UC Master Gardener Program Napa County

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Spring & Summer Vegetables Workshop

March 11, 2017

Today’s MG Team

• Cindy Pitcher

• Susanne von Rosenberg

• Mike Quinn

• Cindy Panek

• John Pearson

• Jennifer Loebs, Greater

• Priscilla Wrubel, Cashier 2

Who Are Master Gardeners?

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UC trained volunteers providing research based horticultural information for Napa County residents

Services Provided

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➢ Help Desks: --Office M-W-F 9am—Noon --Nurseries and box stores in April & May--Farmer Markets

➢ Public Workshops

➢ Public Speakers

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One of the handouts

Here’s What We Will Cover

• Preparing Your Garden

• Prevention & Maintaince

• Demonstrations

• Planting Seeds & Transplanting Seedlings

• Resources for More Information6

So many veggies—so

hard to choose

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Warm Season Crops

• Grow best 65 to 95 Degrees

• Are injured or killed by frost

• Grow best 55 to 75 Degrees

• Tolerate some amount of short-term freezing (frost tolerant)

Cool Season Crops

• Location

• Irrigation

• Soil (vs Dirt)

• What & When to Plant

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Why Does Location Matter?

• Climate Zones & Micro-Climates

• Sunlight—how much needed daily

• Temperature

• Terrain

• Wind

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CLIMATE

• Requires an understanding of our climate, Napa Valley climate zones, and site microclimates

• Requires observation and planning

• Gardening in harmony with our environment requires less effort

• Understand that climate zones and microclimates vary throughout the county—and around your property

Most important factor in successful home gardening

Our Mediterranean Climate

• On west coasts of continental land masses,

• Next to sea,

• Influenced by subtropical high-pressure systems

that inhibit summer rainfall.

12•Only 2% of world shares this climate

Napa Area Climate Zones--Sunset Magazine

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7-Lake Berryessa

15-Foothills

14- Napa Valley

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Growing Season: Mid-March—Mid November

Zone 15 Coastal CoolGrowing Season: May-November

Fog-catching hilltops, Mt. Veeder, Spring Mt., Howell Mt

Zone 7 Foothill - Digger Pine

Growing season May to mid-OctoberPope Valley, Lake Berryessa

Napa Valley Floor

Napa Area Climate Zones--Sunset Magazine

Zone 14 Coastal Warm

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SUNLIGHT 6-8 Hours DailyWest

South

East

West

East

South

North

Dry & HotMoist

Sunny

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What is a Microclimate?

A climatic condition specific to a small area that is different from its surrounding conditions

Where can they occur?

Just about anywhere.

Microclimates Within A Garden

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Good Location?

Preparation

Terrain: Level Ground: Easier to prepare, plant and irrigate.

Easy Access

Water Supply – Locate nearby

Windbreaks—as needed

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Preparation:Irrigation

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• Plan ahead how to irrigate:

• Drip system?

• Hand Water?

• Overhead sprinklers?

Overhead Sprinklers?

Low labor time, BUT need to water a long time to get deep into roots; water loss to evaporation

Hand Water?

Labor intensive; Unlikely to get to roots. Need to get down to base of plant. Water evaporation

Make a berm to hand water—

Use a hose bubbler

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Here’s the Right Way!

Get to the root of the issue

DRIP System By Zones

Best to Install drip systems with emitters before planting seedlings

Vacuum Breaker

Summer Veggies

➢Terminology

➢ What, When, Where, & How

➢ Seedlings vs Seeds

➢Starting Indoors

➢Transplanting

Terminology

l ➢ Soil

➢ Soil Texture

➢ Amendments

➢ Mulch

➢Compost

➢Fertilizer

Essential Plant Nutrients➢ C, H, O

➢ PRIMARY: N, P, K

➢ Secondary: Ca, Mg, S

➢ Micro: B, Cl, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Zn

Planting➢ What?

➢When? Season, Frost

➢ Where? Outside, Indoors

➢ How? Preparations/supplies

➢ Seedlings vs Seeds

Selecting seedlingsInspect in pots and 6-packs

Taller is not best—especially if already blooming.

Starting Indoors➢ Seeds: Small vs Large

➢ Kits

➢ Soils

➢ Grow Light

➢ Watering

Heating Pad (Optional)

Seedling Mishaps

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Hardening & Support

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Into the Garden

Enjoy!

