by Denise Seghesio Levine, U. C. Master Gardener of Napa County

If I had to choose just one herb for my garden, it would have to be basil. Granted, I would want every variety of basil, from Genovese to Thai, lemon to lime, but I would be happy with just basil. Growing a garden of basils would satisfy my kitchen needs, flower needs, sensory needs and make the pollinators in my garden happy, too.

For many of us, a plate of pasta con pesto was our first introduction to basil (Ocimum basilicum). And a pizza margherita or insalata caprese is just not right without fresh basil.

Many regions in Italy claim basil as their own. Neapolitan basil, Genevose basil, classic basil…all are delicious and pesto-worthy. But they have subtle differences that you will have to discern for yourself.

Basil like lots of sun; rich, loose, well-draining soil; and a reasonable amount of water. Occasionally feeding with diluted fish emulsion and keeping the plants pinched and flower free are the main tasks to keeping leaf production in full force. Harvest by pinching leaves or flower stalks above the point where two new branches grow. The more often you harvest, the bushier and more prolific your plants will be. 

Basil seedlings can be planted six to twelve inches apart and generally grow two to four feet tall. Whether you buy seedlings or purchase seeds, planting directions and spacing should be on the labels and envelopes. Start basil seeds indoors now and plant out seedlings when the weather is warm. Alternatively, wait a month or so and you'll find basil seedlings at local nurseries. 

Basils come in many sizes, from six inches to six feet. Leaf color ranges from chartreuse green to deep purple, and fragrances vary from cinnamon to lime.  Even if you think you have no room, or no garden, there is a basil for you.

Piccolo basil and Greek dwarf basil are two compact varieties that fit tidily in a pot on the windowsill and still deliver a burst of flavor. Kitchen windowsill pots make it easy to pinch and use basil on a whim, always fun for creative cooks. Basil can grow all year long in a sunny window and larger plants in pots do well, too. 

Lime basil, Thai basil and Sweet Thai basil all originated in Thailand. Thai basil has a cinnamon-like fragrance to me and striking purple flowers that spring from bright green foliage. Thai basil would have a place in my garden even if it never made it to the kitchen. It is a beautiful companion to the all the opal-leaved basils. 

Lime basil and Mrs. Burns lemon basil generously share their bright citrusy scents with anyone willing to give them a little squeeze. Both types make interesting pesto for fish and salads, or a fresh chiffonade for topping stuffed eggs or potato salad. They are just fun to experiment with. Bright fragrant leaves and lovely flowers for bees and bouquets are a bonus. As florists are discovering, basil also makes a fragrant filler in floral arrangements.   

Two years ago, my husband and I set up a little farm stand. In addition to growing regular basil, we had a lush bed of Lettuce Leaf basil. It was the first time we had grown it and we did not know what to expect. 

The seed was easy to broadcast when the weather was warm. It germinated in about a week. As it grew, we thinned it and used the thinnings in salads along with lettuce. It produced beautiful three- to five-inch frilly leaves, easily making bouquet-like bunches when we picked it. For several weeks no one bought any Lettuce Leaf basil at our little stand, so one week we gave everyone who stopped a bunch of it. And the next week, everyone came back for more. 

Much milder than the better-known basils, Lettuce Leaf has a softer, creamier basil flavor and is mild enough to substitute for lettuce in your salad, pile on your sandwiches or throw in your juicer along with other vegetables. There are several online sources for Lettuce Leaf seeds; it may be harder to find as seedlings in nurseries. 

Basils are beautiful and compatible interplanted with roses but are vulnerable to aphids. Pay attention to your plants and rinse them with a spray of water as needed.   

Just when I thought I had seen them all, I found an article in Fine Gardening on a basil called Pesto Perpetuo. Three qualities distinguish this basil. It does not flower; it has a columnar growth habit, sometimes reaching six feet; and it has a white-rimmed variegated leaf. Interesting, right? Google it.

