When should you plant your garden tomatoes? Every year the seedlings arrive in nurseries and big-box stores by the middle of February. These tomatoes have been grown in a hothouse and do not like cold feet. They also prefer warm leaves, so don't put them out too early.
Wait until the soil temperature is at least 60°F during the day. Even without measuring I can tell that my soil is not close to that as the water coming out of my well is very cold. You can purchase a soil thermometer or use a compost thermometer if you have one. Measure the soil at a depth of two to three inches. The soil in my raised beds is currently just under 50°F.
If you have already purchased seedlings and the soil is too cool, then transplant the seedlings into gallon containers and keep them in a warm place until the ground warms. One friend kept them in his garage at night and dragged them out every morning until the soil warmed.
When the time comes to plant my tomatoes, I make sure the weeds are gone and the soil is smooth. Then I put cover the entire bed with clear plastic sheeting to keep the soil warm. I use pipes, boards and ground staples to keep the plastic flat. I determine how much room I need for each plant by placing my tomato cages feet up on the plastic. Then I cut a hole in the plastic inside each cage for the tomato. After I make the hole, I set the tomato cage aside but leave the plastic in place.
Tomatoes root easily along the main stem so if they are tall and lanky, dig a deep hole for them. Plant the seedling as deeply as possible, right up to the first set of leaves. Refill the planting hole with soil, lightly tamp it down, then water well.
Now place the cage around the tomato plant, pushing the legs right through the plastic and deep into the soil. Drive a stake into the ground inside the cage to stabilize it when the vine gets big. Square cages work much better than round ones. I have re-used some of my cages for many years.
As the plants start to grow, I protect them by wrapping the lower part of the cages with a couple of layers of Bubble Wrap. I secure it to the cages with clothespins. I also use a clothes pin on the plant tag so it stays with the plant. I have also used two-gallon plastic water bottles to protect small plants. I simply cut off the bottom of the bottle and place the whole thing over the plant.
Whatever method you use to water your tomatoes, be sure to water deeply. Ten minutes on a drip system is not enough. Once the plants are established, I usually water once a week. You can measure how deep the water has penetrated by pushing a piece of Rebar into the soil and noting where you meet resistance. Do not over fertilize, too much nitrogen encourages leaves not flowers. Once the flowers have begun to set fruit a dilute fertilizer or worm tea may be used every other week to keep plants healthy.
Tomatoes flowers are self-pollinating. Every morning I walk through the garden and shake the stems that have flowers on them. Bumblebees can do this for you using a technique known as buzz pollination or sonication. Their movement transfers the pollen from the anthers to the female part of the flower. Wind will also do this.
If you find a tomato you love and you want to save seeds, only harvest seeds from the healthiest vigorous and non-hybrid plants. Hybrid plant seeds will not produce the same kind of plant. Wait until the tomato ripens fully on the plant before you pick it then remove the seeds and spread them on a paper towel. Write the tomato's name and the year on the towel. Then let the towel air dry, store it in a dry place and save it until the following spring.
To start seeds, lay a piece of paper towel, seeds up, on the surface of a pot filled with soil. Water it and keep it moist. The seeds will grow through the towel to form roots. Reserve the strongest seedlings for planting.
Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the gardening public with home gardening information. U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County ( http://ucanr.edu/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.
As the rain subsides and the weather warms, spring finally become visible on the horizon. That means our time to get into the garden is drawing near.
Many of us, however, are looking at our winter-ravaged gardens and wondering where to start. If you have been braving the elements to tend your garden, you will probably be thrilled to begin spring garden duties. For the rest of us, however, spring garden prep can be daunting.
Where to begin? In our little garden, my wife and I will start with cleaning up leaves and other debris. This will not only improve the aesthetics, but it will also have a dramatic effect on the garden's health and on pest management. While a thick layer of leaves can act as compost, it also provides a cozy living space for snails and slugs, rodents, insects and fungus. During cleanup, we can also look for any problem areas or damaged plants that need attention.
Next up is everyone's favorite chore: weeding. Don't put this off. It is important to pull weeds before they go to seed and become an even bigger problem.
Then it is time to plan any new plantings. Planting in wet soil is not recommended, so check now for areas that may have drainage issues. Overly saturated soil will look black and have a rotten odor. If you find such a spot in your garden, leave it bare and let the sun evaporate some of the excess moisture. During any upcoming rainy periods, cover the area with plastic sheeting to prevent the problem from worsening. Remove the plastic on sunny days to let the water continue to evaporate.
