{"id":3645,"date":"2018-06-15T08:00:52","date_gmt":"2018-06-15T15:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/?p=3645"},"modified":"2020-04-04T08:44:09","modified_gmt":"2020-04-04T15:44:09","slug":"starting-a-vegetable-garden-in-southern-california","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gregalder.com\/yardposts\/starting-a-vegetable-garden-in-southern-california\/","title":{"rendered":"Starting a vegetable garden in Southern California"},"content":{"rendered":"

The change I\u2019d like to see in my corner of the world is that more people grow a little of their own food. It doesn\u2019t require a lot of space, many tools, much physical effort or time or money.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here I’ve gathered\u00a0the five most useful things that I wish I had known when I started growing vegetables in Southern California.<\/span> 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Maximum sun<\/b><\/p>\n

I wish I had known that <\/span><\/i>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.<\/span><\/p>\n

How did I learn this? <\/span><\/i>For the last seven years, I\u2019ve 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"shady<\/a>

The shady canyon where I grew vegetables as best I could.<\/p><\/div>\n

What should you do about this?<\/span><\/i> Plant your vegetables wherever you have the most abundant sunlight.\u00a0 But also don\u2019t 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

More on this topic: <\/span><\/i>See my post, \u201cWhere to plant a vegetable garden.\u201d<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

2. Right timing<\/b><\/p>\n

I wish I had known that<\/span><\/i> you can\u2019t 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. <\/span><\/p>\n

How did I learn this?<\/span><\/i> Over the years, I\u2019ve tried planting about every vegetable at every time of year, and I’ve recorded the results. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Butter and romaine lettuce don’t like to grow through summer. (Photo taken in April.)<\/p><\/div>\n

What should you do about this?<\/span><\/i> Follow the suggested sowing and planting dates of Southern California sources — not seed packets, and not general gardening books or websites.<\/span><\/p>\n

More on this topic: <\/span><\/i>See my post, “Which vegetables can I plant now in Southern California.”<\/a> Also, s<\/span>ee my post, \u201cOh, the mistakes I\u2019ve made: Planting vegetables at the wrong time.\u201d<\/a> And consider getting one of my gardening calendars<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Natural soil building<\/b><\/p>\n

I wish I had known that<\/span><\/i> the best soil can be built by consistently spreading compost or other organic mulch on its surface — that\u2019s 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

How did I learn this?<\/span><\/i> 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"carrots<\/a>

Carrots also grow fine and straight in my garden soil that I never till.<\/p><\/div>\n

What should you do about this?<\/span><\/i> Try it. You\u2019ll never know until you try it.<\/span><\/p>\n

More on this topic: <\/span><\/i>See my post, “Fertile soil can be child’s play.”<\/a> Also see my post, “Don\u2019t dig in your garden.”<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n