Why Garden in the Fall?

Most gardeners prefer, or will only garden during, the warmer months, but autumn/winter gardening can be just as fun and easy, if not easier. In fact, there aren't many people who do garden in the cooler weather in comparison to those who grow things in the warmth; cool-weather gardening is underestimated for sure. We're here to tell you why having a fall garden is definitely worth your time!

1. Less pests
Sure, you may encounter insects munching on your cabbages every then and again, but most invasive insects love the warmer weather. In the cooler seasons, you can be sure to have a more successful harvest since you'll have less pests destroying your plants or eating your produce before you do!

2. More drought-tolerant
With the California drought, you'll be saving a lot of water when starting a fall garden as opposed to summer gardening. Of course, the best benefit is using less water, but it also means not having to water your full-sun garden four times a day in blazing triple-digits.

3. Less maintenance
With less pests and less watering comes less maintenance! For those who tire of pulling weeds, ridding of insects, and watering consistently, autumn planting is a much more relaxed time and contains less work.

4. Organic gardening is easier than ever.
Those who prefer natural, organic harvests like we do know the struggle of dealing with pests and plant diseases. In the cooler weather, these things are a lot less common, as you already know. Even if you do use organic sprays, gardening in the fall may not require you to turn to any sprays at all.

5. And of course, the yummy cool-weather crops!
Mmm, you've got to love fresh garden cilantro, brussel sprouts, broccoli, celery, peas, and cabbage! Appreciate the freshness and the quality of your produce grown from your very own backyard! Buying these in grocery stores is no comparison to what you can get from gardening. Plus, these won't grow well in California's summer!

Update on Fall Planting - Zone 9

It's slowly, very slowly, inching closer to autumn. The days are shorter, nights are longer, and temperatures are starting to cool down a couple of degrees (besides a few triple-digit days here and there). I know many of you are anticipating fall planting and want to get started as soon as possible; so are we! Oh boy, it would be nice to have all fall plants started at this point, but peppers and tomatoes are still producing. But luckily, you can get a bit of a head start on your planting, and we will soon have our autumn plants for sale at the farmers' market for those of you who would rather skip the germination process!

Yesterday on August 26th, we started planting some cool-weather crops (besides perennials, which we started a few weeks ago for autumn), and so can you if you prefer planting from seed yourself. But wait, there are some exceptions. Your best bet at this point would be to sow, like mentioned, perennial plants and/or plants that have a long "days 'til harvest" period. For example, if you look on the back of a seed packet, and it says, "60 days 'til harvest," chances are it will be perfectly fine to plant now because by the time 60 days passes, the weather should be dramatically cooler compared to our current temperatures. The goal is to ensure that the harvest period for your cool-weather crops will happen when the temperatures are preferred for the plant. A great example of an autumn crop to plant now would be brussel sprouts.

You definitely don't want to plant anything that only takes a month until harvest. Take lettuces as an example. By the time 30 days passes, it will still be pretty hot in zone 9, and the harvest won't be as good, especially if it bolts. So, definitely wait on plants that grow quickly.

Right now, we are selling a few plants (perennials) that will withstand the cold, but we plan to have autumn/winter plants for sale within the next few weeks. Be sure to stop by our farmers' market booth in the Visalia, California Sears' parking lot every Saturday from 8-11:30 a.m.!

P.S. More updates soon on fall planting.

Keeping Cut Flowers Fresh

Buying bouquets or even making your own can be pleasing to the eye, but how can one extend the vase-life of their cut flowers? Here's a quick, little guide to help you keep your flowers fresh and alive long as possible!

1. Make sure foliage does not sit in water.
If the flowers' leaves are below the waterline in your vase, be sure to remove them. You can of course leave all other foliage on the flowers that are above the waterline, but you do not want the leaves to sit and rot if they are touching water. Removing the lower leaves greatly reduces the amount of bacteria and fungus from growing in the vase that kill the flowers off sooner.

2. Change the vase water every 2-3 days.
With bacteria, fungus, and mold growing and thriving in your vase, you'll want to change the water every few days or so. Not only does changing the water allow for longer vase-life, it also prevents the smell of the bacteria living in your vase, plus, cleaner and clearer water simply looks prettier!

3. If you're cutting your own flowers, cut the stems at a 45 degree angle.
There are several benefits for cutting your stems at a diagonal, or at a 45 degree angle...

• Cutting at an angle allows the plant you're cutting from to heal quicker from the "injury."
• A diagonal cut allows more surface area for waterflow into the stem of the cut flower.
• Because an angled cut isn't flat, the stem won't sit horizontally on the bottom of the vase. This way, water will be able to flow easier into the stem.
• A straight-cut causes more tubes (vein-like structures in stems that act similar to straws, sucking up water) to crush, but a diagonal cut allows more tubes to stay open and function properly.

Our First Herbal Tea Recipe!

I've been testing some herbal tea recipes, and I decided to publicly share my first blend called Sweet Reverie from herbs found in our backyard! And yes, it really does taste like a dream. It's simple, and it only includes five ingredients. I must warn you though; this tea is very sweet! Well, what can I say; I do have a sweet tooth! Use less or no stevia for less of a sweet taste. Change other ingredients as needed. More lemon grass or lemon balm for a more lemony taste, for example. The lemon taste is very subtle in my recipe, just a FYI. More recipes soon to come!

