Last year I ordered grafted eggplant and bell pepper seedlings. I also bought the same non-grafted varieties locally and grew them all right next to each other.
This experience gave me some results that, while not scientific, I could measure.
The first year, I grew my four grafted tomatoes in a separate bed from the others. One fared poorly but the other three were tasty enough to merit saving seed.
For a number of years, I have been saving seed from the tomatoes that I like best. The tomatoes I grew from the seed that I saved from the grafted varieties did well last summer—as well as the grafted tomatoes had the year before. Since tomatoes are self-pollinating, their seeds come true—the offspring resemble the parent plant—unless the seeds come from hybrid tomatoes. In that case, the next generation may look more like an earlier ancestor than like the hybrid.
I was amazed by the rapid growth of the grafted ‘Rosa Blanca' eggplant. It had fruit prior to the non-grafted ‘Rosa Blanca'. However, after the initial rush, it sat there while the non-grafted plant grew taller and produced fruit. I had the same experience with the bell peppers. At the end of the season, the yield was almost the same.
For grafted vegetables, professional grafters choose rootstock that is resistant to virus and other soil-borne diseases. When seedlings are large enough, they are grafted onto the root material. It's a relatively simple procedure, and I was going to do it myself but the root material was only available in quantities of 100 or more. The rootstock seed, available online, is also pricy—about 50 cents per seed.
Vegetable grafting started in Japan in the 1920s, when a square watermelon was grafted onto rootstock for a round watermelon. I don't understand the advantage of a square watermelon except that it doesn't roll around. Korea and Japan have been grafting vegetables for almost a century, and the practice has now moved to Europe and the U.S.
Last summer, Sacramento Master Gardeners did an experiment, planting two 'Pineapple' tomatoes—one grafted, one not. I have grown this variety also. They concluded that the grafted plant had more problems than the one grown on its own roots, and it cost much more. In a recent issue, Organic Gardening magazine explored the benefits of grafted versus non-grafted tomatoes and concluded that grafted tomatoes did not offer any obvious advantages for the home gardener. That is my conclusion as well.
Based on my experience and my reading online, I believe that grafted vegetables are intended more for professional greenhouse growers. In that environment, crops are planted in soil that is reused repeatedly. As a result,viruses and other soil-borne diseases build up in the soil.
The home gardener can take precautions to avoid soil-borne diseases. The first line of defense is to rotate crops. Members of the nightshade family—tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant and peppers—should be planted in different areas each year.
Solarizing the soil in summer is another way to combat soil-borne disease. Wait for the summer heat to arrive, then clean up the targeted area, removing all plant material. Water well, thencover the area with clear plastic sheeting. Secure the edges andlet the soil bake. The soil under the plasticshouldreach about 140°F, hot enough to kill many soil-borne diseases. I also found that the heat kills invasive redwood roots.
Leave the plastic in place for about two months. For more information on solarizing, consult University of California sources online, such as: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74145.html
Since this is a drought year, I am planning to solarize several of my garden beds.
Workshop: Napa County Master Gardeners will lead a workshop on “Container Gardening and Succulents” on Saturday, May 17, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at the Senior Multi-Use Center, 2185 Elliott Drive, American Canyon. Grow gardens that are mobile. Discover the best containers, soil and locations for your plants to prosper. Gain confidence to work with unfamiliar types of plants.Online registration (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.
Napa County Master Gardeners welcome the public to visit their demonstration garden at Connolly Ranch on Thursdays, from 10:00 a.m. until noon, except the last Thursday of the month. Connolly Ranch is at 3141 Browns Valley Road at Thompson Avenue in Napa. Enter on Thompson Avenue.
Just what is a weed? Some say that a weed is any plant growing where it is not wanted. But let's take a look at weeds from some different angles. Maybe they aren't always the nuisance we think they are.
Many so-called weeds are attractive, with verdant foliage (lambs quarters, English daisy), colorful flowers (chicory, scarlet pimpernel, day lily, and buttercup oxalis) or interesting growth patterns (plantain, willow herb and mallow). Others make lush groundcovers or turf (clover, common chickweed, Bermuda grass).
