The change I’d like to see in my corner of the world is that more people grow a little of their own food. It doesn’t require a lot of space, many tools, much physical effort or time or money.

Here I’ve gathered the five most useful things that I wish I had known when I started growing vegetables in Southern California. They have come to me through trying and failing, reading and observing, and trying some more. Maybe they can save you some time, money, headache, and backache.

1. Maximum sun

I wish I had known that if a garden spot gets at least six hours of full, direct, unimpeded sunlight, then you can grow any vegetable well. Under six hours, and you will struggle with some crops no matter how expertly you care for them otherwise.

How did I learn this? For the last seven years, I’ve been growing in a yard that gets eight hours of complete, open sun even on the shortest winter day (see photo at top). However, before here I grew my vegetables for years in a shady canyon (see below). The leap in health and production among my vegetables was apparent from the first day I planted in my current, sunny garden.

shady Brookes canyon garden

The shady canyon where I grew vegetables as best I could.

What should you do about this? Plant your vegetables wherever you have the most abundant sunlight.  But also don’t be hard on yourself about disappointing results with certain crops, such as large tomatoes or watermelons, if your best spot has less than six hours of full sun.

More on this topic: See my post, “Where to plant a vegetable garden.”

2. Right timing

I wish I had known that you can’t plant any vegetable successfully at any time of year. Moreover, each vegetable has a different optimal planting window within which it will grow extremely easily.

How did I learn this? Over the years, I’ve tried planting about every vegetable at every time of year, and I’ve recorded the results.  

Butter and romaine lettuce don’t like to grow through summer. (Photo taken in April.)

What should you do about this? Follow the suggested sowing and planting dates of Southern California sources — not seed packets, and not general gardening books or websites.

More on this topic: See my post, “Which vegetables can I plant now in Southern California.” Also, see my post, “Oh, the mistakes I’ve made: Planting vegetables at the wrong time.” And consider getting one of my gardening calendars.

3. Natural soil building

I wish I had known that the best soil can be built by consistently spreading compost or other organic mulch on its surface — that’s all. No need to dig it in. And no need to buy and add emulsions of this, meals of that, fertilizer granules of what-what.

How did I learn this? I began gardening as a digger and a fertilizer. Bit by bit I adopted this simpler and more natural approach, and I now get as good or better results from my vegetable garden.

carrots grown by cutting off water soon after germination

Carrots also grow fine and straight in my garden soil that I never till.

What should you do about this? Try it. You’ll never know until you try it.

More on this topic: See my post, “Fertile soil can be child’s play.” Also see my post, “Don’t dig in your garden.”



4. Watering by drip plus a little overhead

I wish I had known that drip irrigation is the best method for vegetables in Southern California, unless your garden is so small that you can easily water it by hand. Drip’s advantages are numerous. Yet it’s not perfect, and it is best supplemented by periodic overhead watering, which keeps some pests in check, and gives plants more wet soil to drink and eat from during summer heat.

compost and mulch on vegetable beds

Compost and wood chips under a tomato plant with a drip line running.

How did I learn this? First, I sprinkled. Then, I dripped. Benefits included a 50% lower water usage, but the plants didn’t all do well until I began to occasionally spray the foliage and wet the soil surface during summer.

What should you do about this? Learn to use drip irrigation on your vegetables, and then every couple weeks or so through the summer, spray or sprinkle.

More on this topic:  (See my post, “The best way to water a vegetable garden in Southern California.”)

5. Weed intelligently

I wish I had known that a few intelligent practices can almost eliminate the chore of future weeding.

How did I learn this? I used to just plant vegetables and water, and pull weeds. Then I got to know how weeds grow. These days I spend relatively little time dealing with them.

Don't pull a weed much bigger than this

Don’t pull a weed much bigger than this.

What should you do about this? Highlights: First, dig in your garden as little as possible. Second, mulch the surface. Third, pull weeds when they’re small. For weeds that get big, cut them off at the base and leave the roots in the soil. If the tops have seeds, remove them from the garden.

More on this topic: See my post, “How to outsmart garden weeds.”

Of course there are a hundred other lessons to be learned along the way about growing vegetables in Southern California. These five have made the biggest difference to me. With them we can start to garden smart — not expensive or hard — and eat food grown at home that is fresh, clean, and tasty, as it is supposed to be.

You might like to read these other posts:

Should you grow vegetables from seeds or plants?

How long to run drip irrigation on vegetables

The art of transplanting a vegetable seedling

Why I still grow food at home

Growing onions in Southern California

Growing carrots in Southern California

Growing potatoes in Southern California

Gardening with kids

What’s the best time of day to water your plants?

The economics of homegrown broccoli

The best way to support tomato plants

Get your hands dirty: Discover the truth about your irrigation practices



Pin It on Pinterest

Join Waitlist I will inform you if I can harvest more of these avocados. Please leave your email address below.