Master Gardener Program of Riverside County Master Gardener Program of Riverside County Our Mission …. to bring UCCE research-based horticulture information to you!

Who We Are Volunteer Gardeners Just Like You Trained and Certified Master Gardeners in Riverside County Utilize UCCE and MG Peer Reviewed material

Home Vegetable Gardening

Reason to grow Vegetables You know how it was grown Vine ripe – Full flavor and fresh Varieties and texture Connection with nature Food Banks

LET’S GET STARTED Choose best site for your garden Prepare & amend soil Water and Irrigation Planning the Garden/Area Tools and Equipment

BEST SIT FOR THE GARDEN Full Sunlight Hours a Day Level Well drained soil Near a water source

PREPARING THE SOIL Ideal soil - loose, crumbly Add Organic Matter Amendments (GYPSUM) Remember- Compost, Mulch, Compost, Mulch, Compost…

WATER & IRRIGATION Water Deep & Slow Water Times a week Water Consistently Use Drip Irrigation & Mulch

Planning The Vegetable Garden Efficient use of space Make a map of space Draw vegetables on map warm and cool season requirements Annual or Perianal Tall plants on North side Include planting dates

VEGETABLE PLANTING AREAS Raised Beds Containers Square Foot Gardening

TOOLS & EQUIPMENT Hand Trowel - transplanting Hoe - digging up weeds Spade or spading fork-turning soil Metal Rake - smoothing soil after spading Shovel - digging holes, moving soil Yardstick, twine & stakes - straight lines Clippers - harvesting your crop

WEEDING Remove & Control Weeds They starve plants of nutrients! Cultivate, Pull or dig, Scrape surface Mulch - inhibits weeds

SELECTING VEGETABLES Pick vegetables you like to eat! Think about the Plants Production Use Disease Resistant varieties Choose Colorful Vegetables

PLANT FOR THE SEASON! WARM-SEASON VEGETABLES COOL-SEASON VEGETABLES

Asian Greens

Berries Strawberries Blueberries Cane Berries

Grapes European Hybrid Pruning Key To Production

Smaller Evergreen Fruit Trees Dwarf and Semi - kumquats – Pineapple and strawberry guava

Persimmon

Deciduous Seasonal Trees Apple Peach, Nectarine Pear Persimmon Pomegranate Plum, Pluot Look for “Low Chill” varieties, keep small, plant 3-4 to a hole…

You Don’t have room Try “Growing Up” ↑

“Growing Up ” Strawberries In A Bag Grapes On A Fence

Grapes up and over an arbor

Decorative and functional Supports

Rebar makes flexible and sculptural Supports

Grow salad or strawberries in an old French Riddling rack

Same idea done two different ways

Espalier Growing and pruning trees flat to a wall Use supports to start When pruning know how tree fruits

Edible outdoor room

Raised Beds Pro Easy to reach for young and old Best drainage Use on almost any site Con- Cost look for reclaimed materials Master Gardener Tip Drip on a timer

Use your imagination – Reclaimed Materials – Pipes – Conduit

Reclaimed Materials

More Reclaimed Materials

Strawberries as groundcover Great on slopes Think out side the garden

Take Vegetables and fruits out of the garden Table Top Topiary Bay Tiny Citrus – Kumquat – Calamondin Hedges Blueberries Edges Thyme Oregano Cilantro and Parsley

Small Herb Edges

HARVESTING & STORING Picking Vegetables Early morning = best flavor Keeping Vegetables Fresh Store at proper temperatures

Harvest Saving and Sharing Harvest = Celebration for hungry people. Share “Putting up” food Share Freeze Preserve Dry

The Ocean Begins at Your Front Door Protect your Watershed Conserve Water Nothing Down The Drain Fertilize Carefully= – When that plant is growing – Less is more – No overthrow – Read directions

Useful Websites & Information UC Vegetable Research & Information Center Gardening Information Pest Notes Weeds Mulch Online Order Catalog for UC Publications California Master Gardener Handbook Home Vegetable Gardening, Publication # Pests of the Garden & Small Farm, Publication # 3332 Local Hotline

Call or the UCCE MG of Riverside County HOTLINE Gardening Questions?