And what to do this month in your garden
Eggplants come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Japanese and Chinese varieties are usually long and narrow and can be lavender to deep, dark purple. Indian (sometimes call baby eggplant because they are so small) are reddish purple and are great in curry, stuffed, or roasted. Some Thai eggplant are actually green when ripe. “Fairy Tale” are very small, can fit in the palm of your hand, and are a beautiful purple with white stripes. They are very tender and great for grilling. “Little Green” has pale-green skin and is mild and very creamy when cooked.
Now is a great time to plant your eggplant (from transplant). They are easy to grow, even in containers. They grow best in a warm, sunny location with at least 6 or more hours of direct sunlight. They should be spaced about 24-36 inches apart.
They are upright growers but will need support once they start fruiting to hold all the weight of the abundant fruit. When planting, mix in a good organic compost and some slow-release fertilizer. With proper care and feeding, many varieties will keep producing well into the winter months – I have often served them with my Thanksgiving dinner.
This month in your garden
- Check irrigation and mulch: If you haven't already inspected your irrigation system or put down that very important layer of mulch, it's not too late. Do it before the summer heat sets in.
- Deadhead roses, salvias, and dahlias to encourage continual blooming. Remove spent buds from camellias, rhododendrons, and azaleas.
- Control earwigs which feed on soft plants and can cause significant damage. Trap them by setting out moistened, tightly rolled newspaper at night and then discard it in the morning.
- Fire blight shows up in the spring. It causes blackened branches and twigs that look like they have been scorched. It often affects fruit trees such as apple, pear, loquat, and quince; as well as toyons, hawthorns and crabapples. It is spread by insects, rain, and pruning. If left unattended it can kill the tree. Prune the infected branch about 8-12 inches below the visible damage.
- Prune suckers from rose bushes. It can be difficult to tell the difference between suckers and basal canes. They both shoot straight up with vigorous growth. Suckers grow from below the bud union. Basal canes originate at the bud union and should be left on – they are the best wood on the plant.
- Don't forget to deep water your trees (especially if they are less than three years old). We are likely moving back into drought conditions; deep watering once a month will help protect those environmentally-important fruit and ornamental trees. It takes much less water to preserve established trees than it does to start new ones!
Plant this month
- By seed: arugula, beans, beets, Brussels sprouts, corn, cucumber, melons, summer and winter squash.
- By transplant: arugula, basil, beans, beets, corn, cucumber, eggplant, melons, mint, peppers, summer and winter squash, and tomatoes. Local nurseries should have a good supply of most of these.
Give back
Too much fruit? If you have an abundance of fruit and have already “over-shared” with your neighbors, contact Village Harvest. They offer volunteers that will pick your fruit and then donate it to a worthy food bank.
by UC Master Gardener Rebecca Jepsen
This article first appeared in the June 10, 2018 print issue of the San Jose Mercury News.
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