Getting the garden going - help! (house, landscaping, maintenance)

[Latania]

Time to think Spring!!! So this year it looks like the year to do our own food production. I've convinced my spouse to "go Green" by switching over our high maintenance lawn to a no mowing grass lawn and adding garden space - the bigger the better. I tried the No Mow (a low growing) Grass last year on a little spot and loved it so I'm going with that. The food thing I'm new to and have no idea what, how to get things going. What are good fruit trees for the area?

I'm new to gardening so tips are welcome!

We eat a lot of food here so any / all info is helpful. Thanks!

Thinking Spring!

[Adriatica]

Contact your local Master Gardener program: Statewide Master Gardener Program - Home Page

They will have lots of info specific to your part of CA, classes, handouts, demonstration gardens, etc.

[okie333]

Originally Posted by Latania

Time to think Spring!!! So this year it looks like the year to do our own food production. I've convinced my spouse to "go Green" by switching over our high maintenance lawn to a no mowing grass lawn and adding garden space - the bigger the better. I tried the No Mow (a low growing) Grass last year on a little spot and loved it so I'm going with that. The food thing I'm new to and have no idea what, how to get things going. What are good fruit trees for the area?

I'm new to gardening so tips are welcome!

We eat a lot of food here so any / all info is helpful. Thanks!

Thinking Spring!

This past last year my mother completely overhauled her yard and grew some exotic plants and fruit trees that her and my father live off of. I have one tip to make sure your garden grows healthy and fast and thats cow manure. I know its gross sounding but if your going to grow a healthy vibrant garden thats a good tip. My mother came from a long line of farmers and has always had a passion for her landscaping in every house shes owned ( and yes she does everything herself at the age of 60) .


good luck, sounds like a great way to start the year - very resourceful

[Dean Trails]

Actually, it depends on where you live in California. We have so many micro climates. Native plants are always a good choice. Low to no water, Xeriscaping is the way to go.
Plant and grow by the seasons and you can never go wrong. I like to get a Farmer's almanac. It is surprisingly alaways right on in terme of when to plant and the probable weather. It almost seems spooky how accurate it can be.
Finally, culivate a relationship with your local nursery person.

[Bunjee]

If you do a lot of cooking I've had great luck with chives, surprisingly. This is in the fullest SoCal sun you can imagine and in clay soil with not very intensive watering, also surprisingly. Normally, they grow in well-drained soil. I have to guess that the clay better retained the water and kept those feisty bulbs vital. My chives sprouted and flourished in cute 10" tall Dr. Suess-ian clumps and would sprout pink/purple chrysanthemum-like flower heads that were edible as well. That was with just a random sprinkling of seeds and light tilling.

[Dean Trails]

Yes, chives are very good. It is especially easy to grow along with Broccli. In this one patch that is all that would grow. We like to put them in the curry.

I just had a thought! Where does curry come from? Can you grow it?
I will need to look into that.

[Lovehound]

Tomatoes. If you can't grow tomatoes you should just give up.

Tomatoes are the worst tasting supermarket vegetables that taste best when you grow your own. Supermarket tomatoes are picked when they are green, then artificially ripened by chemicals. Even in the store they look ripe but they are not.

Homegrown tomatoes can be picked when they are ripe, and they have 1000x the taste and aroma of supermarket tomatoes.

Just watch out for those wicked tomato caterpillars!

[Lovehound]

Originally Posted by Dean Trails

I just had a thought! Where does curry come from? Can you grow it?

Curry powder is a compound made out of several or dozens of spices. Google is your friend.

But no, there are no "curry" plants.

If only...

[Dean Trails]

Originally Posted by Lovehound

Curry powder is a compound made out of several or dozens of spices. Google is your friend.

But no, there are no "curry" plants.

If only...

Yes, I did google the curry and was surprised at its origin. I always thought it was one plant.

And, yes I agree with you on the tomatoes. If you can't grow them then give it up! Home grown is so much better!!!

Dang, now you have wanting some right now. Fresh from the garden with a little salt. My grandpapa used to keep a salt shaker in the knotch of a tree out near his tomato patch so he could grab one and munch it right of the vine. His patch looked like the one the Godfather had. Big tall upright bushes!
THe old fashioned varieties are very good and are coming back.

We need a whole thread on just tomatoes!!!

[Bunjee]

And, of course, the first trees you plant are navel orange and Hass avocado.