Well, here you go!

Sweet Reverie- Sugary tarragon taste with a slight essence of lemon; great for a sweet-tooth:

• Lemon grass: 10-15 stalks
• Stevia: 15-20 leaves
• Lemon balm: One hand full
• French tarragon: One tablespoon of fresh leaves
• Holy basil: 10-15 leaves

Makes: Two cups

Instructions: Gather herbs, wash, dry with paper towel, break apart herbs into fourths, place in a paper lunch bag for 24 hours to dry.
Heat water for about a minute, and add dried herbs into a tea strainer or empty tea bag. Steep for 15-20 minutes. Enjoy!

Growing Tomatoes in Late Summer: Too Late?

Many people at our farmers' market booth ask if it is too late to plant tomatoes now that August has hit, and the answer is no! To start them from seed, it's late, but to transplant them in the ground is still a perfect time. We have some tips on how to successfully grow tomatoes in late summer through late autumn!

Tomatoes are annuals that most people will plant in late February and early March and will dispose of them around mid-summer once production slows down. But wait! Tomatoes can still produce now! Stagger your tomato plants, planting them every three weeks or so for a more continuous harvest. Some advice from local tomato farmers suggest that planting tomatoes near trees, near other tall plants, or even covering them with shade cloth are all great ways to prevent the bright, summer sun from sunburning the plants, not to mention that the sun this time of the season in California greatly rises the temperature of the plant, high temperatures that the tomato plants don't particularly like. Tomatoes love heat, but too, too much can be stressful for it, which is why giving them a little shade is the way to go!

Most tomato plants only have a two-month cycle of consistent production before they slow down, whether they are planted as early as February or later on in August. If you notice your tomato plants slowing own right now, chances are, it is one of two things: Either too much sun, or your tomato plants were planted earlier on in the year and are now reaching the end of their production cycle. This is when staggering your tomato planting comes in handy.

Lucky, many nurseries, including ourselves, have gorgeous tomato plants ready for transplant! Because our weather is still hot through November, we our lucky enough to be able to keep on planting tomatoes this "late" in the season. So, while you're waiting for the temps to cool down for fall plants, continuing on with your summer veggies is still a great time. No need to rush the gardening process! Happy tomato planting!

When to Begin Fall/Winter Planting - Specifically for Zone 9

Getting started on your fall and winter planting can be difficult. Rather than covering seedlings or starting them in a greenhouse as you would growing warm-weather plants in the winter, growing cooler weather plants while it's still hot outside can be very confusing for many gardeners. The thing is, plants like cilantro and lettuces if planted in the heat will bolt before temperatures even cool down, if they even sprout at all. That is a concern for sure. Here's a little guide to help you convert from summer to fall/winter gardening.

The best things to plant right now in August in zone 9 would be rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano, parsley, marjoram, lavender, and lemongrass. While these are all things that love the heat, they are perfect to plant right now while the temps are still high even though autumn is inching closer, and yes, they will overwinter. Many of these are perennials and will tolerate the frost very well, in fact, all of them did well in our frost last year. Also, it's still a great time to plant sunflowers, especially for autumn blooms.

The things you want to avoid planting now would be cilantro, lettuces, cress, and peas- basically anything that grows extremely fast. Plants that have short lives such as these plants and are fully grown in just a matter of a month or two are more often to bolt and seed quickly and will not be enjoyable until planted later on when day temperatures are under 80 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Looking at the 'days until harvest' on your seed packets are especially crucial right now. Some of these plants say to plant in August for our zone, but now is not the best time. Wait until LATE August to begin these seeds, or maybe even until early September. Your cool-weather garden will thank you later, and trust me, you do not want to eat bolted cilantro as it does not taste good!

Don't be intimidated to start fall and winter seeds so 'late.' Most of them will still be producing through late spring while the temperatures are still not in extremes! You could also try to start seedlings indoors, but just be aware that fast-growing plants may already be producing or ready for harvest by the time autumn even comes along. We started a few mustard greens indoors in a south-facing window, and while they have sprouted, we are aware that by the time it cools down here in California, the greens will most likely be already be at their harvesting point. The goal is to only plant indoors if the plant is slow growing enough to harden off and put outdoors later on when temperatures cool, or to keep the plant indoors permanently if it grows too quickly before cool temperatures even come close.

Good luck with your fall and winter gardening! Have fun; more updates soon to come, so you can all follow along with us and our cool-weather gardening!

Summer Blooms!

Beautiful summer arrangements we made consisting of zinnias,
sunflowers, bachelor buttons, dianthus, carnations, and basil! Adding
basil to your arrangements not only acts as a filler and provides extra
green for your bouquets, but it also smells great.

Vincas and celosia cristata (cockscomb). This was our first
time growing celosia, and it's going well so far! Almost large
enough blooms to add to our arrangements.

Zinnias are just too beautiful. The best part is, they are very
easy to grow.

A purple dahlia we sold a few weeks back. Dahlias are lovely.

Selling our zinnia cuttings. So many different colors to choose from!