Spring is here and it's time to clean and refresh your worm bed. You can harvest that precious gold—the worm castings—and use it to feed your plants.  

Years ago, I graduated to large compost bins for my worms. These bins need cleaning about every two years. If you are using a small container, you may need to clean it more often. I do add new bedding to the bins whenever the bedding gets about halfway down.  

If you have a small worm bin, you need to harvest the vermicompost, get the worms out and then return the worms to the bedding. There are several ways to do this.

In the past, when I had a small bin, I would remove the whole pile to a temporary container. I would put the worms and their castings on a screen with a mesh large enough that the worms could move through. I would place the screen over moist new bedding. Then I would expose the whole thing to a light bulb or to sunshine. Since worms are light sensitive, they would wriggle away from the light and into the fresh bedding.  

Another option is to use the plastic net sacks that onions and potatoes come in. Fill a sack with fresh, moistened bedding and put some of the worms' favorite foods inside. Then put the sack on top of the vermicompost and the worms will move into it, leaving the vermicompost behind for your use.

This method takes a little longer, but it's how I harvest my big bins. When the sack is full of worms, I dump it back onto the new bedding and the critters go back to work.

If you have big bins, you will have a bigger harvest and you need to prepare for it. Gather all the materials for the bedding: torn newsprint (no shiny coated paper), dried leaves, plain cardboard, straw, rice hulls, shredded paper. It feels good to put my old tax records in there.

When I have the bedding ready, I take the bin apart and set aside any uncomposted material. I put the composted material in a wheelbarrow so I can begin the process of separating worms and compost. I put the uncomposted matter back in the bin and then add the new materials. I don't try to mix them. Instead, I make a big “lasagna” of Iayered materials. As the worms eat their way through it, they do the mixing. Be sure to moisten all of the dry materials first, especially cardboard. When the bin is full, water it well. If the materials sink a bit, just add more.

I place a tarp over the castings in the wheelbarrow and put one or two of my sacks full of worms into the bedding. Every few days, I check the sacks and move the worms and contents to the new bin. Sometimes I add new worms at this point, purchased from a bait shop.

Once the worms have departed, I sift the compost to remove big items like sticks or peach pits. Then I put this sifted vermicompost into large pans in the sun to dry. When it's dry, I transfer it to a lidded storage container. (I use a garbage can.)

Scatter the castings around potted plants and in your beds, and your garden will thrive.

Workshop: U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County will conduct a free workshop on “Worm Composting” on Saturday, March 19, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., at the University of California Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Napa. Learn how to turn yard and kitchen scraps into rich compost to use as a soil amendment or garden mulch. Register here. No phone registration.

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.

With spring still weeks away, many of us are only starting to think about planting our summer gardens. Our garden beds may be empty, but the soil is far too wet to be worked. Still, we have an itch to tend some plants and harvest something for dinner.

Growing pea shoots in containers is an easy alternative to a winter garden. Never eaten pea shoots? These tasty greens—the young, tender, leafy parts of the pea plant—are nutritious, easy to cook and rarely seen in grocery stores.

Peas can yield a rewarding crop of greens while you wait for your soil to warm and dry out enough for spring planting. Even if you have no garden beds, you can commandeer a sunny spot on a patio or balcony and have a harvest in two to three weeks. Growing pea shoots is also a fun and educational experience for children because of the short time between planting, germination and harvest.

Before planting, you need to obtain whole pea seeds. Garden stores have small seed packets for English peas, snap peas and snow peas, but you would need to buy a lot of these expensive little packets to plant intensively enough for a sizeable harvest of shoots.

Sometimes you can find whole dried green peas (not split peas) in supermarket bulk bins—Indian markets are a good source—but I order my pea seeds on line. From my research, gray sugar pea seeds are recommended for flavor, but any whole pea seed will sprout and produce greens. Seeds germinate poorly if stored too long, so try to purchase just the amount you need this year.

Now choose your container. A broad pot, tub or even a sturdy wooden fruit box will work if it is at least four inches deep. Be sure your container has plenty of drainage holes. I like to line my planter with old screen. This allows water to drain while soil remains in the pot.

You can purchase commercial potting soil or make your own. Calculate the volume of your container to know how much soil you need. You can find recipes for homemade potting soil online. Many gardeners like to have some on hand at all times.

Before planting, soak your seeds in tap water or filtered water for at least a few hours or overnight. Soaking softens the seed coat, so you get better and faster germination. Fill containers with two to three inches of soil, leaving about two inches of headspace so you can put more soil on top of the seeds. Moisten the soil so that it feels like a damp sponge. It should not be so soggy that water seeps from the drainage holes. If you overwater, let the soil dry a bit before planting.

Drain the seeds and place them on top of the damp soil. Plant them closely, with just the width of one seed between them. Cover the entire planting surface with seeds. You will harvest the tender seedlings before they mature, so the plants won't need room to develop an extensive root system. Cover your seeds with another inch of soil or compost, tamping it down gently to eliminate air pockets. Spray or lightly water the top of the soil. I like to protect my containers with a permeable row cover (such as Reemay) to prevent scratching birds, digging pests and munching insects from invading my miniature garden beds.

Peas are a cool-season crop in California. They germinate best when the soil temperature is 55°F to 65°F, the air temperature above 50°F and below 80°F. They can handle a light frost, making November through March a good time to grow pea shoots in containers. Place your containers in a sunny spot and keep the soil moist but not soggy. Seeds will most likely break through the surface of the soil within a week. Because the seeds are planted so closely, the emerging plants will lift the soil “blanket” that has been covering them. Gently break up this blanket and lightly place it around the seedlings.