Should your soil feel dry (unlikely given the amount of rain we've had) or at an acceptable hydration level, cover with a layer of compost or mulch. This material will improve moisture retention through the summer and improve soil tilth and biotic health. Good mulching practices can make a world of difference when it comes time to dig that tough Napa soil.
If you are planning to plant vegetables, early February is the perfect time to get some of them started. Broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, kale, peppers, onion, peas, lettuce and tomatoes will all benefit from an early start inside your home or greenhouse. Sowing times vary by variety, so be sure to follow the instructions on the seed packet.
If you don't have a seed-starting tray and warming mat, consider investing in one. The extra warmth can reduce germination time considerably. When you are not starting seedlings, you can also use the kit to improve your results for any cuttings you want to propagate.
Thinking of adding some ornamental plants but not sure which ones to choose? Consider California natives. The benefits are myriad, but to me, their best attribute is the low amount of care they require once established.
Plants adapted to the regional climate are generally more drought tolerant, making them an easy choice for low-maintenance landscaping. Some personal favorites include the Matilija poppy (Romneya trichocalyx) and Ceonothus ‘Dark Star' (also called California lilac). Both have attractive flowers that enhance any garden.
Should you wish to attract hummingbirds, I recommend California fuchsia (Epilobium canum), scarlet monkey flower (Mimulus cardinalis) and hummingbird sage (Salvia spathacea). The blooms of the California fuchsia persist well past those of many other flowering plants and can be relied upon to add a splash of vibrant red to a fall landscape.
Finally, don't let this winter's wet weather fool you into thinking that drought is a thing of the past. Southern California is still considered to be in drought conditions. Ground-water levels across the state continue to be a concern, and 2016 was the hottest year on record. Designing a water-wise garden is not only socially and environmentally responsible but will also certainly pay off in lower utility bills.
Proper plant choice, garden design and irrigation use can maximize your garden's beauty while minimizing your effort and expense. If you are interested in making such changes to your garden but need more information, call or e-mail the Master Gardener help desk. The volunteers there can help find answers to any questions you have.
Workshop: U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County will host a workshop on “Growing Summer Vegetables” on Saturday, March 11, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., at University of California Cooperative Extension, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Napa. Learn what the garden needs to successfully produce spring and summer vegetables from seeds and seedlings. The workshop will cover soil types and preparation, temperature essentials, watering, fertilizing and harvesting, with a dash of integrated pest management. Online registration (credit card only); Mail-in registration (check only or drop off cash payment).
Garden Forum: Join the U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County at a forum for home gardeners on Sunday, March 12, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., at Yountville Community Center, 6516 Washington Street, Yountville. Bring any questions about anything in the home garden. Questions about fertilizing, watering, planting, plant care, diseases and pests, tools and tool care or nursery purchases are welcome. Register with Yountville Parks & Recreation or contact 707-944-8712.
Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the gardening public with home gardening information. U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County ( http://ucanr.edu/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.
By Rob Williams, U. C. Master Gardener of Napa County
With this season's deluge of wet weather, thoughts of a bountiful summer harvest might seem far away. However, the emergence of some buds in trees and slightly higher day and night temperatures serve as a gentle reminder that spring is imminent.
With this in mind, there are a few things you can do right now to help ensure a successful summer vegetable harvest. Good preparation, thoughtful cultivar selection and consideration for the overall ecology and health of your garden are the foundations of a productive outcome.
Draw up a simple garden plan to help organize your activities. Decide what you will plant and when so you can maximize space, rotate crops and insure your crops have enough time to complete their growth cycle before the next season.
Radishes, for example, grow quickly whereas autumn squash might need several warm months. A plan can also guide you in timely ordering of seeds and seed starting.
Consider, too, such things as construction or repair of raised beds and irrigation lines. Are your irrigation lines still viable after a season of limited or no use? Repairing or replacing them over the next few weeks can help insure your garden is in shape for summer.
Get weeds out now while they are easy to pull. Consider planting a cool-season cover crop such as fava beans or peas. These quick-growing legumes can displace weeds, add nitrogen to the soil and serve as a component in your crop-rotation scheme. As a bonus, they are edible. After you harvest the pods, chop the greens and use them as mulch to improve soil tilth. Their extensive root systems can help break up compacted or heavy soils so you don't have to till wet soil, which is definitely not a good idea.
What to plant? With Napa Valley's Mediterranean climate, many summer vegetables feel right at home in pretty much any part of the county. Tomatoes, peppers, squash and corn are favorites in many local gardens. Of course, you should take into account your particular microclimate—any shady or windy areas, for example.
