UC Master Gardener Program Napa County · •Prevention & Maintaince •Demonstrations...

UC Master Gardener Program Napa County

1

Spring & Summer Vegetables Workshop

March 11, 2017

Today’s MG Team

• Cindy Pitcher

• Susanne von Rosenberg

• Mike Quinn

• Cindy Panek

• John Pearson

• Jennifer Loebs, Greater

• Priscilla Wrubel, Cashier 2

Who Are Master Gardeners?

3

UC trained volunteers providing research based horticultural information for Napa County residents

Services Provided

4

➢ Help Desks: --Office M-W-F 9am—Noon --Nurseries and box stores in April & May--Farmer Markets

➢ Public Workshops

➢ Public Speakers

5

One of the handouts

Here’s What We Will Cover

• Preparing Your Garden

• Prevention & Maintaince

• Demonstrations

• Planting Seeds & Transplanting Seedlings

• Resources for More Information6

So many veggies—so

hard to choose

7

Warm Season Crops

• Grow best 65 to 95 Degrees

• Are injured or killed by frost

• Grow best 55 to 75 Degrees

• Tolerate some amount of short-term freezing (frost tolerant)

Cool Season Crops

• Location

• Irrigation

• Soil (vs Dirt)

• What & When to Plant

9

Why Does Location Matter?

• Climate Zones & Micro-Climates

• Sunlight—how much needed daily

• Temperature

• Terrain

• Wind

10

11

CLIMATE

• Requires an understanding of our climate, Napa Valley climate zones, and site microclimates

• Requires observation and planning

• Gardening in harmony with our environment requires less effort

• Understand that climate zones and microclimates vary throughout the county—and around your property

Most important factor in successful home gardening

Our Mediterranean Climate

• On west coasts of continental land masses,

• Next to sea,

• Influenced by subtropical high-pressure systems

that inhibit summer rainfall.

12•Only 2% of world shares this climate

Napa Area Climate Zones--Sunset Magazine

13

7-Lake Berryessa

15-Foothills

14- Napa Valley

14

Growing Season: Mid-March—Mid November

Zone 15 Coastal CoolGrowing Season: May-November

Fog-catching hilltops, Mt. Veeder, Spring Mt., Howell Mt

Zone 7 Foothill - Digger Pine

Growing season May to mid-OctoberPope Valley, Lake Berryessa

Napa Valley Floor

Napa Area Climate Zones--Sunset Magazine

Zone 14 Coastal Warm

16

SUNLIGHT 6-8 Hours DailyWest

South

East

West

East

South

North

Dry & HotMoist

Sunny

18

What is a Microclimate?

A climatic condition specific to a small area that is different from its surrounding conditions

Where can they occur?

Just about anywhere.

Microclimates Within A Garden

19

Good Location?

Preparation

Terrain: Level Ground: Easier to prepare, plant and irrigate.

Easy Access

Water Supply – Locate nearby

Windbreaks—as needed

20

Preparation:Irrigation

21

• Plan ahead how to irrigate:

• Drip system?

• Hand Water?

• Overhead sprinklers?

Overhead Sprinklers?

Low labor time, BUT need to water a long time to get deep into roots; water loss to evaporation

Hand Water?

Labor intensive; Unlikely to get to roots. Need to get down to base of plant. Water evaporation

Make a berm to hand water—

Use a hose bubbler

24

Here’s the Right Way!

Get to the root of the issue

DRIP System By Zones

Best to Install drip systems with emitters before planting seedlings

Vacuum Breaker

Summer Veggies

➢Terminology

➢ What, When, Where, & How

➢ Seedlings vs Seeds

➢Starting Indoors

➢Transplanting

Terminology

l ➢ Soil

➢ Soil Texture

➢ Amendments

➢ Mulch

➢Compost

➢Fertilizer

Essential Plant Nutrients➢ C, H, O

➢ PRIMARY: N, P, K

➢ Secondary: Ca, Mg, S

➢ Micro: B, Cl, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Zn

Planting➢ What?

➢When? Season, Frost

➢ Where? Outside, Indoors

➢ How? Preparations/supplies

➢ Seedlings vs Seeds

Selecting seedlingsInspect in pots and 6-packs

Taller is not best—especially if already blooming.

Starting Indoors➢ Seeds: Small vs Large

➢ Kits

➢ Soils

➢ Grow Light

➢ Watering

Heating Pad (Optional)

Seedling Mishaps

34

Hardening & Support

•

Into the Garden

Enjoy!

