By David Layland, U. C. Master Gardener of Napa County
It's that time of year: time to start thinking about planting this year's vegetable garden. It's still too early to actually plant seeds or starts but it's not too early to do a little planning.
By now the remnants of last year's garden should be decaying in your compost pile. If not, removing any plant debris from last year should be your starting point. You want a clean slate in case any of last year's plants were diseased.
Once you have cleaned up your garden beds, it's time to add compost. Ideally, you did so last fall, but if you're like me, it didn't happen. Add a good three to four inches of compost so that plants have an ample supply of organic matter to feast on all season. Such a healthy addition of compost will reduce or even eliminate the need for fertilizer.
The time-honored method is to dig in the compost, but many people are now advocating a no-till approach. Digging breaks and disrupts the long, delicate filaments of mycorrhizal fungi that live on plant roots. If undisturbed, these fungi grow downward, branching out like a second set of roots and giving plants access to nutrients deep in the earth.
If the soil is tilled, this network of fungi will need to re-establish itself. When seeds or starts are planted without tilling, they can often hook up with last year's mycorrhizae almost immediately, which gives them an early advantage.
However, soils with poor structure do need to have organic matter thoroughly incorporated into them. If your soil has too much sand or clay, if it is compacted, or if it lacks organic matter, then by all means dig.
Before deciding what to plant and where, take a trip back in time. If you are like me, you have maintained a garden journal to record what you grew in your vegetable garden each year. This information is critical as you don't want to plant vegetables in the same family in the same place every year.
Crop rotation is one of agriculture's oldest cultural practices. In a home vegetable garden, crop rotation involves changing the location of vegetable families each season. Crop rotation reduces damage from insect pests, limits the spread of vegetable diseases and improves soil fertility.
The vegetable families I use in rotation are Solanaceae (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers); Cucurbits (cucumber, squash, melons); root crops (carrots and beets); Brassicas (broccoli and cabbage); legumes (beans and peas); and leafy greens (spinach, lettuce, kale). Ideally the same vegetable family should not be planted in the same place for at least three years. I find this difficult as most of my summer garden is devoted to vegetables in the Solanaceae family, so I'm often rotating crops every two years.
Warm weather in March tempts us to start transplanting tomatoes, peppers, squash and other summer vegetables. But it's not the daytime temperature that matters most; it's the soil temperature. Tomatoes want soil warmer than 60°F before they really start growing. Our Napa Valley soils don't usually reach that temperature until mid-April or May.
Peppers and eggplant want even warmer soil. I have planted tomatoes in early April and again in mid-May and found that the plants start ripening at the same time. So you are not really getting a head start on the harvest by planting early.
Most garden centers sell soil thermometers that will give you an accurate reading. However, if you don't want to spend the money on a soil thermometer, try the “sit down test.” Sit in thin shorts on the bare ground. If you can stay seated comfortably for 60 seconds, then go ahead and plant. Otherwise, your tomatoes will just sit there, too, and not grow. I don't believe the University of California has done any research on this method, and since I have a soil thermometer, I haven't actually tried this myself.
You have a few more weeks before planting, so sit back, relax and think about all those fresh vegetables you will be enjoying this summer.
Tomato Plant Sale: U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County will hold their sixth annual Tomato Plant Sale on Saturday, April 14, from 9 a.m. until sold out, at 1710 Soscol Avenue, Napa. Find more than 4,000 tomato starts in 28 varieties, from popular heirlooms to new hybrids. These Master Gardener-grown seedlings include varieties suitable for eating and cooking, plus cherry tomatoes of many colors, and early, mid- and late-season varieties. A team of tomato experts will be on hand to answer questions.
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 T. Eric Nightingale, UC Master Gardener of Napa County
It was roughly a year ago that I suggested writing a column on New Year's resolutions for the gardener. At the time, I felt energized by the excitement and hope I held for the coming year. I had plans for our garden, big plans relative to its modest size.
As the months passed, however, those plans moved farther to the back of my mind. Now, looking out my back window, I see a garden that has flourished almost in spite of my mismanagement and neglect.
I feel guilty, but only partially. The past year was filled with floods, fires, political upheaval, violence and civil unrest. I have been understandably distracted from many personal endeavors.
The year has left me and, I'm sure, many others with a sense of fatigue. It has been easy to let some things fall by the wayside. And why not? How important is one little garden compared to the events, both local and global, that have been occurring around me?
Yet, as I peer deeper into the chaos behind my home, I spy a glimmer of pink. Vividly cast against the dark brown of the fence, it catches my attention. Under a lime tree, uninvited, grows a Salvia coccinea. This variety, called "coral nymph" for its delicate pink flowers, is one of the many species of sage that I have brought home over the years. It is, however, the first to multiply unaided.
Upon inspection, I find two other Salvia coccinea in other parts of the garden. These plants know nothing of my sleepless nights and fevered dreams. They know only survival.
Their determination shames me. It also reminds me that a garden is not merely decorative landscaping. It is not just a hobby or a chore. A garden is a refuge. It is a place where mortals are gifted with the seemingly magical ability to create and sustain life. It is a place of beauty, of comfort and tranquility, to those who enter it. Owning a garden is both a gift and a responsibility.
I intend to do many things differently in the coming year. High on the list is proper pruning. Pruning back a plant often has an immediate aesthetic or functional result (keeping the plant out of a pathway, for example), but there are secondary benefits as well. The hormone imbalance created by removing stems or branches results in a burst of green growth.
Done at the wrong time of year, this change can be stressful for the plant. Cutting a stem also often creates a fork in the growth pattern, resulting in a fuller-looking plant. It can also cause a plant to become lopsided. Cutting into a plant puts it at risk for infection, so it is always best to prune with clean, sharp tools.
Additionally, I plan to put more thought into my plant purchases. Finding an attractive or unique plant is a thrilling experience for a phytomaniac such as myself, and the excitement often clouds my reason. I will have to remember that when it comes to responsible gardening, sometimes less is more. Crowding plants, or putting them in less than ideal conditions, is risking an unhealthy garden. Planning ahead and exhibiting restraint will help me grow a healthier, more attractive and more enjoyable garden.
This year I will also be keeping a garden journal. Looking back, I have often wondered, "When did I fertilize that tree, and how much did I give it? How did it respond?" This kind of information would have helped me, but when I needed it, the details eluded me. My hope is that keeping a journal will save me time and money, as well as allow me to become a better caretaker.
These are all things I plan to do, but they are not my New Year's resolutions. My personal resolution, and my suggestion to my fellow gardeners, is for something different.
I propose we resolve not to give up. More than that, I say we determine to grow bigger, spread farther and nurture more deeply. To make something grow is to both literally and symbolically resist the pull of entropy.
In your garden, every plant is important. Tend them well. Plant them in conditions where they can thrive. Learn how they like to be watered, fertilized and pruned. Give them room to grow and protect them when possible.
Let us bring as much beauty into this world as we are able. Also remember that you, the gardener, are important. Never hesitate to share your passion with those around you, for you never know where a seed may unexpectedly germinate. With care, and a little luck, our gardens will flourish this year and for years to come
Workshop: U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County will host a workshop on “Growing Berries” on Saturday, January 20, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at University of California Cooperative Extension, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Napa. Imagine stepping out into the garden and returning with bowls of berries, freshly harvested and ready to eat. Now imagine that you have so many that you have to give them to friends or freeze them for later. This could easily be your garden. Learn about plant selection, soil preparation, planting, care and maintenance, and pests and disorders--everything you need to know to turn your dream into a reality. 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://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.