Local nurseries have a good selection of vegetable seeds and starts, but also consult specialty catalogs for heirloom vegetables and new hybrids that look enticing. Many heirlooms have exceptional disease resistance, flavor and overall hardiness. What's more, you can save their seeds for next year's crop, thus reducing your gardening expenses and increasing the diversity of your harvest. Hybrids have to be started from new seed every year.
Finally, consider the overall ecology of your garden. What can you do to improve it? Adding compost now can help prepare the soil for your transplants. Earthworms and other soil microorganisms will get started on making your soil a better host for the upcoming guests.
And while your main focus might be vegetables, consider planting other plants as pollinators. Nasturtiums can add color to your garden and serve as a resource for pollinators. And their edible blossoms can add a peppery note to salads. Blooming herbs and sunflowers also attract pollinators, which will increase the bounty of your harvest. Birds appreciate these plantings, too, and help keep pest populations down so you don't have to resort to harmful pesticides.
We avid gardeners look forward to a bountiful summer harvest. With a bit of planning now, we increase our chances of success.
Workshop: U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County will host a workshop on “Growing Summer Vegetables” on Saturday, March 11, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., at University of California Cooperative Extension, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Napa. Learn what the garden needs to successfully produce spring and summer vegetables from seeds and seedlings. The workshop will cover soil types and preparation, temperature essentials, watering, fertilizing and harvesting, with a dash of integrated pest management. Online registration (credit card only); Mail-in registration (check only or drop off cash payment).
Garden Forum: Join the U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County at a forum for home gardeners on Sunday, March 12, from 11 am to 1 pm at Yountville Community Center, 6516 Washington Street, Yountville. Bring anyquestions about anything in the home garden. Questions about fertilizing, watering, planting, plant care, diseases and pests, tools and tool care or nursery purchases are welcome. Register with Yountville Parks & Recreation or contact 707-944-8712.
Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the gardening public with home gardening information. U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County ( http://ucanr.edu/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.
By Barb Whitmill, U. C. Master Gardener of Napa County
Spring and fall are opportune seasons to plan and create a new garden. On Saturday, February 25, U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County will host a public workshop on drip irrigation and garden design (details below). Please plan to attend if you are plotting a new landscape or revamping an existing one.
Landscape design involves organizing outdoor spaces using both hardscape (such as walkways and walls) and plants to create a functional, attractive environment. Well-designed gardens serve their intended purpose, while minimizing the use of water, fertilizer, pesticides and labor.
Before creating your garden plan, do a site assessment. This analysis is important whether you are reworking an old garden space or starting fresh.
Evaluate the natural topography of the site: its hills, slopes and drainage. Study the sun and wind exposure in different areas. Map out existing structures such as a home, garage, pool, fences and walkways and how they are oriented to the sun.
Determine the water source for the irrigation. Locate mature trees and large shrubs that you intend to keep, and note the sun and shade patterns they create. Look beyond the property to consider views you may want to enhance or screen out.
What is your objective for the landscape and how will you use it? Perhaps you want to create an inviting entry to your home or a play space for young children. Maybe your wish list includes an ornamental or edible garden, an area for entertaining, a cooking space, a water garden, a potting shed or storage area. Consider traffic flow, how people will move from space to space. Note any concerns about loud neighbors or road noise.
Now comes the fun part, using design principles to create your landscape. Professional designers think about scale, balance, perspective and unity.
A tree planted next to a large house needs to be big when mature to fit the scale of the house.
Balance can be symmetrical—a house with identical plantings on each side of the front walk—or asymmetrical. You create asymmetrical balance if you plant a large tree on one side of the walk and several smaller shrubs on the other side.
Perspective tricks can help you visually enlarge your garden. Strong foliage colors and textures, tapering walkways, flowerbeds that draw the eye outward or “borrowing” a view beyond the property line all make a space appear larger.
Unity can come from repeating geometric shapes or design elements. For example, designing a curved lawn border for front, side and back yards will create unity.
Simplicity provides impact. Better to use a few plants in groupings rather than a lot of plants in singles. Defining the transition between plantings will create harmony.
Drip irrigation is suitable for all kinds of plantings: vegetable gardens, flower gardens, shrubs and both fruit trees and ornamental trees. Drip irrigation is efficient with little water lost to evaporation or runoff. It can be applied only when needed, and it limits weed growth as the water is supplied only to the plant. And drip lines and emitters can be easily repositioned when you move plants.
