Winter Planting on the Central Coast

With the holidays over, and some pretty nice temps, we can’t wait to get back to ‘work’ in the garden! While gardeners on the East Coast and in the Midwest may be busy trying to dig out of the snow and just dreaming of spring planting while looking at seed catalogs or online, gardeners here can still be actively enjoying their gardens.  Besides the usual garden cleanup - leaves to rake, pruning and dormant spraying of trees and bushes, gardeners on the Central Coast can still enjoy planting cool season crops.  Many people think nothing much can be planted in what seems to be the dead of winter, but there are a surprising number of things that can be put in the ground this time of year besides the usual bare root roses.

 

In the vegetable garden, we can plant asparagus, globe artichokes and rhubarb from roots and broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower from transplants, if you can find them in a nursery or garden center. Unfortunately the selection of vegetable plants available at local outlets is limited, so you might consider starting your own transplants from seed next year or get a head start on spring planting this year.  Carrots, kohlrabi, lettuce, parsley, peas, radishes and turnips can all be planted from seed.  Yes, I did say lettuce, which will tolerate some frost and can be grown all winter long in our area.  Think of fresh lettuce from your own garden, tender and sweet, not that stuff from the grocery store.  Leaf lettuce is the best bet, and most rewarding.  Did you know that head lettuce (aka Iceberg) was developed in the 1890's?  Iceberg became successful because its firm, round shape and long shelf life made it good for shipping long distances – for the first time people could have lettuce for salads the year around, not just summer.  The downside is that head lettuce just doesn't have the flavor of leaf lettuce, which tastes best when fresh.  Our favorite is a Bibb variety called Tom Thumb which produces sweet and tender miniature heads perfect an individual salad.  Just add a little dressing and enjoy!

 

A word about compost -

 

When planting, always add compost to your soil.  It is the best investment you can make in your garden and an essential step in garden preparation. Compost adds organic matter to your soil, increases water holding capacity, adds nutrients and improves soil health.  If you are preparing a garden bed, apply a layer of 2 to 4 inches of compost and work it into the soil before planting.  For planting bare root shrubs or trees (rose bushes, fruit trees, berries, etc.) add compost to the soil as you refill the hole in which you are plating them.  Add compost and watch your garden grow!

 

For all the details, visit Harvest Blend Compost or email info@harvestblendcompost.com

 

 

 

 

 

Spring Cleaning in the Garden

Spring has sprung. In California this season normally signals warmer temperatures, strong breezes and the dwindling of our rainy season. For Central Coasters though, the weather still carries remnants of winter chill and dampness.

So what’s a gardener to do, you ask? We suggest you slog through messy garden beds and soggy lawns to assess your landscape’s condition. If you’re like most of us, general garden clean up is in order. Yeah, yeah, we know…the maintenance end of gardening holds little magic for most of us, yet it is crucial to the success of spring and summer planting.

Some garden jobs best done in March and April:

- Lawn top-dressing

- Plant bare-root (packaged) perennials

- Tend flowering shrubs – clean up spent blossoms, feed with acid fertilizer

- Sow annuals – cosmos, nasturtiums, sunflowers and zinnias

- Sow: carrots, spinach and chard

- In April – set out transplants of tomato, peppers and squash

- Sow: beans, corn and squash

- Water

Interestingly enough, the rainy weather helps indentify low spots that might hamper drainage. Make note of these areas, using soil amended with compost to fill them in. Since it’s too early to do much planting, you’ll want to focus on prepping soil for future plantings; both flower and vegetable. In addition, you may amend surrounding soil as well as soil in planting beds you’ve designated for spring and summer vegetables.

Victory Garden author James Crockett calls compost “the caviar of organic materials” for its ability to retain moisture and provide the necessary 5% Soil Organic Matter to soil. Harvest Blend Compost is a premium compost; wonderful for use as lawn top-dressing, soil amendment, tree and shrub backfill mix and in flower and vegetable gardens. Click here to locate a Harvest Blend Compost dealer near you.

To amend soil with compost: you will first need to loosen the soil. If the soil is too wet from too much rain, let the soil dry for a few days as wet, heavy soils are difficult to work. For dry soil or new garden plots that have not been worked before, a thorough watering a few days ahead of time will make your job easier. Using a rototiller for large areas or a fork and spade for existing beds, break up the soil to a depth of approximately six to twelve inches (the lower range is appropriate for existing beds).

Spread compost evenly over soil. Blend compost into the soil using a gardening fork or your rototiller (if you don‘t own a rototiller, they’re often available through equipment rental locations). After you have thoroughly worked the materials into the garden soil, level the area with a rake.

Your soil is now properly replenished for the upcoming planting season. Over the next few months, the organic amendments you have added will continue to break down, building healthy soil for a plentiful gardening season ahead; providing a slow-release of nutrients that will benefit growing plants. Remember, these nutrients won’t last forever and should be replenished periodically throughout the year.

