Having Fun Growing Veggies with Kids!

by Steve McDermott  Master Gardener

Q: I like vegetable gardening and I want to get my children involved with me. Do you have any ideas for helping me?

A: You are already on your way since you like gardening and young kids naturally model their parent’s behavior. But you can get them really excited by making gardening fun! What do young kids naturally think is fun to do outside? Play in soil, play with water, and show off their accomplishments.

Let your children pick out a place to play with the soil. Whether it is in an existing vegetable garden, in a pot they can decorate, or even a cottage cheese tub. You can even let them try growing plants in an old sneaker or a discarded toy (put holes in the bottom for some drainage). Let them handle the soil and don’t worry about mess. Just make sure they know it’s his/her area. 

Watering is also a lot of fun for kids. Let them water their new plants or seeds so they can watch them grow and be pleased with the growth. They’ll need some guidance about how often to water.

Showing off is the best part for kids. They already “own” the plant, so when it gets pretty or larger, or even bares a flower or food, they will be ready to say, “Look what I grew.” My neighbor’s children give me “presents” from their garden.

Easy and fun plant seeds to sow are radishes (grow fast), carrots (kids get to dig them up), lettuce, zucchini (grow fast and profusely), tomatoes (cherry ones are kid size), and peas (pretty flowers with sweet fragrance). In warmer parts of San Luis Obispo County, big pumpkins and juicy melons are fun to grow.  

To see a garden display for children, please visit the “Sunshine Garden” section at the Master Gardeners’ Demonstration Garden at our next Advice to Grow by Workshop. The workshops are held the third Saturday of each month, (except for June which will be the fourth Saturday) at 10:00 a.m., at 2156 Sierra Way, San Luis Obispo.

photo by Christina Muller

What are some garden tasks that I should take care of in April?  Laura H

 By Christina Muller, Master Gardener

 Spring has truly arrived on the Central Coast in April.  This is a month of abundant bloom; annuals planted last fall are bursting with flowers and many perennials are starting to bloom as well.  The weather and soil are warming up and it’s an ideal time to be out in the garden.

 You can plant vegetables now.  Fast growers such as radishes and lettuce can be interplanted with larger, slower growing vegetables like tomatoes.  By the time larger vegetables need the space the others will already have been harvested.  It’s best to rotate vegetables so they aren’t grown in the same place every season.  This helps keep diseases in the soil from building up.  Herbs and summer annuals like cosmos, nasturtiums, and sunflowers can be seeded directly into the garden.

Irrigation timers may need to be reset for warmer weather.  Deadheading (trimming spent flowers) will prolong bloom as plants strive to produce more flowers.  April is a good time to fertilize the garden; trees, shrubs and perennials will all benefit.  A top dressing of compost will support soil health and tidy the garden’s appearance.

 Just as warmer weather benefits the garden, it also spurs the growth of weeds, pests and diseases.  Continue pulling weeds before soil dries and hardens making work more difficult.  Pay attention to plant health; powdery mildew thrives in spring with the warming days and cool nights.  The fungal spores are easily spread by splashing water from a hose or the rain.  To minimize powdery mildew, water early enough to allow foliage to completely dry during the day.  Or for particularly susceptible plants, drip irrigation and plenty of elbow room are recommended.  Finally, don’t forget snails which are very active in the spring.  Hand picking regularly at night can substantially diminish their population.  If using bait, select one with iron phosphate as the active ingredient as it is non-toxic to children, pets, birds, fish and wildlife.

If you are a teacher, parent, or school volunteer and would like to learn more about school gardening, there is a Garden Based Learning workshop on 3/23/2013 at 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at 2156 Sierra Way in San Luis Obispo. The fee is $25.00.

Register online at http://ucanr.org/gardenbasedlearning or contact Teresa Lees at treelees@charter.net for more information.

Q. I’ve heard about the Asian Citrus Psyllid. What is it and how can I prevent it?

 By Andrea Peck   Master Gardener

A. The Asian citrus psyllid is a tiny pest that packs a wallop. Generally classified as a minor nuisance because of its predilection for eating the new leaves and stems of citrus trees, the Asian citrus psyllid has gained a devastating reputation because of its susceptibility to Huanglongbing (HLB) disease.  HLB causes leaves to yellow and fruit to become bitter and misshapen. Death of the tree ensues.

Transmission amongst trees occurs most often by infected psyllids. Once the Asian citrus psyllid contracts the disease, it is a lifelong carrier. The disease is spread from tree to tree as the psyllid feeds.

 As the number one economic citrus state in the nation, California is particularly at risk. California produces approximately 80% of the nation’s fresh fruit citrus and is the country’s main source of fresh market oranges. With no known cure for HLB, the Asian citrus psyllid poses a significant threat to the citrus industry worldwide. In an attempt to limit the spread of the pest and HLB, aggressive quarantine and area wide management efforts have been put in place by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and other collaborating agencies.

In the home garden, the first line of defense is tree inspection.  Citrus plants, material or fruit should not be transported outside of quarantined areas.  Purchase trees from reputable, licensed California nurseries. When disposing of tree clippings, dry or double bag prior to disposal.

Thankfully, San Luis Obispo County remains uninfected to date. Stay informed, check your trees and if you think you’ve spotted an Asian citrus psyllid, act quickly and contact local agricultural authorities.