During this time sheltering in place, I've had more time to be in the garden weeding. This got me thinking, “what exactly is a weed?”

The Master Garden handbook defines a weed as “a plant growing where it is not wanted.” For the home gardener, a plant can become a weed when it interferes with intended use of land and water resources.

I recently purchased “Weeds of California and other Western States” a two-volume resource book. It lists over 1600 pages of plants considered weeds. As I read through this book, I see many plants listed that I would not have considered as weeds, such as the broadleaf forget-me-not. I love the look of this annual. I scattered their seeds several years ago in one area of my yard and this year I found them growing in several other places. This isn't surprising as I've observed their seeds attached to my clothes and garden gloves.

So, is it a weed if this pretty flower shows up somewhere else? According to the California Invasive Plant Council, the  answer is “yes,” since this particular plant is also considered invasive. It can escape landscapes and move into natural habitats and pastures. The control of invasive plants in California costs over $82 million dollars per year.

Nostalgic Weeds

One “weed” I enjoy came from my grandmother's garden, it's called the “three-corner leek”.  This “weed” looked so pretty in her yard, I brought it home many years ago. Now, I see it made itself comfortable all over the yard. This perennial bulb, with white umbel-like flowers, has “escaped cultivation as a garden ornamental”, according to the “Weeds” book.  It has been somewhat easy to control, and I dig out the bulb when it appears. I think of Grandma when I see it, so  in the garden, it's staying.

A Weedy Menace

One weed that has become a menace is “false garlic.”This weed seems to be taking over several areas of the garden. It's a bulb with grass-like leaves and white flowers.  It grows under the birch trees in the front yard. Tree roots interfere with my ability to dig the bulbs out completely. Unfortunately, there are millions of baby bulbs that dislodge from the mother bulb and get left behind in the dirt, leading to unintended propagation.  UGH!!!

I am slowly winning the fight in two areas where these weeds are located. However, under the birch trees, I have surrendered to taking my garden knife and cutting off the greens just below the surface of the ground.  I know it may not be a permanent solution, but it looks good  until I need to cut the greens again, in a few weeks. The “Weeds” book says this process eventually “depletes bulb energy reserves.” I have learned not to let this plant set flowers as it also reproduces itself using seeds.

I am determined to win this battle against the weeds with perseverance. Wish me luck!!! I hope to see your comments on how you are doing controlling weeds in your garden.

For more information about specific weeds, check out the following references:

UC IPM Home and Landscape Pests - Weeds
http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/menu.weeds.html

California Invasive Plant Council
https://www.cal-ipc.org/

Weeds of California and Other Western States, vol. 1&2, UC ANR publication 3488
http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu

For more information about Stanislaus Master Gardener's program and  upcoming classes, sign up for the Stanislaus Sprout blog at https://ucanr.edu/blogs/StanislausSprout

A Help Desk is also available to help with other gardening questions or concerns: https://ucanr.edu/sites/stancountymg/

Heidi Aufdermaur is a graduate of the 2019 Class of Master Gardeners in Stanislaus County.

We've had quite a few sign ups for our free online class for Wednesday, April 15, 2020! We hope to "see" more of you online to hear Rho Yare present on everything you need to know to get started growing spring vegetables in containers.

How can I watch the presentation live?

Download zoom to your device and create an account. If you are new to Zoom, we recommend watching these helpful videos to be prepared ahead of time for the class.

• How to create an account and download zoom. https://youtu.be/qsy2Ph6kSf8?t=33
• Test out zoom's audio controls to make sure you can hear*: https://youtu.be/HqncX7RE0wM
• How to join a meeting.https://youtu.be/hIkCmbvAHQQ
• Download Zoom at https://zoom.us/download

I don't have Zoom

If you can't watch the presentation live, you can still see it later! We are working on creating a brand-new YouTube Channel. When the video is ready, we will upload it to Youtube and post about it. The video will include closed captioning* so all viewers can be sure to have the information.

I wish I had the presentation so I could take notes!

Not a problem! We will send a pdf of the presentation to everyone who signs up. You can either print it or keep it as a reference on your computer.

Sign up by Wednesday, April 15 at 4 p.m.

Please sign up for our class by visiting our Classes and Workshops page. You will receive an email with the Zoom link. After 4 p.m., it will be too late to acquire this link. 