Some weeds provide children with great entertainment. Perhaps you remember blowing dandelion seed pods, making filigree “scissors,” sucking the sweet-sour stems of oxalis, stringing wild radish fruit necklaces or picking bouquets for doll parties and friends.
More importantly, and more usefully, weeds can communicate valuable information about the soil in which they grow. A happy weed can indicate what other types of plants would do well in that area, or what improvement a soil might need.
If you see yellow nutsedge, dock or foxtails, the site probably has soggy, swampy conditions on occasion. In that situation, ornamental willows, Japanese and Siberian iris, ligularia and dogwoods would do well, too.
Chicory, annual bluegrass, bindweed and chickweed indicate compacted soil. Planting a strong-rooted cover crop, such as white lupines or sweet clover, would help break up the soil and release nitrogen as well. Adding organic compost could also help aerate and lighten the soil.
Dandelions, sorrel, annual bluegrass and plantain prefer acidic soil, with pH below 7.0.Where those weeds do well, you can probably grow hydrangeas, blueberries, rhododendrons and azaleas, which also thrive in “sour” soil.
Alkaline soil, with a pH above 7.0,is hospitable to poppy, sagebrush and scarlet pimpernel, but also to choice ornamentals, such as lilac, lavender, dianthus and baby's breath.
Fertile soil supports chickweed and lambsquarters. The presence of redroot pigweed indicatesan abundance of nitrogen. Red clover suggests the soil is high in potassium, while wild mustard signals phosphorus. Heavy-feeding vegetables—corn, broccoli, lettuce, melons, squash, tomatoes and peppers—should grow well in such rich soil.
Your soil may have poor fertility if you see daisies, shepherd's purse or black medic. Not to worry. Many perennials, including coreopsis, salvia and stachys, flower better in lean soil. Legumes, beets, carrots, peas, radishes and sage tolerate low-fertility soils as well.
Besides indicating soil conditions, weeds can also improve the soil. Strong-rooted weeds like dock, dandelions and mallow push deeply into soil, opening air spaces and improving drainage. Shallow-rooted weeds like ground ivy, knotweed and purslane act as groundcover and help prevent erosion and soil crusting. Some weeds in the legume family, such as clover and black medic, add nitrogen that more desirable plants can use.
Weeds in the lawn can indicate what changes you need to make to grow healthy grass. Mow your lawn too low (shorter than one and one-half inches) and you encourage annual bluegrass, crabgrass and plantain. Low mowing can kill grass roots and invite the sunlightthat stimulates weed sprouting. Mowing higher encourages grass to develop deeper, drought-resistant roots.
Water too much or too little and you may find clover, crabgrass or annual bluegrass in your lawn. For most turf grasses, one deep weekly watering (about one inch) in the early morning is best. Poor drainage invites ground ivy, knotweed and plantains to take hold, but once your lawn has established a deep root system, you won't need to water as much and drainage may be less of an issue.
Napa County Master Gardeners are offering two upcoming activities to help you work with your weeds:
Weed ID: Join Napa County Master Gardeners on Wednesday, April 23, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., at Connolly Ranch (address below) in Napa for “Wednesday Walk About.” Master Gardeners will focus on weed identification in their demonstration garden. Materials will be available to take home for identifying weeds in your own yard.
Workshop:Join Napa County Master Gardeners for “What's That Weed? What Does It Tell Me? How Do I Control It?” on Thursday, April 24, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., in the University of California Cooperative Extension office (address below).Learn to identify some of the most common garden weeds and what they can tell you about your garden. Knowing what weeds you have can help you discover clues about your garden microclimates and soil conditions.Online registration (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.
Napa County Master Gardeners welcome the public to visit their demonstration garden at Connolly Ranch on Thursdays, from 10:00 a.m. until noon, except the last Thursday of the month. Connolly Ranch is at 3141 Browns Valley Road at Thompson Avenue in Napa. Enter on Thompson Avenue.
Are you growing tomatoes this year? Even though I am cutting back on some planting this summer to conserve water, tomatoes will continue to have a starring role in my garden. Here are a few pointers to help ensure your tomato success.