“AfternoonHarvest”

Demonstrations—Seed Planting—Seedling Transplanting

Demonstrations• Window Planters

• DIY Seed Tape

• DIY Newspaper pots

Hands-On (You…not us)

• Planting Seeds in 6-packs

• Transplanting Seedlings

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Management and Prevention

• Fertilizer

• Irrigation – Timing

–Quantity

• Mulch

• Threats

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FERTILIZER

• Vegetable gardens are unnaturalsystems

• Regular fertilizer application required

–Before planting

–Possibly during growth period

• Organic preferred

• Follow package directions

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RAIN

More Rain Coming? Can’t count on it… Plan your garden and watering methods accordinglyPlant Now?Maybe…wait till soil is workable

Water Needs Depend on Many Factors

• Soil Type (sandy, clay, loam) and organic content/mulch

• Weather (sun, temperature, humidity, wind)

• Time of year (day length)• Type of vegetable• Growth cycle of the plant

When to Water

Test: Water if dry at 2-3 inches

Monitor Regularly

NOTE: Drooping leaves do NOT always mean you need to water. Check the soil. Avoid overwatering. Roots can drown.

RELATIVE WATER NEEDS BY TIME OF YEAR

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MULCH

• Benefits–Weed control

–Reduced water use

–Keeps soil cooler (up to 30°F)

–Protect and improve soil structure

• Common types: compost, tree trimmings, shredded leaves, shredded newspaper

• Renew organic mulches regularly

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THREATS

• Diseases• Invertebrate pests (AKA bugs and

slugs)• Vertebrate pests• Frost/Cold Temperatures• Weeds

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Integrated Pest Management

• Prevention• Diagnose First!

• Cultivation or pest/disease?

• Non-chemical control

• Limit use of pesticides (least toxic first)

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What Happened Here?

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What Happened Here?

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What Happened Here?

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Prevention

• Healthy soil• Healthy plant • Right plant in the right place• Proper care: water, fertilizer, light,

temperature• Sanitation/crop rotation

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Addressing Diseases

• Proper cultivation

• Resistant varieties

• Cut out affected parts if isolated issue (and not soil-borne)

• “Shovel-prune”

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Wilt on Tomato

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Powdery Mildew

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Insect Pests• Know your “good guys”

• Tolerate some damage

• Wait for beneficials

• Non-chemical controls first

• Barriers/exclusion

• Water Sprays (aphids)

• Physical removal – multiple options

• Pheromone traps

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Insect Pests

• Pesticides are a last resort

• Least toxic first (e.g., soap spray, iron phosphate for snails and slugs, Bt)

• Apply pesticides in accordance with manufacturer’s specifications

• Prevent overspray/run-off

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GOOD OR BAD?

Lady Beetle Cucumber Beetle

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GOOD OR BAD?Earwig Sow Bug and Pill Bug

(“Roly-Poly”)

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Vertebrate Pests• Types of pests:

• Deer• Gophers, moles, voles, ground squirrels• Squirrels• Raccoons, opossums• Rabbits• Birds

• Two primary options for control:• Barriers/Exclusion• Killing (as allowed)

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Frost and Cold Temperatures

• Plant summer veggies when soil AND nights are warm

• Cold temps slow plant growth and reduce nutrient absorption

• Many options for frost protection

– Frost protection cloth

– Plastic jugs

– Wall-o-water

– Newspaper, sheets, plastic sheeting64

Frost and Cold Temperatures

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What About Weeds?• What is a weed?

• “A plant growing in a place that you don’t want it to.”

• Weeds can compete with desired plants

• Prevention• Mulch• Prevent re-seeding• Don’t bring home weeds

• Collateral Damage

• Reuse: Mulch, home-compost, or yard waste

BAD BUGSThrips Leafminers

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BAD BUGSSquash Bugs Harlequin Bugs

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BAD BUGS

Cabbage Loopers

Corn Earworm

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Tomato Hornworm

GOOD BUGSParasitic Wasps

Lace Wing

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GOOD BUGS

Soldier Beetle Hoverfly

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GOOD BUGS – SOME OTHERS

• Praying Mantis

• Ground Beetles

• Braconid Wasps

• Tachinid Flies

• Predatory Mites

• Aphid Midges

• Damsel Bugs

• Minute Pirate Bugs

• Mealybug Destroyer

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Rust on Beans, Corn Smut

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Accessing Online Resources:--Napa Master Gardeners --UC California Garden Web

Search: “Napa Master Gardeners”

Or: http://ucanr.edu/sites/ucmgnapa/

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See Handout for Detailed Instructions

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Thanks!

Be sure to complete the

evaluations before leaving

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