Ongoing research

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SMall chalkboard with he words "Gardening Tips" handwritten on it
UC Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County: Page

December Tips

Monthly Tips Monthly tips are categorized by To-Dos, What to Plant, or Pests and Diseases. Scroll through the list to see items in each category. Also, refer to our list of tips useful for any month.
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Fresh Eggplant, Zucchini, and Yellow Squash
UC Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County: Page

Summer Squash (includes zucchini)

Transplant or direct seed: May to July, possibly April for transplanting depending on weather and local conditions. For best results, wait until daytime temperatures are regularly over 70°F and soil temperature is over 65°F. If growing your own seedlings, start the seeds 4 weeks before you want to plant.
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Several kinds of winter squash
UC Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County: Page

Winter Squash (including pumpkins)

Despite its name, winter squash is grown in the summer. The name comes from the fact that the mature fruits can be stored for winter eating. Pumpkins are a type of winter squash.
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Lettuce tasting
UC Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County: Page

Redleaf Looseleaf Lettuce Trial

We compared thirteen varieties of red looseleaf lettuce to determine the best production and taste. All of the varieties were very healthy and pretty to look at. Flame and Cardinale were judged the best at the tasting, Sunset and Bronze Arrow were tied for second and Susan’s Red Bibb was third. The very…
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Fresh picked green beans (Photo: UC, Evett Kilmartin)
UC Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County: Page

Beans

Beans are a warm weather crop that comes in bush and pole varieties. Bush varieties generally produce sooner but may stop after a few flushes, while pole varieties will continue producing into the fall. Pole beans require tall supports (6 to 10-feet) that they can twine around.
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Fresh vegetables, primarily purple eggplants, at a farmers market
UC Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County: Page

Eggplant

Eggplants require warm to hot weather throughout the season for good production. Hot caps or row covers can be used to elevate temperatures. Planting in a container will also help in absorbing heat.
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Summer peppers, Candace Simpson
UC Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County: Page

Peppers/chiles

Peppers and chiles are warm weather lovers that range from sweet and mild to fiery hot. Transplant in May to June, possibly late April. For best results, wait until daytime temperatures are regularly over 75°F. If growing your own seedlings, start the seeds 8 weeks before you want to plant.
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Lettuce by Donna Lee
UC Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County: Page

Lettuce

Lettuce is usually grown as a cool-season crop in Santa Clara County. If grown in the summer, it’s recommended to plant where it will get shade from other crops or trees and to select temperature-tolerant, slow-bolting varieties. Lettuce is a shallow-rooted plant, which requires frequent watering when there…
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Lettuce by Donna Lee
UC Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County: Page

Lettuce

Lettuce is usually grown as a cool-season crop in Santa Clara County. If grown in the summer, it’s recommended to plant where it will get shade from other crops or trees and to select temperature-tolerant, slow-bolting varieties. Lettuce is a shallow-rooted plant, which requires frequent watering when there…
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Yellow Onions (Photo: Evett Kilmartin)
UC Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County: Page

Onions

Onions can be divided into two categories: strong-flavored ones that store well and mild, sweet ones that don’t last long in storage. There are yellow, white, and red varieties in both categories.
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