June Garden Calendar in San Diego

 

Marcela Camarena Lubian

The gardens are in bloom and the calendar is chocked full of fun and inspirational garden happenings this month.

June 2nd - The Best Sustainable Fruit Trees will be discussed from 5:30 - 7:30pm at this free class which will be held at the CA Center for Sustainable Energy.
June 4th - Succulent Reproduction is the focus of this class that teaches how to revive old plants and start new ones for $35.00 from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm.
June 4th - This free Gardening 101 class will cover seed starting, irrigation systems and water harvesting from 9:00 - 12:00 pm at the Solana Center.
June 4th & 5th - SD Cactus Society's Annual Show and Sale will be held at Balboa Park from 10:00 - 4:00 pm.
June 5th - Choosing the Best Irrigation System is covered at Liberty Farms from 11:00 am - 1:00 pm for $35.00 and covers what irrigation will best meet your needs.
June 7th - Learn How to Start & Manage Community Gardens with the Solana Center at this free class from 6:00 - 8:30 pm that is taught every Tuesday of the month.
June 7th & 14th - Aquaponics Workshop will be held over at the Ecolife Foundation for $30.00 which includes lunch.
June 11th - This free class covers Xeriscape: Low Water Use Plants at the Walter Andersen Nursery in San Diego at 9:00 am. On the same day Summer Vegetable Care and Planting will be covered at the Poway store from 9:30-10:30 am.
June 11th - The final, free Gardening 101 class will cover pest, weed management and cooking and sharing from 9:00 - 12:00 pm at the Solana Center.
June 12th - Beehive and Frame Assembly will be the focus of this 11:00 am class taught at Liberty Farms for a fee of $35.00.
June 12th - Free Winemaking Demonstration will be held at Curds & Wine from 1:00 - 3:00pm, RSVP online.
June 18th - SD Master Gardeners Summer Plant Sale will be held from 10:00 - 3:00pm at Balboa Park. Arrive early for the best selection!
June 25th - Planting for Challenging Areas will be covered in this free class at City Farmers Nursery from 1:30 - 3:30pm which includes hills, shade and areas with poor drainage.
June 26th - Poultry Care and Management is the topic of this 10:00 am class taught at Liberty Farms for $35.00 that covers selecting the best breed for you and how to care for your chickens.

Did I miss your event? Email me at info@seedsinthecity.com

What to do with all of your extra produce

My last post got me thinking, or just freaked me out. We are going to have allot of extra produce this summer and fall that might actually exceed what we and all of our loved ones can actually consume. As much as our chickens would hate to hear this we need to look into other alternatives so none of our organically grown food goes to waste.

Backyard Grower Program- This program at the City Heights Farmers Market allows those of us with small scale gardens to still participate in the local food community. You bring your produce each Saturday morning to their booth and either sell it yourself for a $5 fee or have them sell it for a small percentage.
Crop Swapper- Started by two brothers in San Diego, Crop Swapper allows you to swap your produce with others in the San Diego area. They meet once a week at Del Cerro Park, 6475 Del Cerro Blvd, San Diego, CA 92120, with more locations to come.
Veggie Trader- The craigslist of produce, this amazingly easy to use sight enables you to list seeds, seedlings and actual fruits and vegetables that you have in excess. You just post a listing detailing what you have available then you choose if you would like cash for your goods or if you want to swap for some produce or seedlings your in need of.

Companion Planting - Top 10

Summer Crop Top 10

This post has been a few days in the making. As I researched the best plants for pollinators in raised beds I started to generally look into companion planting. Well needless to say now I'm hooked. I did some more research and thought I would put it into an easy to understand format. Here is a list of the top 10 summer crops and their likes and dislikes. Let me know if you guys have witnessed any other good partners or life long enemies.

