Learn about planting leafy vegetables like lettuce and spinach, and root vegetables like carrots, beets and radishes. Not to mention broccoli and cauliflower. All of these vegetable plants can be grown in the ground or in containers. Great class for beginning gardeners.
We are excited to say that our classes are at nine Stanislaus County Library Branches! We hope to see you there.
August 2023 Library Branch Schedule
- Tuesday, 8/1 at 6:00 p.m. - Salida
- Saturday, 8/5 at 2:00 p.m. - Empire
- Tuesday, 8/8 at 6:00 p.m. - Oakdale
- Thursday, 8/10 at 1:00 p.m. - Patterson
- Saturday, 8/12 at 2:00 p.m. – Riverbank
- Monday, 8/14 at 6:00 p.m. – Ceres
- Tuesday, 8/22 at 2:00 p.m. - Waterford
- Wednesday, 8/23 at 6:00 p.m. - Turlock
- Monday, 8/28 at 5:30 p.m. - Modesto
- Author: Mike Hsu
One doesn't need to be a seasoned farmer to know that growing conditions in Canada are completely different than those found in the low desert of California.
And yet, for many years, studies conducted in Canada were used to generate nitrogen uptake data for the California carrot production system, so growers managed their fields based on their own experiences – and that research conducted thousands of miles to the north.
Carrots had been among the crops grown in California that did not have site-specific data to suggest the best source, rate, timing and placement of nitrogen, in the highly variable cropping seasons and locations throughout the state. That's why new information – based on local research and published in August – is invaluable to farmers in Imperial and Kern counties, where the majority of the carrots in California are grown.
Two years of data from two experimental trials at UC Agriculture and Natural Resource's Desert Research and Extension Center – as well as from 10 commercial fields – produced key recommendations for farmers to make the most of their irrigation and nitrogen applications.
“The point is we developed information in your field, based on your practices, your climate, your production system – and this is what is really happening,” said Ali Montazar, UC Cooperative Extension irrigation and water management advisor for Imperial County. Montazar conducted the study alongside Daniel Geisseler, UCCE nutrient management specialist at UC Davis, and Michael Cahn, UCCE irrigation and water resources advisor for Monterey County.
With reliable data gathered under real-world conditions, Montazar said growers now have solid reference points for when – and at what rate – to irrigate and apply fertilizers in the low desert environment. One of the key findings, for example, was that the carrots' nitrogen uptake is generally low in the first 40 to 50 days, so growers are advised to limit their fertilizer application during that period.
Then, by tailoring those basic guidelines to their own site-specific situation and optimizing their practices, growers can maximize the amount of nitrogen taken up by the carrots – and minimize the amount that is leached out.
“Improving irrigation and nutrient management in the desert production system is what local growers are themselves trying to achieve. With improving efficiency and reducing nutrient leaching, we can improve the quality of water in the Salton Sea,” said Montazar, noting the longstanding challenges of reducing contaminants from irrigated lands to protect its unique ecosystem and wildlife.
While contamination of groundwater is not a critical issue in the desert, the best practices in this study can also help carrot growers in parts of California where nitrogen leaching into groundwater and drinking water supplies is a greater concern.
Montazar is currently leading a team in studying carrot-growing management practices under slightly different conditions in Kern County, with the hopes of publishing findings in late summer 2022.
The Imperial County study, “Spatial Variability of Nitrogen Uptake and Net Removal and Actual Evapotranspiration in the California Desert Carrot Production System,” is published in the journal Agriculture, and can be found at https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11080752. Findings and recommendations also appear in Progressive Crop Consultant: https://progressivecrop.com/2021/09/new-knowledge-based-information-developed-to-enhance-water-and-nitrogen-use-efficiency-in-desert-fresh-market-carrots/.
Funding for this study was provided by the California Department of Food and Agriculture's Fertilizer Research and Education Program, as well as the California Fresh Carrots Advisory Board.
As a gardener, I get really excited to plant some of my favorite foods. Broccoli, cauliflower, swiss chard, kale, and lettuce always grace my table each fall and into the winter months. Carrots and sugar snap peas greet me next to my front door. Green and purple cabbage have even lined my walkway tempting me with thoughts of the sauerkraut that will be made from their crunchy heads.
While the majority of my experience has been with planting my veggies in raised beds and in ground, when I was first starting out on my gardening venture I planted several varieties in pots and containers. Lettuce, carrots, sugar snap peas, have all grown well for me in containers.
The best thing about growing lettuce, especially romaine, is that you can harvest the lettuce throughout out the season. By snipping off the older, outer leaves, you can keep your lettuce growing and extend your harvest. I usually sow my seeds every two weeks just to make sure I have lettuce all fall and winter long.
Sugar snap and snow peas are great for containers. I've normally use transplants from the nursery but seeds will work just as well. Choose a container that is quite sturdy as these peas like to have a trellis to grow upon. Place a homemade trellis in the pot and place your transplants or seeds about two inches away from the trellis. Alternately, I have placed my peas in pot next to a pretty trellis leaning against the garage wall and they have loved it. The best thing about growing peas is the more you harvest, the more they produce.
Carrots, for me, are a little trickier. First time I tried them the container wasn't deep enough and I had these little stunted carrots. Choosing a deep container or pot, at least 12” led to better success and a very tasty treat. Remember to thin out your carrots as well or you'll have some very interestingly shaped and twined carrots. They are still edible, but don't look very pretty.
Yes, fall is one of my favorite times of year. Not just for the weather, but for the abundance of produce that we can grow here in the Central Valley. Fall veggie container gardening is a great way to get started on your adventures in gardening.