First, don't rush to get those tomatoes in the ground. Wait until the danger of frost is past and the soil is sufficiently warm (at least 60°F). Prior to planting, be sure to “harden off” the plants by keeping them outside for about a week. Place them in a sheltered location initially, then gradually expose them to your garden's conditions. If frost threatens, bring the plants indoors.
If you are purchasing tomato plants, choose stocky seedlings with healthy green leaves. The plants should not be root bound. Evaluate possible locations before deciding where to plant. To prevent soil-borne diseases from getting established, practice crop rotation. Do not plant tomatoes or other members of the nightshade family (potatoes, eggplants and peppers) in the same location more than two years in a row. If you plant tomatoes in pots, use new potting mix. Choose a location with full sun.
Your plants will be more productive if given plenty of room to grow. If you are planting caged or staked tomato plants, space therows 30 to 42 inches apart, leaving 24 to 30 inches between plants. If the plants are not staked or caged, plant them farther apart. If you use pots, choose large ones.
Water the seedlings and the planting area a few hours before planting. Pinch off all but the top two sets of leaves, then bury the seedling deeply, so that only the leaves and a little stem are above ground. Avoid handling the stem as new roots will form along the buried portion. If the plants are in biodegradable pots, break up the pots slightly so the roots can easily find the soil. Bury the pots completely to avoid water wicking away from the roots. If the seedlings are in plastic pots, gently remove the plants and loosen the roots. Press the soil firmly around the plant and water thoroughly.
Most tomato plants benefit from some type of support. Cages or stakes keep the tomatoes off the ground, conserve garden space and make harvest easier. I prefer cages and use the collapsible type that I can store easily over the winter. Place cages around tomatoes soon after planting to avoid damaging the plants later. With most cages, it's a good idea to place two strong stakes on both sides to provide support when the plant becomes heavy with fruit. Check the ultimate height of the tomato variety to determine the height of the cage required. The openings in the cage should be large enough for you to reach in and harvest fruit.
Alternatively, you can stake tomato plants. Select stakes six feet long and one and one-half inches to two inches wide. Drive them one foot into the soil,four to six inches from the plant. As the plants grow, pull the stems toward the stakes and loosely tie them to the stakes at intervals of 10 to 12 inches. Use a flexible material such as gardener's tape or fabric strips. Prune to a few main stems to keep the plants from becoming too heavy.
Tomatoes need regular irrigation. Extreme variation in soil moisture can promote fruit cracking and blossom-end rot. Keep the area weeded to prevent competition for nutrients and water and to eliminate habitat for pests. Place a three- to four-inch layer of mulch over the soil to reduce weeds and conserve moisture.
Feed with nitrogen when the plants flower, then every four to six weeks, following label instructions. Water thoroughly after fertilizing.
Harvest when tomatoesdevelop their full color. If you're like me, you can hardly wait for that first delicious bite.
Tomato Plant Sale: Napa County Master Gardeners will hold their second annual “Tomato Plant Sale and Education Day” on Saturday, April 19, in the South Oxbow parking lot on First Street in Napa. The sale will be held from 9:00 a.m. until sold out. All the seedlings have been started from seed and grown by Napa County Master Gardeners. At least 50 varieties of heirloom and hybrid tomato plants will be available. Master Gardeners will staff information tables on tomato support structures, common tomato pests and diseases, composting, good bug/bad bug displays and a mobile help desk. For a list of available tomato varieties, visit http://ucanr.org/ucmgnapa or call the Help Desk (hours below).
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.
Napa County Master Gardeners welcome the public to visit their demonstration garden at Connolly Ranch on Thursdays, from 10:00 a.m. until noon, except the last Thursday of the month. Connolly Ranch is at 3141 Browns Valley Road at Thompson Avenue in Napa. Enter on Thompson.
A ripe, juicy cantaloupe or honeydew melon fresh from the vine is one of the sweetest tastes of summer. And a chilled slice of red or pink watermelon, with or without seeds to spit, is a warm-weather icon.