Many organics naturally occurring in your yard are ideal for building up your garden soil. A simple lawn mowing provides one of the best resources for organic garden soil improvement. Mow your lawn and bag or rake the shredded leaves and grass clippings to work into your soil. Not only will the grass and leaf bits break down to provide essential soil nutrients, but they will work to loosen and aerate the soil as well, increasing root health during the next spring and summer growing season. This will aid in soil drainage, too.

Before you know it, we’ll be experiencing warm evenings and even warmer days; perfect for planting all the tasty vegetables we’ll be enjoying throughout summer and fall. Naturally!

For more info on compost use and benefits, visit http://www.gotcompost.com/

Wet Winter Garden Tips

January is usually a wet and cold month on the Central Coast, and 2011 is no exception. All that rain in December may have kept you out of the garden, but don't let a few puddles stop you. We should see more rain in January, along with cold days and very cold nights – so adding compost to your soil could do a world of good by replenishing lost nutrients. Gardeners on the East Coast and in the Midwest may be busy trying to dig out of the snow - dreaming of spring planting while drooling over seed catalogs - but we Central Coast gardeners can still actively enjoy our gardens. 

Click here for a Harvest Blend Dealer near you.

Besides the usual garden cleanup - leaves to rake, pruning and dormant spraying of trees and bushes, local gardeners can still enjoy planting cool season crops.  Many folks think nothing much can be planted in what seems to be the dead of winter, but there are a surprising number of things that can be put in the ground this time of year besides the usual bare root roses. Here are some suggestions for your vegetable garden:

• asparagus
• globe artichokes and rhubarb from roots
• broccoli
• cabbage and
• cauliflower from transplants, if you can find them in a nursery or garden center.     

Unfortunately the selection of vegetable plants available at local outlets is limited, so you might consider starting your own transplants from seed next year, or get a head start on spring planting this year with a selection of seeds, such as:

• carrots
• kohlrabi
• lettuce
• parsley
• peas
• radishes
• turnips

Yes, we did say lettuce, which will tolerate some frost and can be grown all winter long in our area. Think of fresh lettuce from your own garden, tender and sweet, not that stuff from the grocery store. Leaf lettuce is the best bet, and most rewarding.  Did you know that head lettuce (aka Iceberg) was developed in the 1890's?  Iceberg became successful because its firm, round shape and long shelf life made it good for shipping long distances – for the first time people could enjoy salads all year 'round, not just in the summer.  The downside is that head lettuce just doesn't have the flavor of leaf lettuce, which tastes best when fresh.  Our favorite is a Bibb variety called Tom Thumb which produces sweet and tender miniature heads perfect a "single salad" - just add a little dressing and enjoy!

A Word About Compost

Before planting, always add Harvest Blend Compost to your soil.  It is the best investment you can make in your garden and an essential step in garden preparation. Compost adds organic matter to your soil, increases water holding capacity, adds nutrients and improves soil health.  If you are preparing a garden bed, apply a layer of 2 to 4 inches of compost and work it into the soil before planting.  For planting bare root shrubs or trees (rose bushes, fruit trees, berries, etc.) add compost to the soil as you refill the hole in which you are plating them.  Add compost and watch your garden grow. Naturally!

Visit www.GotCompost for more info on Harvest Blend Compost

Grounds for...a Successful Garden!

OK, now we’ve had a little fall rain to moisten the soil and wash away a little of the dust blown in by our lovely Santa Maria “breeze”. This is the perfect time to take a look at your garden, or if you don’t have one yet, to plan one. The best way to insure a successful harvest is to start from the ground up – take a look at your soil. Better yet, feel your soil. Is it hard and compacted? Maybe the soil is clay based or too sandy. Any of these conditions will make it tough for roots to find room to grow and for soil to retain water. What to do, what to do...

Amend that soil with compost!

Working compost into the soil before planting will

• Improve root systems
• Reduce erosion
• Save Water
• Stabilize soil pH
• Supply nutrients, microbes, & organic matter
• Suppress plant disease
• Bind and degrade pollutants

Sound too good to be true? It’s not! Harvest Blend Compost is the ultimate “soil conditioner” – it fixes what’s wrong with the soil, giving plants the boost they need to grow big and strong.

What if I don't have room for a garden?
Hey, lack of space is no excuse not to plant some type of garden. City dwellers plant in window boxes and on balconies. We’re hearing about more homeowners replacing lawns with more useful (not to mention edible) vegetable gardens. Have you heard about roof gardens? How great would it be to harvest a healthy, delicious salad from a plot right outside, or above, your door? Look around your home and garden, surely there's an empty nook or cranny just waiting to be used.

Remember, the key to a successful garden is starting with a good foundation – healthy soil. If all we ate was junk food and didn’t condition our bodies, how unproductive would we be? Plants are no different; they need a source of nutrients, water and healthy earth in which to grow. Naturally!

Next time - we'll focus on the particulars of planting a winter garden. Thanks for checking in!

Healthy soil starts here – Harvest Blend Compost. For planting tips and compost info, visit www.GotCompost.com