Greetings,
As much of the country is shut down and most people are stuck at home, there seems to be more incentive than ever to grow your own food and live more sustainably. Thus, each week, I will be sharing small lessons on growing more, wasting less, and composting that I’ve learned during my time as farm manager.
While we are very fortunate to have lots of sun and a nearly endless growing season here in Claremont, we still develop and follow a planting calendar to help us have the most success when we grow. Since many are starting new gardens, I thought it could be helpful to share what I’m putting in the ground at the Farm this month!
We began starting seeds in the greenhouse in January and February, so it is finally time to start bringing many of our seedlings outside and transplanting them into the ground! This month, we are transplanting our pepper, tomato, eggplant, cucumber, watermelon, summer squash, and basil seedlings. We are also starting our winter squash seeds in the greenhouse.
In addition to transplanting, we are also direct sowing some seeds. We are filling our beds with Malabar spinach (a great heat tolerant green!), pole and bush beans, and corn. And while they prefer cooler weather and do best when planted earlier, you can still try to grow carrots, Swiss chard, and lettuce (and salad mixes). Moreover, I caution against growing any plants in the Brassicaceae family (broccoli, turnips, kale, radishes, mustards, cauliflower, cabbage, etc.) in the late spring and summer. Not only do these plants do best in cooler months, but they also can become infested with the invasive Bagrada bug, who is most active in warmer months.
As you grow and maintain your garden in the coming months, refer to UCIPM (the statewide integrated pest management program) to learn more about weed ID and pest ID and control. The California Garden Web also provides a helpful collection of guides for a variety of crops.
Happy planting! Check back next week for more updates and lessons from the Farm!
Best,
Kate