Cantaloupe, casaba, crenshaw, honeydew and Persian melons are all muskmelons (Cucumismelo). Watermelons (Citrulluslanatis or C. vulgaris) come from a different family, yet all these fruits have much in common. They all have high water and sugar content and thrive in summer heat.
To be successful with melons in Napa, where hot afternoons are often preceded by cool, foggy mornings, choose early- or short-season varieties that do not require uninterrupted sunshine and warmth. Muskmelon types that have proven successful in our area and are recommended by University of California Cooperative Extension include ‘Ambrosia Hybrid', ‘Burpee Hybrid', ‘Fruit Punch Hybrid', ‘Haogen', ‘Harper Hybrid', ‘Honeyshaw', ‘Jenny Lind', ‘Limelight', ‘Ogden', ‘Pineapple Hybrid', ‘Samson', ‘Sweet 'n Early Hybrid' and ‘Venus Hybrid'.
For the last two years, I have grown a cantaloupe type from Italy that has become my favorite:‘Melon RetatoDegliOrtolani'. Weighing three to four pounds, these melons have surface netting and a lush, sweet flesh. According to the seed packet, this is the proper melon to eat with Parma ham, although I find it delicious on its own. You can tell when one of these melons is perfectly ripe because the stem just falls off. No guessing. Purchase seeds from www.growitalian.com.
Watermelons require more heat than muskmelons. Grow early, icebox-sized types such as ‘New Hampshire Midget' to assure ripening before the end of the season. If you plant from seed, you will have access to a rainbow of colors.
Many muskmelons weigh in at a manageable three to four pounds, but watermelon can weigh up to 30 pounds. If you choose to go big, you may need a dedicated refrigerator for your harvest.
Whichever melons you choose to plant, prepare your beds or hills well. Melons are heavy feeders, needing plenty of nutrients, water and space. Trellising can help you optimize the area that you have, but be prepared to provide support for heavy melons as they swell. Old stockings or tights work well.
The University of California publication “Growing Melons in Napa County” has this to say: “Double-dig the area you will plant to melons. Before planting, work 5-10-10 fertilizer, or equivalent, into the soil at the rate of 3 pounds per 100 square feet. Bury a second application of fertilizer in a furrow about a foot away from the stem when runners are about a foot long. A third application can be made after the first melons set. Promote early flowering and fruit set by planting transplants. You can start your seed in pots four to six weeks before setting out into the field. Melon seeds germinate best at soil temperature above 75°F. Warm the soil before planting seeds by covering the prepared ground with clear plastic film. Melons are planted mid-May to mid-June on 6-by 6-foot spacing.
“Vines require plenty of water when growing vigorously, but hold back on water after fruits reach baseball size. Melons are deep rooted. Be sure to soak the soil to four feet deep. Weekly watering is normal for Napa County conditions. Excessive irrigation promotes root rot. It is normal for melon leaves to wilt in late afternoon during hot weather, but they should recover by morning. If not, they require a deep irrigation. Keep weeds out of melons until the vines shade the soil.”
More growing tips, including information on preventing pests and diseases, can be found in the publication “Growing Melons in Napa County” by Dean Donaldson. (http://ucanr.org/sites/ucmgnapa/files/81949.pdf)
How many muskmelons or watermelons should you plant? The size of your garden will generally be your limiting factor, but the California Master Gardener Tip Sheet (http://camastergardeners.ucanr.edu/files/28365.pdf) suggests five to ten hills of muskmelon or six watermelon plants for a family of four.
Whether you grow or purchase your melons, be sure to wash thoroughly in cool water before cutting them. The University of California recommends brushing off the loose dirt, washing well, rinsing in cool water and then sanitizing the exterior of the melon with a light chlorine solution. Seriously. You don't know where that melon has been.
Tomato Plant Sale: Napa County Master Gardeners will hold their second annual “Tomato Plant Sale and Education Day” on Saturday, April 19, in the South Oxbow parking lot on First Street in Napa. The sale will be held from 9:00 a.m. until sold out. All the seedlings have been started from seed and grown by Napa County Master Gardeners. At least 50 varieties of heirloom and hybrid tomato plants will be available. Master Gardeners will staff information tables on tomato support structures, common tomato pests and diseases, composting, good bug/bad bug displays and a mobile help desk. For a list of available tomato varieties, visit http://ucanr.org/ucmgnapa or call the Help Desk (hours below).