Workshop: UC Master Gardeners of Napa County will hold a workshop on “Growing Tomatoes” on Saturday, April 6, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at University of California Cooperative Extension, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Napa. Join our experienced tomato growers for tips and tricks on cultivating perfect homegrown tomatoes. Learn the latest research on tomato cultivation and care, and discover new and heritage tomato varieties. You'll get all the information you need to grow delicious and beautiful tomatoes in your own large or small garden or in containers. Growing America's favorite garden fruit is not only fun and easy, but also the best way to acquire healthy food for you and your family. Online registration (credit card only); Mail-in/Walk-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:/napamg.ucanr.edu) 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 Penny Pawl, UC Master Gardener of Napa County

When you are planning your summer garden, remember the pollinators. Bees and other pollinators are in trouble in California and across the U.S. and need our help. They are nectar feeders so put in plenty of blooming plants for them.

Without pollinators we would lose many food crops. There are 1,000 species of California native bees. Twenty-six of these are bumblebees and most of the rest are solitary bees.

The pollinators native to our area have evolved with the native landscape so it's important to have some native plants in your garden. Pollinators include native bees and butterflies. Honeybees are not native to the United States but were introduced for their honey. However, other pollinators are just as effective. Let me introduce you to some of our native bees.

For several years, I have created nests for the native mason bees. These nests consist of pieces of wood with 3/8-inch holes drilled into them. The one they visit most is a piece of firewood. Mason bees have nested in it repeatedly. I know they were there because of the mud in each hole.

Last year I actually saw the bees leaving their nests and then returning. They are about to come out this spring to pollinate the fruit trees. They don't spend much time flying around before they start building new nests for their babies.

The mason bee creates its nest in long narrow tunnels within the wood. The bees do not make these tunnels; they find them and move in. So I drilled the holes for them. The bees pack the holes with pollen, lay an egg, pack in more pollen and lay another egg. They put three to five eggs per hole depending on the depth. When they are done laying, around the first of April, they seal the holes with mud. I know the nest is full when I see mud in every hole. The eggs hatch the following spring.

This year I did not move the nest to a sheltered location. It appears that woodpeckers have tried to drill out the nest. I will wait and see how much damage the birds have done by the end of March.

I have bumblebees in my garden every year. They especially love my ‘Hot Lips' salvia from Mexico. They spend all day gathering nectar and are gentle.  

Bumblebees nest in the ground. You should always leave a cleared area in your garden for them; they will not nest in mulch. I often find their little mounds. When they are done digging, you cannot tell they were even there. They love one particular area of my garden that I always keep clear of mulch.

I also see a lot of carpenter bees, the big bees that drill for nectar in the back of the flower. They are gentle and you can observe what they are doing easily.

They can be destructive when they drill into untreated lumber. I had them in my hothouse one year. They had drilled all the way to the end of a 12-foot-long 4 x 2 board. I had to replace that wood and paint it with latex to keep them out. Putting steel wool in the holes will also stop them. They do need a place to lay their eggs, however.

The male carpenter bee is a big brown teddy bear. He has only one purpose: to pursue females. He does not sting. I had a visit from one a few years back and he hung around me for a while. Once their mating duty is done, they die.

Digger bees and squash bees both nest in the ground. Squash bees emerge to pollinate squash and gourds. They are only present when these plants are in bloom. Even so, I hand-pollinate my squash to make sure I get fruit.    

Bumblebees are said to buzz tomatoes, which are self-pollinating. Just to be sure the flowers do pollinate, I shake the vines every morning when I do my walk-through.

To lure pollinators to your garden, plan to have a variety of plants blooming every month of the year.    

Workshop: UC Master Gardeners of Napa County will hold a workshop on “Growing Tomatoes” on Saturday, April 6, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at University of California Cooperative Extension, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Napa.
Join our experienced tomato growers for tips and tricks on cultivating perfect homegrown tomatoes. Learn the latest research on tomato cultivation and care, and discover new and heritage tomato varieties. You'll get all the information you need to grow delicious and beautiful tomatoes in your own large or small garden or in containers. Growing America's favorite garden fruit is not only fun and easy, but also the best way to acquire healthy food for you and your family. Online registration (credit card only); Mail-in/Walk-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:/napamg.ucanr.edu) 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 T. Eric Nightingale, U.C. Master Gardener of Napa County

Spring is around the corner, ready to bring new opportunities to spend time in our gardens. While many of us find this thought exhilarating, some prefer to spend their time in other ways.

A large proportion of these garden avoiders are young people who view gardening as little more than a chore. Engaging children in activities that do not involve a video screen can be challenging, and no doubt many parents ask themselves whether it is worth the effort.

