April 9, 2020 - By Bob Labozetta (UC Master Gardener, Mariposa) - With so many people following stay-at-home orders, vegetable gardens are on the rise across the country. Are you ready to put in your own “victory” garden? Let’s look at some tips to get you started.
When planning a garden, consider where the sunlight falls. Almost all vegetables grow best in full sun (at least six hours of unfiltered sun). Spend some time in the garden to determine where the sunlight falls at different times of the day and year. Photos taken with your smartphone will help you discover those patterns. Place taller plants (corn, sunflowers, climbing vines, etc.) so they don’t block sun-loving plants while letting them shade cool-season crops. Looking to shade cool season and overwintering crops (kale, leafy greens, etc.)? Deciduous fruit trees will cast a shadow from spring to fall then drop their leaves, allowing the sun to reach your crops.
Make sure there are easy watering sources close at hand. Outdoor faucets, hoses, or drip irrigation should be easy to access. In our drought-frequent area, water catchment systems as simple as water barrels can be used to catch roof rain runoff from greenhouses, your home or garage.
Include paths to walk around your garden beds. Your walking path should be wide enough for a wheelbarrow to pass through: 18 - 24 inches is the minimum for the width of garden paths. Paths should be covered with pavers, gravel, wood chips, sawdust or other biodegradable material to cut down on weeds.
Consider what type of beds will work best for you. You can grow right in the ground if your soil is good and underground pests like gophers and ground squirrels are not too abundant. Use raised beds lined with gopher wire to keep out pests and make gardening easier on your back. You can also grow many vegetables in containers you have lying around.
You may want to consider if a propagation center is right for your garden. This is a place for propagating veggies from seed or by cuttings, layering, division, budding, and grafting. You will need bench space to start seedlings and plants prior to planting out in your garden beds. Such an area in a greenhouse or heated garage is best but, lacking space, you may consider a cold frame.
Now is the time to put in your garden for the summer—the weather will be right for planting warm-season crops soon—and you may just have the time while stay-at-home orders are in place.
The Master Gardener Helpline is ready to help. Although we cannot take samples or visits at this time, we are researching and looking for answers to your gardening questions. You can submit your questions by calling (209) 966-7078 or by emailing mgmariposa@ucdavis.edu.
The UC Master Gardeners are busy adding materials to our website on gardening and growing your own vegetable garden. Look for us at http://cemariposa.ucanr.edu/Master_Gardener and check back often for updates. You can also visit the UC Agriculture and Natural Resources website at https://ucanr.edu. Need help locating a resource for your needs? We would love to help you.
UC Master Gardeners of Mariposa County are located at 5009 Fairgrounds Rd., Mariposa.
The U.C. Master Gardener Helpline is staffed; Thursdays from 2:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M.
Serving Mariposa County, including Greeley Hill, Coulterville and Lake Don Pedro
Please contact the helpline, or leave a message by phone at: (209) 966-7078
By email (send photos and questions for researched answers) to: mgmariposa@ucdavis.edu
For further gardening information and event announcements, please visit:
UCMG website: cemariposa.ucanr.edu/Master_Gardener
Follow us on Facebook at: Facebook.com/mariposamastergardeners
Master Gardener Office Location:
UC Cooperative Extension Office,
5009 Fairgrounds Road
Mariposa, CA 95338
Phone: (209) 966-2417
Email: mgmariposa@ucdavis.edu
Website: cemariposa.ucanr.edu/Master_Gardener
