Fall is fast, until it’s slow
I stayed up late last night sowing seeds into module trays in my garage. It’s the dawn of the new season -- fall -- yet I’m afraid of time passing me by. You want to get certain vegetables growing by now, on the cusp of the fall equinox: brassicas, lettuces, greens....
Interplanting a strawberry patch
My Aunt Renee always grew the family’s best strawberries in her garden in Corona, where she had a permanent strawberry patch near her garage. All she did each year was rake out a few old or dead plants and add new ones to fill gaps. With a permanent strawberry patch,...
Online presentation “Avocados: Varieties and Heat” this Friday
Join me as I join the California Rare Fruit Growers, North County San Diego chapter, to talk about "Avocados: Varieties and Heat" on Friday, September 11 at 7 PM via Zoom, meaning from the comfort of your own computer or phone. The presentation will take about 45...
Growing peppers in Southern California
At the end of summer, peppers look better than anything else in my vegetable garden. Corn has been harvested and stalks are drying, tomatoes are getting brown leaves from the bottom up, but peppers remain verdant, and adorned by red, yellow, orange, brown, purple,...
Lowering a food garden’s water bill
Late summer is usually when we need to water our vegetables and fruit trees most in Southern California. And we should water them amply, as much as they need in order to provide us the food we desire. But are there ways to be more efficient? Always. Listed here are...
How far apart to plant avocado trees
Whether you’re planting a single avocado tree or an entire grove, you need to figure out the spacing. How close should you plant your avocado tree to your house or your driveway? How far should the tree be from another fruit tree or a retaining wall? Can you plant an...
Reading citrus leaves
What can you learn about your lemon or orange, mandarin or grapefruit tree from its leaves? Following are photos of citrus foliage mostly from the trees in my own Southern California yard, and each photo tells a small story. It’s likely that you’ll recognize some of...
A Midsummer Garden’s Harvest
I bet you’re harvesting a lot from your garden here in midsummer. Let’s celebrate that, and let's remember how we got here. Midsummer harvest First, what to celebrate? Here are some items we are harvesting in early August from our yard. For vegetables, there are...
Welcome
I’m Greg. My goal is to help others grow some food at home, with a focus on vegetables and fruits — especially avocados — in Southern California. I write a new “Yard Post” every Friday.
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