The benefits of gardening have been well espoused in relation to adults; the benefits to children may seem less straightforward. Perhaps the most obvious is exercise, an undeniable requirement for the young. Gardening is also a way to connect children to the natural world, a connection that brings with it a respect for the environment and our dependence on it.

Children are also naturally curious. he limitless avenues of investigation into the biology, chemistry and general function of a garden can greatly increase one's understanding of how the world works.

The act of growing food for oneself and family is an invaluable experience. Not only can this endeavor impart an appreciation for healthy food, but it can be extremely empowering. Food is one of the few true necessities in life, and children can benefit from knowing that they can be at least somewhat self-sufficient in that realm.

But how do adults make gardening fun and interesting to youngsters? As the grown-up, your first task is to find out what grows well (and quickly) in your climate and yard. A child will lose interest if plants grow too slowly or, even worse, never germinate at all.

In Napa Valley, March is a great time to plant peas and carrots, which will sprout quickly and mature in May. These vegetables are also fun to harvest and can be eaten without even cooking, adding to the excitement.

Some plants are simply more fun to grow than others. People of all ages appreciate sunflowers. The seeds are easily sown, and many varieties reach impressive heights. Birds love to eat the new seeds growing on the blooms, adding an additional chance to observe nature.

Pumpkins are another visually impressive option, growing from small seedlings to giant gourds. Some varieties are suitable for carving into jack o'lanterns; check the description on the seed packet.

Edible flowers are also sure to please young people. Pansies and violas make attractive toppings for salads or desserts, but also consider the tasty blossoms of nasturtium and borage. Just be sure that youngsters understand that only some plants, and some parts of plants, are safe to eat.

A cover crop is another option that teaches many garden lessons. Brassicas such as mustard and legumes like fava beans are inexpensive to sow and need little encouragement to grow.

Small children need help measuring to make rows and holes for sowing. They benefit from some homemade tools customized for the job. A string with knots at relevant lengths can help with spacing, and a popsicle stick with a line on it will aid in judging planting depth

The garden also holds some important lessons for older children. Pollinator decline and soil health are both important current issues that can be taught in the home garden. I have yet to meet a teenager who is uninterested in insect metamorphosis, one of the most undeniably unsettling things to witness. The interdependence of organisms within the soil ecosystem is an analog for nature as a whole, and the lessons come with an excuse to get dirty.

If you have a group of children you hope to inspire, or a classroom that needs a garden, there are resources available to you. For the past five years, a group of Napa County Master Gardeners has been dedicated to getting kids excited about plants and gardening. Known as The School Garden Task Force, this group has been helping educators around the county find the horticultural resources they need. The team was also a founding partner of the Napa Valley School Garden Network, a group of citizens who share a mission of starting a garden at every school in Napa (www.nvusd.org/nvsgn).

There are myriad resources online related to gardening with children. I have found projects of all levels of involvement and complexity.

The most important thing is, of course, to get kids into the garden. Once there, they will surely find something intriguing.

Workshop: UC Master Gardeners of Napa County will hold a workshop on “Growing Tomatoes” on Saturday, April 6, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at University of California Cooperative Extension, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Napa. Join our experienced tomato growers for tips and tricks on cultivating perfect homegrown tomatoes. Learn the latest research on tomato cultivation and care and discover new and heritage tomato varieties. You'll get all the information you need to grow delicious and beautiful tomatoes in your own large or small garden or in containers. Growing America's favorite garden fruit is not only fun and easy, but also the best way to acquire healthy food for you and your family. Online registration (credit card only); Mail-in/Walk-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:/napamg.ucanr.edu) 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 Heather Dooley and Pat Hitchcock, UC Master Gardeners of Napa County

The recent rain and cool weather have given us plenty of time to pore over all those seed catalogs looking for a new vegetable variety to try or reordering seeds for our favorites. It's time to start planning your summer vegetable garden (although it's not planting time yet).

Fortunately, we live in an area with a Mediterranean climate, characterized by long, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. As a result, we have two cool seasons annually for gardening, one in late summer and early fall and the other in early spring. Our warm season typically starts in late April when the soil is warm enough to plant tomatoes. Now is the time to start planning for that warm season.

You can start your own warm-season vegetables now in pots. Tomatoes, peppers and eggplants are easily started from seed indoors. These vegetables require warmth to germinate so it's a good practice to put seed-starting trays on a heat mat.