Allow the plants to reach three to five inches in height before harvest. Using scissors, cut across the plants just above the lowest set of leaves. Sheared plants will continue to grow and produce a second harvest if you water them. I have found that the plants and soil are somewhat spent after that and are ready for the compost bin.

The shoots have a delicious “green” flavor with slightly sweet overtones. They make a delicate salad dressed with lemon vinaigrette and shaved Parmesan. Soups, risottos and stir-fries also welcome the addition of these succulent, tender green shoots.

Workshops: Join U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County on Sunday, February 28, for a “Garden Forum” from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Yountville Community Center, 6516 Washington Street, Yountville. Bring your garden-related questions. Do you have a fabulous flower or magnificent melon you would like to recommend to others? Maybe you have a question about fertilizer, watering, pruning, planting or simply what to purchase at the nursery. Master Gardeners will be on hand to offer research-based information and resources. Register at the Parks and Recreation Department at 707-944-8712 or on its web site.

U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County will lead a workshop on “Growing Spring and Summer Vegetables” on Saturday, March 12, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at the University of California Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Napa. Learn the requirements for success with summer vegetables from seed to starts. Topics include soil types and temperature; when to plant seedlings, how to water, fertilize, harvest and manage pests and diseases. On-line registration (credit card only); Mail-in/Walk-in registration (cash or check only).

The workshop repeats on Sunday, March 13, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., at the Yountville Community Center, 6516 Washington Street, Yountville. Register for the Yountville workshop at the Parks and Recreation Department at 707-944-8712 or on its web site.

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.

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.

Keep a record of what you planted, noting which varieties you loved and which choices did not turn out the way you had hoped. In my garden this year, my most productive bed was a large trellis of ‘Roma’ beans, with a different-colored cherry tomato growing up on both sides.  

Both beans and tomatoes were abundant producers this year, but the best part was the bounty of basil, carrots and lettuces I harvested from seed that I broadcast at the base of the beans. The beans created a shady shelter and a cool little microclimate that kept me in crisp lettuce, baby carrots and leafy basil all summer. I will definitely try to recreate that setup next summer, although I will do so in a new spot.

The main tomato I planted from seed this year was an Italian paste variety. The plants were easy to grow and prolific, but the taste was bland and lacked the acid I like. To their credit, the tomatoes were heavy, cooked up well, and were easy to slice neatly. Still, I am going to try a different paste tomato next summer.  

I also grew a squash called ‘Serpente di Sicilia,’ a fun plant to grow for the three-foot-long zucchini-like vegetable. Its striking, pure white blossoms looked like hibiscus flowers. Alas, my rabbits liked the squash more than I did. I have to think about that one some more.

If you have enough space to move crops around, sketch a map of your garden so you can rotate crops and avoid soil-borne diseases. If your space is limited, consider using more trellises and other structures to grow crops up rather than out.  

Stop watering trees and shrubs now. They need to go dormant. Spend the extra time choosing and preparing sites for any bare-root trees, shrubs, vines and roses you want to add to your garden. If possible, prepare planting holes before the steady rains begin and the soil becomes too wet to work. Do continue to water newly planted evergreens and perennials as needed.

If you did not get bulbs in the ground or in pots in October, it’s not too late. Nurseries, garden centers and catalogs still have a great selection. Narcissus and tulips are beautiful in pots and urns as well as in beds. Also consider grape hyacinth (Muscari) and other larger hyacinth.

If you crave color in winter and spring, sow seeds of wildflowers, alyssum, sweet peas and love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena). Transplant primroses, snapdragons, hollyhocks, pansies, stock and carnations. Poppy seeds and seedlings can go in the ground now, too.

Many of us still have harvesting to do. Pomegranates and persimmons are almost ready to pick, and guavas and olives are ripe, too. Pumpkins and winter squash have reached harvest size, and radishes, carrots, spinach, lettuces and other greens are enjoying the cooler weather. Tomatoes are mostly finished for the year, although a bed cover such as Reemay can keep some plants producing a little longer.

If you keep a year-round vegetable garden or want to, now is the time to sow seeds of carrots, radishes, spinach and lettuce. Garlic, shallots, asparagus crowns and artichokes are also available now at nurseries.

In areas that receive more than 20 inches of rain per year, University of California Extension recommends treating fruit trees with a dormant copper spray to control fungal diseases. Read label directions and follow them precisely. Good coverage is more important than the strength of the mixture so take the time to spray from all angles.  

Remove dead limbs from your orchard trees and haul them to the dump or chip them for compost. Clean your tools with a 10 percent bleach solution when you are finished to avoid transferring any problems to healthy plants.

Clean up the garden to eliminate hiding places for slugs and other pests that can make your spring-planted seedlings disappear overnight. If you are still raking up leaves, consider saving some in plastic bags so you have “browns” for your spring compost pile.  Make sure they are dry before storing them.

November is a busy month, with chores ranging from tidying up to planting violas and snapdragons for winter color. Next month the list won’t be quite so long.

Open garden: Napa County Master Gardeners welcome the public to visit their demonstration garden at Connolly Ranch on Thursday mornings, from 10:30 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.

Workshop: Join Napa County Master Gardeners for a workshop on “Indoor Gardening” on Saturday, November 9, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Transform a room into a vibrant living space with houseplants. Learn how to use color, texture and pattern for design and how to care for houseplants. The workshop will be held at the Senior Multi-Use Center, 2185 Elliott Drive, American Canyon. Online registration (credit card only) Mail in registration (cash or check).

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.