“AfternoonHarvest”

Demonstrations—Seed Planting—Seedling Transplanting

Demonstrations• Window Planters

• DIY Seed Tape

• DIY Newspaper pots

Hands-On (You…not us)

• Planting Seeds in 6-packs

• Transplanting Seedlings

38

Management and Prevention

• Fertilizer

• Irrigation – Timing

–Quantity

• Mulch

• Threats

39

FERTILIZER

• Vegetable gardens are unnaturalsystems

• Regular fertilizer application required

–Before planting

–Possibly during growth period

• Organic preferred

• Follow package directions

40

RAIN

More Rain Coming? Can’t count on it… Plan your garden and watering methods accordinglyPlant Now?Maybe…wait till soil is workable

Water Needs Depend on Many Factors

• Soil Type (sandy, clay, loam) and organic content/mulch

• Weather (sun, temperature, humidity, wind)

• Time of year (day length)• Type of vegetable• Growth cycle of the plant

When to Water

Test: Water if dry at 2-3 inches

Monitor Regularly

NOTE: Drooping leaves do NOT always mean you need to water. Check the soil. Avoid overwatering. Roots can drown.

RELATIVE WATER NEEDS BY TIME OF YEAR

44

MULCH

• Benefits–Weed control

–Reduced water use

–Keeps soil cooler (up to 30°F)

–Protect and improve soil structure

• Common types: compost, tree trimmings, shredded leaves, shredded newspaper

• Renew organic mulches regularly

45

THREATS

• Diseases• Invertebrate pests (AKA bugs and

slugs)• Vertebrate pests• Frost/Cold Temperatures• Weeds

46

Integrated Pest Management

• Prevention• Diagnose First!

• Cultivation or pest/disease?

• Non-chemical control

• Limit use of pesticides (least toxic first)

47

What Happened Here?

48

What Happened Here?

49

What Happened Here?

50

Prevention

• Healthy soil• Healthy plant • Right plant in the right place• Proper care: water, fertilizer, light,

temperature• Sanitation/crop rotation

51

Addressing Diseases

• Proper cultivation

• Resistant varieties

• Cut out affected parts if isolated issue (and not soil-borne)

• “Shovel-prune”

52

Wilt on Tomato

53

Powdery Mildew

54

Insect Pests• Know your “good guys”

• Tolerate some damage

• Wait for beneficials

• Non-chemical controls first

• Barriers/exclusion

• Water Sprays (aphids)

• Physical removal – multiple options

• Pheromone traps

55

Insect Pests

• Pesticides are a last resort

• Least toxic first (e.g., soap spray, iron phosphate for snails and slugs, Bt)

• Apply pesticides in accordance with manufacturer’s specifications

• Prevent overspray/run-off

56

GOOD OR BAD?

Lady Beetle Cucumber Beetle

57?

GOOD OR BAD?Earwig Sow Bug and Pill Bug

(“Roly-Poly”)

58

Vertebrate Pests• Types of pests:

• Deer• Gophers, moles, voles, ground squirrels• Squirrels• Raccoons, opossums• Rabbits• Birds

• Two primary options for control:• Barriers/Exclusion• Killing (as allowed)

59

60

61

62

63

Frost and Cold Temperatures

• Plant summer veggies when soil AND nights are warm

• Cold temps slow plant growth and reduce nutrient absorption

• Many options for frost protection

– Frost protection cloth

– Plastic jugs

– Wall-o-water

– Newspaper, sheets, plastic sheeting64

Frost and Cold Temperatures

65

66

What About Weeds?• What is a weed?

• “A plant growing in a place that you don’t want it to.”

• Weeds can compete with desired plants

• Prevention• Mulch• Prevent re-seeding• Don’t bring home weeds

• Collateral Damage

• Reuse: Mulch, home-compost, or yard waste

BAD BUGSThrips Leafminers

67

BAD BUGSSquash Bugs Harlequin Bugs

68

BAD BUGS

Cabbage Loopers

Corn Earworm

69

Tomato Hornworm

GOOD BUGSParasitic Wasps

Lace Wing

70

GOOD BUGS

Soldier Beetle Hoverfly

71

GOOD BUGS – SOME OTHERS

• Praying Mantis

• Ground Beetles

• Braconid Wasps

• Tachinid Flies

• Predatory Mites

• Aphid Midges

• Damsel Bugs

• Minute Pirate Bugs

• Mealybug Destroyer

72

Rust on Beans, Corn Smut

73

Accessing Online Resources:--Napa Master Gardeners --UC California Garden Web

Search: “Napa Master Gardeners”

Or: http://ucanr.edu/sites/ucmgnapa/

74

See Handout for Detailed Instructions

75

Thanks!

Be sure to complete the

evaluations before leaving

76