had a few failures. For example, one year we experimented with corn which took up a full square yard of space in the bed. Unfortunately, the corn provided a surprisingly low yield for our efforts. Because corn takes up a lot of space, requires a lot of water, and robs the soil of nitrogen, we no longer grow it.
The family bed continues to evolve with enhanced emphasis on edible greens that produce quite nicely during the colder months. We now have an antioxidant section featuring beets and leafy greens such as kale and spinach. We also have an “Asian” greens section featuring tatsoi and bok choy.
With the approach of spring, our Family Garden Bed Team has started to propagate seeds for the coming growing season. We plant one seed for lettuce, bok choy, tatsoi, and kale per cell in plastic six packs to get started. These seedlings will be planted in the ground in 4 to 6 weeks. Once these plants get growing, we propagate tomatoes, squash, melons, cucumbers, and other summer crops. All this is according to the master plan set down on a color-coded excel file that directs our weekly adventures.
Here is an example of our color-coded file:
OR
Here are some tips for getting the most out of every inch of space in your own Family Garden:
• Location, Location, Location: Summer crops, such as tomatoes, squash, beans, melons, and peppers all need at least 6 hours of full sun daily. A garden bed is best placed lengthwise east to west to take advantage of the sun throughout the day. Plant taller plants so they do not shade shorter plants.
• Soil and Water: Amend your soil so that you end up with what would be described as a loamy texture. Use a good compost (your own if possible), and organic fertilizers which will help build a healthy soil environment for plants over the long haul. How often you water will depend on the time of year, rainfall, how the soil retains water, the needs of your vegetables and how deep their roots grow.
• Trellising: You can maximize your bed space by trellising tomatoes, pole beans, cucumber, squash, and melons. This technique can provide shade for the lettuces that will produce longer if protected from direct summer sun.
Planning and Tracking
• Create garden plans for both warm weather and cool weather. We suggest starting small and experimenting.
• Select vegetable crops, based on what your family likes to eat, adding in something fun or new each year.
• Research and document vegetable requirements on seed packages or plant tags:
• Look up plant spacing, Days to Maturity/When to harvest, Start date to seed or plant.
• After you figure out vegetables to plant, then determine the number of plants required for your space. Since the Family Bed is 5' x 20', mini beds are designated, usually 3'x3' or 4'x4', or any configuration that will work for each vegetable. Have fun by creating a focus, such as a salsa bed, pizza bed, salad bed, antioxidant bed, etc.
Bed Layout — Getting the most out of each inch of space
• Intensive planting using the triangulation method. Place a plant at each corner of an equilateral triangle, where the length of a side is the plant spacing requirement. For example, you can plant 5 instead of 4 cabbage heads or broccoli in a 3'x3' plot.
• Intercrop planting: Mix in smaller faster-growing vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, radishes between larger, slower-growing crops such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower. For warm weather vegetables, plant lettuce, radishes, basil, etc., between tomato plants.
• Multi-vining tomato plants (2 to 4 vines) to get more variety of tomatoes in a bed.
• Trellising / Vertical planting: Plant upwards: indeterminate tomatoes, squash, melons, cucumbers, etc. Plant smaller, fast-growing plants under the trellis. This technique can provide shade for lettuces that will produce longer if protected from direct summer sun.
• Fill in blank spots by adding edible flowers for beauty and pollination.
Our Family Garden Bed has been a work in progress, and we learn new things every year much to our surprise! We highly recommend keeping track of what you plant each season to help you make plans for the future.
For more tips on successful gardening, check out the Edible and Sustainable gardening resources on our website: https://ccmg.ucanr.edu/
And please visit the Family Bed at our demonstration garden this spring! Our Garden is located at the southwest corner of North Wiget Lane and Shadelands Drive, just north of Ygnacio Valley Road, in Walnut Creek. We're normally open to the public from 9:00 am to noon on Wednesdays April through October.
Hope to see you at Our Garden!
Help Desk of the UC Master Gardeners of Contra Costa County (JCM)