Very Important Gardening Basics

 

                  


https://www.reneesgarden.com/blogs/gardening-resources/81613185-renees-six-dos-and-one-dont-for-a-good-garden

Renee's' Garden is an online seed company based in Northern California.  There is a wealth of gardening information on the RESOURCES page.  The link above will take you to an article titled 6 Dos And 1 Don't For A Good Garden  --  excellent guiding principles for a successful gardening experience and an abundant harvest.


General Meeting






DATE & TIME:           Saturday, April 11, 2026   *   0900 - 1100
LOCATION:               San Martin Park Community Room 5231 Ocana Ave. 
GUEST SPEAKER:   TBD


***Currently seeking WEB ADMINISTRATOR for the LCG website.***  
    Please speak to a steering committee member if interested.

Don't Let Spring Weather Trick You - Transitioning To Warm Weather Crops


While parts of our country are battling snowstorms and freezing temperatures, we have enjoyed warm sunny days, and our thoughts migrate to planting warm weather crops. We dream of the day when we can fill our plots with corn, tomatoes, peppers, squash, and okra, to name a few.  Below are some articles and videos to help guide transition to a summer garden.


http://www.ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=20498

While we have experienced some warm days, we must not rush into planting summer crops just yet.  Cold temperatures cause warm weather crops to stress, weakening their immune system, leaving plants more susceptible to disease and low productivity.  Most articles reference "last frost date," a marker that is not applicable to our planting zone.  Night time temperatures may be a better guide for when to start planting summer crops.  UC Master Gardener Program blog offers some points to consider before planting summer vegetables in the garden.


https://cafarmandgarden.com/warm-season-crops/?ref=site

This article by California Farm and Garden is based in San Diego. Much of what is said is applicable to our area since San Diego is in the same planting zone (Zone 10).  There is a list of warm weather crops with suggested months to plant in the garden.  As mentioned, you may want to start summer crop seedlings ahead of time to gain growing time.


https://www.ufseeds.com/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-UrbanFarmer-Library/default/dw1d715b80/images/content/Planting-Zone-9.jpg

If you would like a visual, scroll all the way down to the end for a colorful chart on when to plant and harvest common vegetables.


Planting Bulbing Onions (Round Onions)


                           

Most savory recipes include onions, and homegrown onions give your dish that extra complex flavor and aroma. Onions are easy to grow if you know a few basic tips, and you need to know what type of onions to grow in your area.

Onions are a cool-season crop, meaning they like to grow in the cooler months of the year. Short-day onion varieties bulb well with 10 to 12 hours of daylight, and are best suited to being grown from late fall through late spring in Southern California. 

Along with timing, there are different methods to getting your onion plants in the ground.  Check out the following resources for information so you can grow a successful onion crop. As you watch the videos and read about growing onions, take note of the following information: 

**Types of onions  
**When to plant  
**Soil preparation  
**How to plant  
**Fertilizer requirements  
**Water requirements 
**When to harvest  
**Onion storage 


Growing Onions in Southern California (posting)
Good information which covers the basics of growing onions in our area.


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How to Grow Onions from Seed and From Transplants...in Fall (video)
Comprehensive information on all aspects of planting onions.


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HUGE Onion Harvest // How to Grow Huge Onions! (video)
All about when to harvest and curing onions, and tips on growing huge onions.


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DIXONDALE FARMS - Onion Growing Guides (comprehensive library)
Dixondale Farms, located in Carranza Springs, Texas, is the nation's largest growers of onion transplants. Some of us have purchased their onion transplants and have grown beautiful, tasty onions! The following link is to their comprehensive onion growing guides, and you will have access to their entire website, well worth exploring.


Fall Is TIme To Plant Garlic

Have you ever planted garlic?  I have found that the best time to plant garlic in our area is late October to December. Once in the ground, it requires little maintenance.  Mulching is definitely recommended to minimize weed growth and watering, and I have yet to deal with pests invading my garlic patch.  In my humble opinion, the hardest part of growing garlic was/is figuring out when to harvest it, as the bulbs are submerged a few inches underground. 

 I had some extra cloves last year and decided to plant them 
in my front yard planter...


Garlic curing on a tree branch.



I have found some great resources if you are interested in planting garlic. So, to learn about planting garlic, check out these resources.

Growing Garlic From Planting To Harvest (video):
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=youtube+growing+garlic&&view=detail&mid=B8BCAB18154B89A635F4B8BCAB18154B89A635F4&&FORM=VDRVRV

Planting Garlic in the Fall for BIGGEST Bulbs Step-by-Step Guide (video):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqklUeAkxes

When To Harvest Garlic, Curing And Storing Garlic (video):
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=youtube+growing+garlic&&view=detail&mid=532E54F3B0135C5AFB00532E54F3B0135C5AFB00&rvsmid=B8BCAB18154B89A635F4B8BCAB18154B89A635F4&FORM=VDQVAP

First Time Garlic Growers Guide: (posting)

http://greyduckgarlic.com/first-time-garlic-growers-guide.html#whatgarlic


A word of caution:  Do not plant garlic that is sold in grocery stores unless it is ORGANIC. Garlic that is not clearly labeled ORGANIC is treated so that it does not sprout.  Visit your local farmers market and ask the vendor if the garlic that is being sold is organic.  If you are really enthusiastic (like me) and want to try growing different types, you can order from online sources.



Gophers In The Gardens




Telltale signs of gopher activity are a frequent occurrence in the community gardens.  If you see a loose mound of dirt in your plot, there is a good chance there is gopher activity below.  Another sign of gopher activity in your plot is when you discover your vegetable plant is healthy one day, and suddenly wilted or gone the next day. 


In an effort to control gopher activity in the garden, please help by:


  1. Report any loose mounds and/or sudden wilted plant activity in your plot to your area inspector or the chief inspector.
  2. Do not disturb any gopher traps that are set in the gardens.
  3. Do not fill any trap holes.
  4. Keep gopher trap holes dry - WATERING GOPHER HOLES DOES NOT HELP! 


Thank you for assisting with gopher control.



Weed Management - "Nut Grass"



Nutsedge, also known as nutgrass, seeks out the moist, poorly drained sections of your yard. Its leaves are grass-like and yellow-green, while the spiky head is purple or yellow. It's a tough weed to control because it grows from tiny tubers, or nutlets, that form on roots and can grow 8-14 inches deep in the soil. Getting rid of this weed can be accomplished but it requires diligence and patience on the part of the gardener.  Learn more from this article from SFGATE.

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/kill-nutsedges-vegetable-garden-40243.html