Assuming that the Morgan Hill area gets its much needed rain this winter, growing flowers and vegetables during the winter months can provide a delicious harvest, while reducing erosion and promoting soil health. So what can you do to care for your winter crops?
Add organic soil amendments
Whether you plan for your garden to work or rest this winter, adding organic soil amendments now can replenish nitrogen levels and improve soil structure. Popular soil amendments include alfalfa pellets, blood meal, and fish emulsion. Aged manure or compost can also be dug in, or used as a top or side dressing to feed winter crops right away, or spring crops later in the season.
Mulch! Mulch! Mulch!
The benefits of mulching cannot be overstated. Covering the ground with two to six inches of mulch is one of the best ways to protect your Morgan Hill crops and soil. Mulching prevents runoff and erosion. It stabilizes soil temperatures and makes it more difficult for weeds to get started. You can often get free wood mulch from local tree trimmers. Just be sure to keep mulch a few inches away from tree trunks and plant stems. Continuous exposure to moisture can lead to fungal diseases.
Cut your losses
Some summer annuals may be hanging on, but they are not going to benefit anyone except local pests. Dead and dying summer plants can play host to many different pests and diseases. Toss diseased plant material in the trash and compost everything else. This is also a good time to prune fruit and nut trees. Cut out any dead, diseased, or crossed limbs. Do not prune apricot trees or grape vines in the rainy season, or you may create an entry point for Eutypa dieback, a fungal disease that can kill a tree or vine.
New plantings
While colder temperatures slow the growth of most plants, there are still several cool season crops you can start in October.
These crops include artichoke, arugula, asparagus, beets, bok choy, Napa cabbage, chard, cilantro, collards, dill, fennel, garlic, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard greens, peas, radishes, spinach, and turnips.
Late summer plantings of broccoli, cauliflower, fava beans, leeks, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage should be well on their way by now. Adding side dressings and mulch can provide nutrients and protection to these cool weather crops.
You can learn more about winter gardening at the South County Teaching and Demo Garden, found at St. Louise Hospital, 9400 No Name Uno, in Gilroy. Free classes are regularly offered to the public.
For more information, check our events page or call 408-282-3105 between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
by UC Master Gardener Kate Russell
This article first appeared in the October 25 – November 7 issue of Morgan Hill Life.
Our dog, Cooper is very much loved and VERY spoiled. Not only does she have a special outdoor space, she has her own lounge chair, her outdoor area offers both sun and shade, and she has full run of our home, with doggie beds in almost every room!
So, as I said, we DO love her, and we are careful to pick up and dispose of her poop. However, her outdoor area has started to smell bad, and I am determined to see if I can fix that.
I've reached out to several Master Gardeners, done a fair bit of online research and talked to a couple of our local nurseries to see if plants can make a difference. Below are recommended options for pet owners to try.
Flowers: Phlox prefers sun but will tolerate a bit of shade; the plants are quite fragrant and come in white, pink, salmon, purple, red and bi-colored. Dianthus is low-growing, likes full sun and thrives either in containers or in the ground. It has a spicy vanilla-like scent. Try ‘Fruit Punch Sweetie Pie' (pink) or ‘Itsaul White'. Stock is quite fragrant, can grow in part shade or sun and is available in many shades of pink, purple and white.
Shrubs for full sun: Roses are good choices. ‘Mr. Lincoln' is scarlet-red with an incredible scent, and ‘Princesse Charlene de Monaco' has double light-apricot to pink flowers. Buddleia (Butterfly bush) will attract butterflies to your garden from mid-summer to mid-fall; try ‘Blue Chip' (purple) or Miss Ruby (magenta). Peonies are shrubby perennials that go completely dormant in winter, but the gorgeous spring flowers and enticing fragrance make it well worth trying. Good choices are ‘Festiva Maxima' (pure white blooms with crimson flecks), ‘Sarah Bernhardt' (medium pink double blooms) and ‘Shirley Temple' (soft pink to ivory white).
Shrubs for part sun: Viburnum is a tough spring-blooming plant with a distinctive spicy scent. Check out ‘Spice Girl' (pink),'Fragrant Snowball' (white) or ‘Spice Baby' (white). Daylilies grow in full sun to part shade, but only a few are known for their pleasing aromas — ‘Savanna Debutante' (apricot-yellow), ‘Hyperion' (lemon yellow) and ‘Chance Encounter' (rose/mauve).
