Master gardeners tackle problems from fertilizer to flea beetles
Cotton, foreground, and grapes are among several crops growing at The Farm at Cal Expo during the State Fair. The master gardeners' booth is nearby. Kathy Morrison
The first question of the morning was pretty easy: What is that unlabeled crop growing beyond the bush beans?
The three master gardeners on the shift, including myself, took turns going to look. The plants were about 2 feet tall, with bright green maple-like leaves and just the barest hint of a bud forming. Hmm, not a food crop. A plant ID app helped answer the question: American cotton, which of course is a big crop in California's southern San Joaquin Valley. We later spotted a gorgeous early flower underneath all the foliage: This area will be stunning in a few weeks, but likely after the fair is over, alas.
Why the plants weren't labeled is unknown, since each vegetable is well-identified on at least one border of its growing area. That lack of ID for cotton was one of the few missteps apparent in The Farm at the State Fair, which is looking better this year than even last year, and exponentially better than two years ago. The area is being regularly weeded, and the produce picked when it's ready -- no zucchinis that resemble small logs, for instance. The blighted fruit trees noticed in 2022 have been removed. The bush beans look so healthy, the tomatoes lush, the corn tall and full.
The Sacramento County master gardeners have absolutely nothing to do with planning, planting or weeding The Farm, but care about it just the same. For the run of the fair, they field questions from fairgoers from a booth smack in the middle of those demonstration crops, so naturally folks have questions about them. The crops also serve as visuals -- "Come look at this," we'll say.
This year, many of the questions on one weekday required the same four-letter answer: HEAT. The extreme weather has played havoc with plant development, flower production and especially pollination in gardens large and small.
Working up to an answer requires master gardeners to ask questions in return: How much sun is the area getting? Shade? When were the plants put in the garden? How and how often are they watered? Fertilized? Raised beds or containers or in ground? Are there bees evident in the garden?
One couple seemed to be doing everything right, but still weren't getting fruit forming on squash or tomato plants. This was even before the recent heat wave, they said. They knew, for example, how to hand-pollinate squashes. One more question: Is the area mulched? No! That would keep the roots cooler and prevent plant stress, which often interferes with pollination. Recommendation: Mulch the garden with compost or straw or shredded bark, and be patient while the plants readjust after the heat wave. And hold off on the fertilizer until temps are closer to normal for their community. (That looks to be after July 25.)
Another veteran gardener was having trouble with flea beetles in his tomatoes. Not a problem I've run across in 30 years of growing tomatoes; apparently the pest is more common in eggplants. He was given the link to the excellent UC Integrated Pest Management website for possible solutions.
Spider mites, overloaded/broken fruit trees, bindweed in lawns, recalcitrant heirloom tomatoes, diseased table grapes and the heartbreak of bitter cucumbers were all topics brought up during this one shift. It's the time of year when gardeners expect to reap the rewards of spring work. Mitigation ideas for this year plus suggestions for next year (example: try one of the new cucumber hybrids) ease the disappointment. Sharing master gardeners' own failures often helps gardeners feel better: They're not alone!
Sacramento County gardeners who can't get to the State Fair to ask questions in person can call or send an email to the office: (916) 876-5338 or mgsacramento@ucanr.edu. Harvest Day (Aug. 3) and the fall Open Garden Days (Sept. 14 and Oct. 16) at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center offer additional in-person opportunities for all.
The California State Fair continues through July 28 at Cal Expo. Gates open at 11 a.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. Friday through Sunday. Master gardeners are most likely to be staffing the booth in the first three hours of the fair's day; temperatures above 105 degrees force closure of the booth, which has fans and shades but not air conditioning.
For more information on the State Fair: https://calexpostatefair.com/info/faq/ Information on Sacramento County master gardener activities: https://sacmg.ucanr.edu/
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Garden Checklist for week of Feb. 2
During this stormy week, let the rain soak in while making plans for all the things you’re going to plant soon:
* During rainy weather, turn off the sprinklers. After a good soaking from winter storms, lawns can go at least a week without sprinklers, according to irrigation experts. For an average California home, that week off from watering can save 800 gallons.
* February serves as a wake-up call to gardeners. This month, you can transplant or direct-seed several flowers, including snapdragon, candytuft, lilies, astilbe, larkspur, Shasta and painted daisies, stocks, bleeding heart and coral bells.
* In the vegetable garden, plant Jerusalem artichoke tubers, and strawberry and rhubarb roots.
* Transplant cabbage and its close cousins – broccoli, kale and Brussels sprouts – as well as lettuce (both loose leaf and head).
* Indoors, start peppers, tomatoes and eggplant from seed.
* Plant artichokes, asparagus and horseradish from root divisions.
* Plant potatoes from tubers and onions from sets (small bulbs). The onions will sprout quickly and can be used as green onions in March.
* From seed, plant beets, chard, lettuce, mustard, peas, radishes and turnips.
* Annuals are showing up in nurseries, but wait until the weather warms up a bit before planting. Instead, set out flowering perennials such as columbine and delphinium.
* Plant summer-flowering bulbs including cannas, calla lilies and gladiolus.
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