 

It would be safe to say that tomatoes are the most popular home-grown “vegetable.” Any garden department or nursery this time of the year has a huge array of varieties. You can become positively confused with numerous names, sizes, and descriptions.  As a Master Garden I will attempt to demystify some this for you.

The tomato, commonly called a vegetable, is a fruit botanically, and hard to believe but the tomato was the center of a U.S. Supreme Court decision, Nix vs. Hedden. Now, this is a fascinating bit of historical trivia. In the 1800's there was a tariff that put a tax on imported vegetables. Well, a business owner in New York City named John Nix wasn't too happy about this. He sued Edward Hedden, the “Collector of the Port of NYC” (tax collector). Mr. Nix declared that since tomatoes are a fruit, he was owed back taxes.

Now, Mr. Hedden and the Port of NYC did not wish to return any money, so eventually this case landed at the U.S. Supreme Court. Final decision, although the tomato is botanically a fruit, a seed-bearing structure grown from the flowering part of the plant, the Court ruled unanimously that they are used as a vegetable so consequently it is considered a vegetable, and that was that.

In Stanislaus County from early July and for months afterward, you'll see tomato truck gondolas on the road 24 hours a day filled with red, ripe tomatoes rushing to processors. We have perfect tomato growing conditions.

A tomato is not too picky. That's another reason it's so popular to grow.  All that is required is full sun, an area (container or ground) with some soil, a support of some type, some water, some fertilizer, and a little love.

If you are a container/patio gardener, look on the label or tag for the term “determinate,” as these plants work best in containers. Also, anything named patio or pixie. Cherry tomato varieties are indeterminate but work great in a container.  Use at least a 5-gallon bucket-sized container (with holes in the bottom). Your plant will need some support, but not as much as the indeterminate varieties.

If you are planting in the ground, you can use determinate and indeterminate tomatoes. Indeterminates can get quite big and need a sturdy support system. Most heirloom (very popular right now), cherry, and the traditional requested varieties such as 'Beefsteak,' 'Big Boy,' and my personal favorite, 'Sungold' are in this category.

To ensure your plant is planted correctly, make your hole as wide and deep as the root ball of the plant. This is the area of soil and roots that you remove from the original container. The cool thing about tomatoes is you can plant them as deep as you need to if they are leggy.  

To plant, carefully remove the root ball, and gently loosen the root mass and with gardening clippers or scissors remove lower branches. You are going to plant about 1/3 of the green plant below the soil. Gently pat the soil around the plant . Don't forget to place your support around or next to the plant now so you don't forget. Water gently and stand back and admire your gardening expertise. And imagine those delicious tomatoes gracing your salad, sandwich, or as I like to do, eat them out of my hand with a few napkins to catch the juice.

As the growing season continues you may run into a few questions or issues. This is when the Master Gardeners of Stanislaus County can come to the rescue. We are there with sound, scientific advice and information about plant health, pests, and growing problems, all at no cost. 

I hope you plant at least one tomato plant this season and send us pictures of your successes to ucmgstanislaus@ucanr.edu. Happy gardening and enjoy those dirty hands.

Be sure to join Rho on Wednesday, April 15 at 6 p.m. for Spring Container Vegetable Gardening. Sign up on our class website at https://ucanr.edu/sites/stancountymg/Classes/

 

The Stanislaus County UCCE Master Gardeners are excited to bring you a free online class on Wednesday, April 15, 2020 from 6:00-7:30 p.m. PST!

Rho Yare will teach you everything you need to know about growing spring vegetables in containers.

How can I watch the presentation live?

You'll need to download Zoom to your device and create an account. If you are new to Zoom, we recommend watching these helpful videos to be prepared ahead of time for the class.

• How to create an account and download zoom. https://youtu.be/qsy2Ph6kSf8?t=33
• Test out zoom's audio controls to make sure you can hear*: https://youtu.be/HqncX7RE0wM
• How to join a meeting.https://youtu.be/hIkCmbvAHQQ
• Download Zoom at https://zoom.us/download

I don't have Zoom

If you can't watch the presentation live, you can still see it later! We are working on creating a brand-new YouTube Channel. When the video is ready, we will upload it to Youtube and post about it. The video will include closed captioning* so all viewers can be sure to have the information.

I wish I had the presentation so I could take notes!

Not a problem! We will send a pdf of the presentation to everyone who signs up. You can either print it or keep it as a reference on your computer.

Sign up Now

Please sign up for our class by visiting our Classes and Workshops page. The week of the class, you'll receive the Zoom link.