Small Spaces, Little Water, Big Harvests
The heat has arrived with a vengeance. Everyone knew the freakishly mild temperatures experienced in the Sacramento Valley into the second week of July wouldn’t last and, as expected, the heat dome that has been cooking the American Southwest for weeks finally expanded to encompass California. Daytime highs for the past several days have been…
I have had typically mediocre results growing potatoes in the Sacramento Valley. This is due to the temperature sensitivity of the potato plant (both frost and sustained temps over 90 degrees Fahrenheit will stunt or kill them) the length of time it takes reasonably large tubers to form (90-100 days) and the often brief period…
Originating from the tropical regions of the Americas, the sweet potato is an excellent hot weather crop for novice and experienced gardeners alike. Once a propagated sprout (called a slip) has been planted, the gardener’s work is largely done. Given adequate water and even marginally fertile soil a dense tangle of sweet potato vines will…
A particularly cool and wet winter in the Sacramento Valley gave way to an unusually cool and wet early spring which delayed the transfer of our plants from their starter pots into our raised beds. We were finally able to get everything planted over Easter weekend. A month later, almost everything is thriving and nothing…