Terry will be co-teaching our upcoming Fall Vegetable Gardening class on August 25. Save the date! More details coming soon.
- Author: Denise Seghesio Levine
I was surprised to learn on the USDA website that the earliest references to carrots were to purple and yellow types found in Afghanistan between 900 AD and 1000 AD. By the 1300s, these varieties had made their way to Europe and China. And by the 1700s, white carrots were being grown in Europe. Orange carrots finally made an appearance around this time.
Oil paintings from the Netherlands during this period depict orange and white carrots in still lifes of kitchen scenes. I'll be looking for them on my next museum visit.
Today Turkey, India and China grow purple, yellow and red carrots, while in the Middle East people prefer mostly purple and yellow types. White carrots are largely used for livestock feed in Europe, with orange carrots now the norm in most of the rest of the world.
Many of us have been told to “eat your carrots” at least once, and it seems to be good advice.
Carrots provide 30 percent of the vitamin A in the American diet, and they are a low-calorie source of fiber and potassium. According to the USDA, Americans eat an average of 11 pounds per year, so some of us must be paying attention.
With such colorful choices, knowing the subtle differences between them will add to your carrot sophistication.
White carrots like ‘Snow White contribute valuable fiber, but their lack of color signals fewer micronutrients. The ubiquitous orange carrot provides beta and alpha carotenes that protect our eyes and immune systems.
The striking ‘Cosmic Purple' carrot with its heart of gold provides the nutritional benefit of anthocyanin. According to the USDA, this micronutrient helps prevent heart disease and stroke with an antioxidant effect that protects against harmful free radicals.
Sunny yellow carrots like ‘Solar Yellow' and ‘Yellow Sun' boast xanthophylls, the same pigments responsible for the color in fall leaves. These pigments are beneficial in the fight against macular degeneration and cancer prevention. Red carrots like ‘Atomic Red' contain lycopene, the same pigment that makes tomatoes red.
Carrots are a $300 million crop in the U.S., with half of all production in California. Clearly we can grow carrots in this state.
According to the USDA, it takes just over one square yard to produce enough carotene-rich carrots to supply all the vitamin A an adult needs for a year. That's a good reason to sow some carrots.
Find a sunny spot in your garden for carrots, and prepare the soil well. Most carrot varieties are long and straight;if you are digging beds, aim for at least 18 inches of loose soil. Round carrots are a good choice if your beds can't be deep.
Some carrot varieties do better in clay soil than others, but all prefer a soil pH of 5.5 to 6.5. Carrot seed germinates best in warm soil. Carrots can tolerate some light shade, which means you can interplant with other crops. Read the seed packet for more detail.
Scatter carrot seed on the surface of the prepared bed and rake it in gently. Some seed packets recommend surface sowing with no soil cover, while others recommend covering the tiny seeds with no more than a quarter-inch of soil. Some gardeners prefer to grow in rows, sowing a few seeds every inch with rows 16 to 18 inches apart; others prefer to broadcast seeds in blocks.
Toss a few radish seeds in the same row or block to see green pop up a little faster. Radishes can help mark the row for slower-germinating carrots. Keep the bed moist until the carrot seeds germinate.
Thinning carrots is essential. Most seed packets recommend sowing more seeds than you need so you have adequate germination, but the more seeds that sprout, the fiercer the competition. As difficult as it may be to pull up and toss seedlings, thin to seed packet recommendations for best results.
Split carrots? Uneven watering. Twisted? Heavy soil.Hairy and rooty? Too much nitrogen.
The other tough lesson about carrots is, don't pull them up to see if they are growing. But if you accidentally do so, toss the tiny carrots in your salad. They are good for you, too.
Garden Tour: The UC Master Gardeners of Napa County invite you to attend their sixth garden tour, “Down the Garden Path,” on Sunday, September 13. On this self-guided educational tour, you will see seven gardens owned by Master Gardeners in and around the City of Napa. These gardens illustrate how Napa County Master Gardeners use University of California research-based horticultural information to develop and maintain their own gardens. Tickets: $30 advance / $35 day of event. Purchase tickets here: http://bit.ly/1fqLJZe. Or you can purchase tickets at the Master Gardener office (address below). For more information, call 707-253-4143.
Workshop: Napa County Master Gardeners will hold a workshop on “Food Preserving” on Saturday, August 29, from 9 a.m. to noon, at the University of California Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Napa. Conserving your garden's bounty and knowing exactly what's in your food are just two reasons to preserve food at home. If done correctly,canning is a safe way to process fruits and vegetables. Learn the basics of water-bath canning, pressure canning and other easy preservation techniques. Online (credit card only)Mail-in registration (cash or check only).
Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the gardening public with home gardening information. Napa County Master Gardeners ( http://ucanr.org/ucmgnapa/) are available to answer gardening questions in person or by phone, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to Noon, at the U. C. Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Suite 4, Napa, 707-253-4143, or from outside City of Napa toll-free at 877-279-3065. Or e-mail your garden questions by following the guidelines on our web site. Click on Napa, then on Have Garden Questions? Find us on Facebook under UC Master Gardeners of Napa County.
- Author: Paul McCollum
To all the lovely people,
I hope all of us are growing some carrots - here is a little article that points out just how easy they are to grow. If you haven't grown them before then now is great time to get started.
Paul
How to Grow Carrots
I absolutely love growing carrots in my home vegetable garden. I set aside a specific 4 x 4 raised bed (a different one each year), just to grow them. With a little sun, water and nutrient rich soil you will soon come to find out just how easy it is to grow your own carrots at home. |
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