However, drip systems are not problem-free; they require monitoring and maintenance. Emitters may clog and you may not be aware that a plant is dry until it's too late. Also, drip systems can be damaged by animals, insects and humans.
Choose plants that are adapted to our climate and group them in “hydrozones” according to water needs. Each hydrozone should have its own valve that you can control individually to meet the needs of the plants in that zone. Many gardens have four hydrozones: routine irrigation, reduced irrigation, limited irrigation and no irrigation other than rain.
Most likely, your drip system will have a control center with multiple valves, a pressure regulator, a filter and a timer. Transmission to the planting area is usually constructed with PVC pipe or PE (polyethylene) hose. Emitters can be attached directly to the PE hose, or narrow tubing can be used to reach plants with emitters or sprayers. Drip tape, pierced with small holes, can be used for plants grown in tight rows, as in many vegetable gardens.
Drip emitters deliver water at a specific rate, usually one to three gallons per hour. Knowing the water needs of each plant will enable you to choose the proper emitters. Once the system is in place, each valve timer can be programmed to deliver the necessary amount of water to each hydrozone.
Anyone can learn to install a home drip-irrigation system. If you're planning a new garden or simply want to do a better job of managing your existing drip system, please attend the Master Gardener's upcoming drip-irrigation workshop.
Workshop: U.C. Master Gardeners of Napa County will host a workshop on “Drip Irrigation and Garden Design” on Saturday, February 25, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., at the University of California Cooperative Extension, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Napa. Learn how to use drip-irrigation components in your home garden in this hands-on workshop. Online registration (credit card only); Mail-in registration (check only or drop off cash payment)
Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the gardening public with home gardening information. U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County ( http://ucanr.edu/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.
Do you know a U. C. Master Gardener of Napa County? You may and not even realize it. We are short, tall, thin and not so thin. We are older, younger, retired and still working. We live in Calistoga, Pope Valley and American Canyon and all points in between. The one thing we have in common is a passion for gardening.
The Master Gardener program began in 1972 in Washington State. Now almost every state has a Master Gardener program. Its purpose is to assist the county farm advisor in answering local home gardeners' questions. The Napa County Master Gardener program graduated its first class in 1995.
Prospective Master Gardeners are interviewed to make sure that they are willing and able to complete the volunteer commitment. Those accepted attend a 10-week training program of weekly classes.
Master Gardeners are not trained to know everything about gardening, but we know where to find information and resources. We guide the public in becoming better gardeners. To that end, we rely on a mountain of research-based information from the University of California. We dispense only research-based information, not the folk wisdom learned at a grandparent's knees.
There are many ways that Master Gardeners can earn their minimum number of volunteer and continuing-education hours. One of the main ways we educate the public is via office hours. This help desk is one of my favorite places to work. We have a small office in the U.C. Cooperative Extension office in Napa with a computer and many reference books. Master Gardeners hold office hours here and answer garden questions from Napa County home gardeners.
I once fielded a question about how to grow wasabi (horseradish). I searched everywhere for information and finally found on a university website. Master Gardeners sometimes have to be detectives.
We also conduct public workshops throughout the year on seasonal topics. We staff garden- information tables at farmers' markets, garden centers, health fairs and county and city events such as Earth Day. We partner with local waste-management agencies to host backyard-composting classes on both hot composting and vermicomposting (composting with worms). We maintain demonstration gardens to illustrate useful techniques and plantings. We recently completed a drought-tolerant planting in Calistoga and a pollinator- attracting garden at the St. Helena Library.
Our School Garden Task Force helps parents and teachers manage local school gardens. Master Gardeners contribute weekly newspaper articles and operate a speakers' bureau. If you belong to a group that needs a guest speaker on a garden topic, check our website (address below) for the speakers' bureau request form.
Master Gardeners of Napa County will also host two major events this spring. The annual Tomato Sale and Education Day on Saturday, April 8, and the “Discover Garden Magic” garden tour on Sunday, May 21. At the tomato sale, you can purchase a wide variety of tomato seedlings and learn how to take care of them. The garden tour showcases six splendid gardens owned and maintained by Master Gardeners. These gardens will inspire you and provide ideas for your own home garden. Proceeds from these events support our educational efforts in Napa County.
Visit our website (http://ucanr.edu/ucmgnapa) to find useful information on gardening, submit a garden question to our help desk, request a speaker or learn about upcoming events. A new group of Master Gardener trainees will graduate at the end of March, joining experienced volunteers working in the community on our many educational projects.
Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the gardening public with home gardening information. U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County ( http://ucanr.edu/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.