All seeds need the correct temperature and moisture to germinate. But after they sprout, light becomes all important. Put baby seedlings in a sunny spot by a window or, if using a grow light, keep the light about 1 inch above the leaves to prevent spindly, weak plants.

If your seedlings do get leggy or aren't dark green, they need more light. Keep soil moist but not soggy and use a half-strength liquid fertilizer once a week. In about six weeks they will be ready to plant outside.

Be sure the area where you intend to plant your seedlings gets enough sun. Six to eight hours is the minimum for most vegetables.

Do you have a plan for irrigation? And have you examined your soil? Is it nice and crumbly, like a piece of chocolate cake? Or is it waterlogged clay? Clay soil holds micronutrients but typically needs to be amended with compost to lighten it, so it has air pockets for the nutrients to cycle.

Have you been adding organic matter to feed the soil microbes? Soil is alive. It has both macroscopic organisms (the ones we can see), such as earthworms, aerating the soil and decomposing organic matter and also microscopic organisms such as bacteria and fungi.

Mycorrhizae are fungi that live in association with the roots of plants. These fungi collect nutrients for the plants in exchange for carbohydrates. It's a wonderful example of life forms helping each other. There's a whole conversation going on underground in healthy soil.

Don't neglect weeds. Most soils have a large amount of weed seed just waiting for the right conditions. Weeds compete with your vegetables for water and nutrients. Controlling them is a constant part of gardening but can be managed by depriving the weeds of water and light. Mulch your beds to exclude light, water only where necessary for your vegetables and disturb the soil as little as possible to avoid bringing up a new crop.

Plant healthy transplants at the right time to encourage growth and to out-compete weeds. Chemical weed controls are not recommended in a vegetable garden and not needed in most situations.

Now that you have a sunny spot with great soil, access to water and no weeds, what do you want to grow? Ask yourself why you are gardening. Is it for flavor, to save money, to harvest organic produce or to have access to unusual produce varieties?

It's tempting to want to grow everything, but properly spaced plants will be healthier and more productive than plants spaced too closely. Make a planting plan on paper. Think about the size of the vegetable when full-grown and how long it will be in the ground. An indeterminate tomato plant will eventually need almost nine square feet of growing ground and will need to be supported with a strong five-foot-tall cage. Can you stagger plantings for a longer harvest season?

It is better to grow fewer plants well than to have a large vegetable garden that you can't take care of. Gardening is work and therapy, and you get tomatoes, too.

See complete list of upcoming events on our website calendar http://napamg.ucanr.edu 

Free Talk, 1 hour: “Growing Summer Vegetables” at the Napa Public Library on Thursday, March 7, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Learn what you can grow in the summer, what to plant and when, and how to have a harvest all summer long. No registration required.

Workshop, 2 hours: “Growing Spring and Summer Vegetables” on Saturday, March 9, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at the University of California Cooperative Extension, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Napa. Do you want nutritious, easy-to grow and utterly fresh food from your garden this spring and summer? Learn what the garden needs to successfully produce spring and summer vegetables from seeds and plant starts. In addition to growing basics and hands-on activities, this program includes watering, fertilizing and harvesting tips, with a dash of Integrated Pest Management for pest and disease control. The delight of growing your own groceries is matched only by savoring them at harvest. Online registration (credit card only); Mail-in/Walk-in registration (check only or drop off cash payment).

Workshop, 2 hours: “Summer Vegetables” on Sunday, March 10, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., at Yountville Community Center, 6516 Washington Street, Yountville. Get tips for growing your own summer vegetables. Learn some basics, get keys to success, and do hands-on activities to learn about new varieties and review old favorites. Enjoy healthy vegetables taken straight from your garden to your table. The delight of growing your own vegetables is matched by savoring them at harvest. Online registration or telephone the Parks & Recreation Department at 707-944-8712.

Demonstration garden update: UC Master Gardeners of Napa County have begun the process of re-establishing a demonstration garden in Napa Valley. For further developments, please visit the Demonstration Garden link on our website ( http://napamg.ucanr.edu/).

Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the home gardening public with research based gardening information. U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County (http:/napamg.ucanr.edu) 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 Have Garden Questions? Find us on Facebook under UC Master Gardeners of Napa County.