Trees: Crabapples like full sun, have showy flowers in the spring and provide fruit that birds absolutely love; try ‘Prairiefire' (vibrant pinkish-red buds) or ‘Royal Raindrops' (magenta flowers with deep purple foliage).
Trailing option for containers or rock gardens: Sweet Alyssum, works in full sun to part shade. Consider ‘Snow Princess' (white) or ‘Dark Knight' (deep purple).
Vines: ‘Scentsation' honeysuckles prefer sun and are extremely prolific and fragrant. Birds and butterflies love this variety. ‘Sweet Autumn' clematis blooms from late summer to fall and has an intoxicating aroma; butterflies and pollinators love its dainty, white star-shaped flowers. Plant in sun to part shade.
Of course, many herbs provide a fabulous scent as well as culinary delights. Options include lavender, rosemary, sage, lemon balm, marjoram, thyme, catmint, and mint.
Most of the above options can be grown in containers — a great idea since most plants won't survive (much less thrive) with the heavy concentration of nitrogen found in animal urine.
Even if you don't own a pet, the recommended plants will not only brighten your landscape but entice you into the garden with their tantalizing scents! Think about using them near an outdoor dining area, gazebo, hammock, or other areas where you like to spend time. You'll be able to take plenty of time out to smell way more than the roses.
by UC Master Gardener Rebecca Jepsen
This article first appeared in the October 15 print issue of the San Jose Mercury News.
Planting berries
Raspberries and blackberries can be planted from late fall through early spring. These plants tend to spread, so select a location that will naturally limit their growth. Placing them next to fences and buildings is ideal because they can provide trellising. To install plants, dig a wide, shallow hole that can contain all the roots. Trim off any dead or damaged root tissue and spread the roots out, within the hole. Roots should not be planted more than 2 inches deep. Cover with soil and press down firmly to eliminate any air pockets. Water well to settle the soil and hydrate the canes. Cut newly planted canes to a height of only 6 inches. Red raspberry plants are generally spaced 2 to 3 feet apart, while black and purple varieties are spaced 3 to 4 feet apart.
Training berries
Cane berry plants produce more fruit and stay healthier when they are trellised. Cane tips that reach the ground will start producing roots, rather than flowers and fruit. Only the largest canes should be retained.
All others should be pruned out because smaller canes produce smaller fruit. Also, tip back canes to prevent them from getting longer than 6 to 8 feet. The further a berry is from the crown of the plant, the smaller it will be. Canes should be fanned out for good air circulation and to make it easy for pollinators to reach the flowers. Before removing older canes, check to see when your particular variety produces fruit. Some canes produce fruit on one-year-old canes, while other produce on older canes.
Watering cane fruits
Raspberries and blackberries use a lot of water, but they do not tolerate standing water or soggy soil. Frequent watering is very important during bloom time. Too much heat and water stress at bloom time can eliminate an entire season's crop in a condition called “berry blast.” Soaker hoses and drip irrigation are excellent tools for keeping your berry plants healthy and hydrated without wasting water.
Other benefits of berries
Adding berries to your landscape also provides pollen and nectar for beneficial insects, food for indigenous birds and wildlife, and most casual thieves won't brave a blackberry bramble to get to your back door.
Raspberry and blackberry canes grow well in Morgan Hill, and they are easy plants to add to your landscape. Try them today.
You can learn more about growing berries and other edibles at the South County Teaching and Demo Garden, found at St. Louise Hospital, 9400 No NameUno, Gilroy. Classes are regularly offered to the public. For more information, check the events page or call (408) 282-3105 between 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
by UC Master Gardener Kate Russell
This article first appeared in the September 27 – October 10, 2017 issue of Morgan Hill Life.
Even if you are not planning to plant many veggies and herbs this fall, you should definitely invest the time to plant a cover crop in both your garden and raised beds. Cover crops take very little effort. You plant them once, water initially to get them started, and then let Mother Nature take over — assuming we are blessed with another wet winter.
Here in the Bay Area, the primary need is to add nitrogen to our heavy clay soil in order to loosen it up and feed our plants. Excellent nitrogen-fixing crops include vetch, cowpeas, fava beans, and crimson clover. Buckwheat is a great choice if you want a quick fix. It germinates in about five days and is ready to be turned under in about a month. You can feed your soil now, and still get a great fall garden planted.
For information and cool-season crops, don't miss the upcoming Fall Garden Market at Martial Cottle Park's Harvest Festival Oct. 7. The festival celebrates the agricultural heritage of Santa Clara Valley. There will be food, entertainment, activities for the kids, park tours, and more.