Carrot
Plant With: Chive (Improves Growth & Flavor), Sage (Improves, Repels Carrot Rust Fly) and Tomato
Just Not That Into: Dill

Corn
Plant With: Bean (attracts beneficials, controls Leaf Beetle & Leaf Hopper), Potato, Pumpkin (improves growth), Squash (attracts beneficials, controls Western Flower Thrips)
Just Not That Into: Tomato

Cucumber
Plant With: Catnip (repels Cucumber Beetle), Corn (protects from wilt), Dill (repels pests), Eggplant, Onion, Oregano (repels pests), Pole Bean (adds nutrients), Radish (repels Cucumber Beetle), Sunflower, Tomato
Just Not That Into: Basil, Potato, Rosemary, Sage

Eggplant
Plant With: Green Beans (repels Colorado Potato Beetle), Marigold (controls Nematodes)

New Zealand Spinach
Plant With: Bean, Onion and Strawberry
Just Not That Into: Potato

Peppers
Plant With: Carrot, Basil, Eggplant, Onion, Tomato
Just Not That Into: Fennel

Pole Bean
Plant With: Carrot, Cucumber, Eggplant, Oregano (improves growth & flavor), Radish, Strawberry
Just Not That Into: Basil, Beet, Fennel, Garlic, Onion, Radish, Sunflower

Potato
Plant With: Corn, Eggplant (trap), Marigold, Onion (repels Colorado Potato Beetle)
Just Not That Into: Cucumber, Pumpkin, Rasberry, Spinach, Squash, Sunflower, Tomato, Turnip

Squash
Plant With: Borage (improves growth & flavor, attracts bees, repels squash vine borer), Corn (protects from wilt), Marigold (repels beetles, nematodes), Oregano (repels pests)
Just Not That Into: Potato, Pumpkin (only if saving seeds)

Tomato
Plant With: Basil (protects tomato from insects & disease), Carrot, Cucumber, Garlic (repels Red Spider), Marigold (repels Tomato Hornworm, Thrips, Aphid), Onion, Pepper
Just Not That Into: Corn, Dill, Fennel, Pole Bean, Potato

Organic Produce Delivery

I don't know how I'm just learning about this, but everyone has really kept the request for post topics coming in and I can't tell you how much I'm learning.  Keep it up!


In San Diego we have different CSA programs (Community Supported Agriculture) wherein the consumer purchases shares of upcoming harvest from local organic farms. These farms know that the average person doesn't have time to drive out to them so they bring the fresh produce to you! Also if you're a business I know several local CSA's can take orders from all the employees and do bulk deliveries.


Be Wise Ranch- Escondido based organic farm that delivers weekly seasonal  produce boxes to pick up points around the county for it's CSA members. It's not only convenient but cost effective; a large share which provides a week supply of produce (10 tomatoes, 2 avocados, 5 oranges, 3 lemons, green beans, squash, beets and carrots) for a family of 3-4 is only $30.00 a week and a small share which provides produce for two adults and a child is $25.00 a week. Most of the member slots are full, but have no fear they open up membership again in June.


Garden of Eden Organics- Another Escondido organic farm, 7 pick-up locations, individual boxes that feed one are $108 a month, small family boxes that feed 2-3 are $139 a month and large family boxes that feed 4-5 are $164 a month. They also offer grass-finished beef, chicken and eggs.

Suzie's Organic Farm- They have several pick-up spots as well as being regulars at several farmer's markets around town. Each produce box contains 8-15 items for a mere $25.00. Their current list of produce looks delectable.

Rookie mistake

I have discovered, a little late, when purchasing blueberry plants you always need to buy at least two because even though they are self-pollinating apparently you will get better yields if the bush is planted with another variety. Pat Welsh recommends Rabbiteye and Southern Highbush varieties for the San Diego climate. I could only find the Southern Highbush, so I went with Jubilee and Sunshine Blue. Sunshine Blue is great for an urban yard because it's semi-dwarf and it only gets 3-4ft. The Jubilee variety is an evergreen, upright bush, that gets 4-5ft tall and will give you berries late summer through fall.

This is a great reminder to study and research what you are looking for before you go shopping for plants. You can't always expect a knowledgeable staff person to be on hand. Don't end up with an impulse buy plant, like the outfit from the mall you never wear, that just isn't right for you.