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.
Napa County Master Gardeners welcome the public to visit their demonstration garden at Connolly Ranch on Thursdays, from 10:00 a.m. until noon, except the last Thursday of the month. Connolly Ranch is at 3141 Browns Valley Road at Thompson Avenue in Napa. Enter on Thompson Avenue.
In February, your vines received eight to twelve inches of rain, depending on your location. The deluge was welcome but not even close to enough rain to say we are out of the woods. You can't put your grapevines on autopilot as you might do in wet years. You need a plan.
A smart draught plan starts with pruning, to adjust the crop size to match available water. In prior years, you might have left three buds per vine. This year, two would be wiser. If you didn't do this when you pruned, it's not too late. You can thin after flowering and fruit set.
You may have heard people talk about dry farming—growing grapes without irrigation—but that's a decision to make when you plant your vineyard, not as a response to drought. To dry farm, you need sufficient ground water and a rootstock that will send roots deep enough to reach it. Even dry-farmed Napa Valley vineyards may need irrigation this year as we haven't had enough rain to maintain ground water levels.
Grapevines are relatively drought tolerant, but insufficient water at crucial stages can compromise vine growth, fruit yield and quality. In the period between budbreak and flowering, avoiding water stress is critical. Vines use the water for root growth, establishing the canopy and determining the yield for this year and the next. Water stress between flowering and fruit set can result in poor fruit set, aborted fruit or smaller berries, all of which reduce yield. After fruit set, grapevines can tolerate moderate water deficits.
Before your first irrigation, make sure your system has no leaks andis operating efficiently. Irrigating at night will reduce evaporation loss by up to 10 percent.
Before irrigating,analyze the water content of your soil. Dig a few holes as deep as the longest roots. If the soil at the bottom of the hole is dry, you need to irrigate. If the soil is moist at the bottom, you don't.
Instead of growing a cover crop that takes water out of the soil, use mulch and compost to improve water retention. Control weeds that compete with vines for water. If you have dead or unproductive vines, don't replace them this year. Young vines require more water than established vines, so delay replanting until you know you can meet the new vines' water needs.
Be stingy with nitrogen fertilizer as nitrogen favors shoot growth over root growth, making vines more susceptible tolate-season drought. Monitor canopy size, limiting it to what's needed to ripen the crop.
Last but not least, thin fruit to reduce vine stress. Better to sacrifice some or all of the crop rather than permanently damage the grapevine.
Tomato Plant Sale: Napa County Master Gardeners will hold their second annual “Tomato Plant Sale and Education Day” on Saturday, April 19, in the South Oxbow parking lot on First Street in Napa. The sale will be held from 9:00 a.m. until sold out. All the seedlings have been started from seed and grown by Napa County Master Gardeners. More than 50 varieties of heirloom and hybrid tomato plants will be available. Master Gardeners will staff information tables on tomato support structures, common tomato pests and diseases, composting, good bug/bad bug displays and a mobile help desk. For a list of available tomato varieties, visit http://ucanr.org/ucmgnapa or call the Help Desk (hours below).
Workshop: Napa County Master Gardeners will conduct a workshop on “The Small Home Vineyard” on Saturday, March 29, from 9:30 am to 11:30 am, and from 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm. at the Yountville Community Center, 6516 Washington Street, Yountville. The morning session will focus on bud break to harvest. Learn the basics of managing a small vineyard including grape physiology, canopy management, vine nutrition, fertilization, irrigation and cover crop. The afternoon session will focus on identifying and managing the most common vineyard pests, especially powdery mildew. To register,call the Parks & Recreation Department at 707-944-8712 or visit its web site.
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.
Napa County Master Gardeners welcome the public to visit their demonstration garden at Connolly Ranch on Thursdays, from 10:00 a.m. until noon, except the last Thursday of the month. Connolly Ranch is at 3141 Browns Valley Road at Thompson Avenue in Napa. Enter on Thompson Avenue.
