Resolution: 'Be a Gardener'

As regular traditions go, resolutions tend to last as long as Rose Bowl leftovers -- and are usually as appetizing.  Before throwing that ambition into the compost heap, maybe try an idea that will grow with you: make your thumb go 'green' this year.

Starting indoors this time of year makes sense, and one of the blogs we follow has a good suggestion to get the ball rolling:

• Get some houseplants growing. Pick several varieties of herbs or maybe a pepper plant and place them in a sunny windowsill.  Get your green thumb without having to even go outside. By growing food indoors where you’re likely to pass the plant numerous times a day, it will make it easier to care for.  Windowsill gardens are a fun way to bring the outdoors in, and grow some food with very little effort.

See some more ideas at the following link:
http://www.urbanorganicgardener.com/2015/12/how-to-become-a-gardener-in-2016/

All We Are Saying Is Give Trees A Chance

Trees add interest to any landscape

The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.   – Chinese Proverb

It is easy to take for granted the effect trees can have upon us, but their impact can be both aesthetic and tangible.  Just this week, The Wall Street Journal reported one study found that homes with trees planted between the sidewalk and the street sold for $7,130 more, on average, than homes without street trees.   

In landscaping terms, trees can often serve as the anchor for a yard in good and bad ways.  Eucalyptus are notorious for dropping branches on unsuspecting pedestrians and making the soil toxic for other plants.  Aspen root systems are insidious and will try to take over your yard.   Many fruit and nut trees such as the black walnut create seasonal messes and are pollen machines. 

Since a tree is likely to be a long-term commitment, picking the right species requires a little homework and patience.  Often it takes a little imagination to picture that sapling in the orchard supply store as a great strapping oak thirty years hence.

One online resource is Sunset Magazine Plant Finder.  Simply plug in your zip code, specify other parameters such as the amount of sun, water and space are available, and the website will generate a detailed list.

The Proper Soil Mix for a Raised-Bed Garden

I recommend amending your soil every year for your vegetable garden to give your vegetables the best start to the growing season.  We recently built a new fence and had to move my vegetable garden and replaced all of the soil. The best raised-bed gardens include a mix of topsoil and compost such as pine bark or wood chips, which allow for good water and nutrient retention and excellent drainage. 

If you need alot I would recommend a trip to Lynsgo for their vegetable blend which contains compost with manure.  It is a good general mix for all veggies.  If you just need a couple of bags I like the Doctor Earth Organic Vegetable Blend that includes earthworm castings, kelp, fish bone meal and lots of rich organic nutrients.

Top 10 Edible (and relatively easy) Plants from Garden to Table

I love the farm to table trend and it inspires me to grow my vegetables more and more.  Here are 10 edible plants that you can use this year from your garden to serve at your table.  You do not have to plant them in a vegetable garden necessarily but think sunny locations for these plants.
Lettuce- Incredibly easy and great for salads.  They grow really fast and you can try lots of varieties throughout the growing season. The biggest mistake is not harvesting them in time and they get dried out.

Tomatoes- Needs full sun, great soil and water.  More details about tomatoes to follow.

Zucchini- It needs extra space or can be trained on a trellis. You will be surprised how many zucchini one plant can produce. Think Italy and fried zucchini blossoms at home.
Beans- They are fast growing and best trained on a trellis or pole.
Chives- They are really easy to maintain and you just trim it and it keeps growing.
Basil- You need to pinch the flowers off to make it become fuller.  I place them between the thyme and oregano and the pest problems seem to decline.  Last year, I tried purple basil which was excellent.
Thyme- Lots of varieties to choose from and really easy year around.  They have a lovely flower and can be placed anywhere. Some formal gardens use it as a border.
Oregano- A great herb for cooking and available year around.  Last year, I had so much from three plants that I was thinking I was going to need to set up a booth at a farmers market.
Rosemary- you only need one since they can grow so big over the years.  I only have one tucked in a corner and it is 3 ft tall and used year around.
Strawberries- These usually don’t make it into the house in my house because I am snacking on them on the way in. They produce year after year if there are no frost issues.

Tips for Planting Tomatoes

Tomatoes are becoming available everywhere including Costco at the moment.  I would suggest waiting until later in the month for those of you who live in the San Mateo area when it becomes  a little warmer at night. Here are a few quick tips in planting tomatoes-

• Pull off suckers and lower branches to help produce roots along the stem
• Dig a deep whole bury part of the stem.
• Stake tomatoes plants as soon as possible. A simple way is to drive a  tall stake outside of the root ball (or 2 inches if it is a 4 inch container).  Tie with garden tape or twine. Cages are an option too
• Water regularly but not too much.

What has Gone Wrong with Your Tomatoes?

Most of us love fresh tomatoes from our garden but sometimes despite our best efforts something goes wrong during the growing season.  Here are some common problems and solutions to keep in mind.

• Splitting of the fruit starts to happen. The plant starts taking up large amounts of water, causing the fruit to swell with moisture until its skin cannot stretch anymore. This could be a sign of over watering and you need to cut back.  Also, be active about harvesting during this time. When a tomato plant starts producing fruit, it only needs about 1 inch of water per week.
• Greasy brown patches all over your plants means you have blight. If this is happening there is not much you can do to salvage the crop.  The disease will eventually kill your plant.  Remove the plant and hope that is has not affected the other plants. Blight causes a fungus to develop, which in turns produces millions of fungual spores that can travel through the air to other plants.
• All your ripe tomatoes are watery and tasteless.  This is due to over watering.  When a plant starts fruiting, it starts looking yellow and tired. That’s when we often rush out and water the plant to perk it up. This is the wrong thing to do and it ends up compromising its flavor and texture. So, when your plant starts to look haggard late in the season, leave them alone because they are busy putting all their energy into producing delicious fruit.
• Chew holes are showing up and ruining the fruit. Holes can be attributed to several different pests. The most common problem is slugs who love to snack on fresh tomatoes. Slug bait or traps are one option. You can also wrap a strip of copper tape around the base of your plant to prevent slugs ability to climb.  Squirrels can also be a culprit.

April To-Do List

• Start your vegetable garden. Experiment with one new vegetable this year.
• The selection of annuals is getting better daily.  Impatiens are now available.
• Continue weeding while it is easier with the moist soil.
• Check your sprinklers!
• Fertilize annuals, perennials , and  trees.
• If you have boxwood, azaleas or citrus that are yellowing feed them with ironite
• Summer bulbs are available.