You will find seedlings of many Asian and Italian greens such as Chinese broccoli, pak choi, tatsoi, chicory, escarole, and radicchio. There will be dozens of varieties of beets, cabbage, and cauliflower. Try growing a few leafy greens that are great in soups, stews, and stir-fry meals, such as chard, kale, and mustard. They are cut-and-come-again plants that will keep on giving through next spring. And, if like me, you can't live without a fresh salad, you will find a variable salad bar of lettuce, spinach, arugula, cress, and mache to grow; all you'll need for serving them is a little vinaigrette!
And yes, there will be peas, turnips, onions, and even kohlrabi, collards, and artichokes.
Don't miss out on the blooming beauties: Agrostemma, Clarkia, Delphinium, Larkspur, Linaria, Snapdragons, Sweet Peas. Flowers not only add beauty, but bring in the bees and beneficial insects necessary for pollination and fending off the “bad bugs” that can damage your garden.
Whether you are a seasoned-gardener or just starting out, you can pick up lots of tips from the festival's free educational talks — Amazing Succulents, Cool Season Vegetables, Glorious Garlic, and Native Plants.
Growing your own food, whether with your family or by yourself, is not only enjoyable but truly important! You will conserve water, waste less (no one wants to throw away what they have worked to grow), avoid using harmful chemicals, nurture your soil, and help support and feed our native birds, bees, and other insects. And most importantly, you will make a huge, positive impact on your children; kids actually will eat what they grow! So head on out to one of our upcoming Fall Markets, and dig in!
Upcoming Fall Fall Markets
There are three upcoming Santa Clara County Master Gardeners Fall markets The main event will be at San Jose's Martial Cottle Park (5283 Snell Ave.) on Oct. 7, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Admission is free, but there is a $6 parking fee.
Other Master Gardener Fall Garden Markets will be presented Sept. 23, 10 a.m.-noon, Palo Alto Demo Garden, 851 Center Dr., Palo Alto; and Oct. 14, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Guglielmo Winery, 1480 E. Main Ave., Morgan Hill.
by UC Master Gardener Rebecca Jepsen
Photo courtesy of Rebecca Jepsen
This article first appeared in the September 17 issue of the San Jose Mercury News.
Each individual region has its own characteristics and Morgan Hill is no exception. While other parts of the country use autumn to prepare for harsh winters, putting up storm windows, we have the luxury of yet another growing season.
Summer crops
Your tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, summer squash and melons are probably in full swing in August, but many heat sensitive plants have long since bolted and gone to seed. If you leave some of these plants in place, not only will they provide seeds for a future crop, but they will also provide nectar and pollen for many beneficial insects. The insects feed on or parasitize common garden pests, such as aphids, hornworms, cutworms, and many more.
With the help of these beneficial insects, you can reduce or avoid using chemical pesticides altogether. Even if you do not actively collect seeds from the previous season's crop, you will probably discover next spring that you have many edibles throughout your landscape.
Plants to start in August
To get a jump-start on your autumn planting, this is a good time to start seeds for artichoke, broccoli, cauliflower, chard, cilantro, collards, fava beans, fennel, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce and spinach, peas, and turnips.
You can also direct seed arugula and beets in August, and this is the time to install Brussels sprouts and cabbage plants. Napa cabbage can be started now, as seeds or transplants.
With scorching hot days ahead, be sure to keep those seedlings watered and protected as they grow. They may need to be kept in a protected area, without too much direct sun.
Bed preparation
As summer harvests reach their peak, you can help your plants stay healthy by removing dead and diseased plant materials.
In many cases, the more frequently you harvest, the more food a plant will produce. To feed and protect the current crop while preparing for your autumn garden, be sure to add aged compost and other mulch material to your growing beds. This will add organic matter for improved soil structure, and it will stabilize temperatures, and feed the worms and microorganisms that help your garden plants thrive. That way, as September rolls around, your garden beds will be prepared for carrots and all the seedlings you start now.
Staying one step ahead of the gardening game can make your landscape more productive.
You can learn more about garden design at the South County Teaching and Demo Garden, found at St. Louise Hospital, 9400 No Name Uno, in Gilroy. Classes are regularly offered to the public.
For more information, check our events page or call (408) 282-3105 between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
by UC Master Gardener Kate Russell
This article first appeared in the August 30 – September 12, 2017 issue of Morgan Hill Life.
