Orange County Family Farm http://ocfamilyfarm.com Helping Your Family Grow at Home Fri, 13 Aug 2010 21:18:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Mid August in the So Cal Garden http://ocfamilyfarm.com/planting-advice/mid-august-in-the-so-cal-garden http://ocfamilyfarm.com/planting-advice/mid-august-in-the-so-cal-garden#comments Fri, 13 Aug 2010 20:34:54 +0000 admin http://ocfamilyfarm.com/wordpress/?p=42 Many of us with vegetable gardens think of August as a “dead” month.   We pick our tomatoes, and water our plants, but it seems there isn’t much else we can do.  This is especially true when the heat drives us back inside mid-day.  However this is just as important a time to . . . → Read More: Mid August in the So Cal Garden]]>
Many of us with vegetable gardens think of August as a “dead” month.   We pick our tomatoes, and water our plants, but it seems there isn’t much else we can do.  This is especially true when the heat drives us back inside mid-day.  However this is just as important a time to be investing time in the garden as any other. A few suggestions and tips might be in order.  First the “musts”:

  1. Keep up the water. Your soil needs to be like a wrung out sponge.  Damp, but not soggy.  It should be like this several inches down.How you water matters: If your soil is predominantly clay (adobe!) it may take a long, low flow, slow watering to get it damp, deep down.  If you have sandy soil, that drains rather quickly, be sure to water frequently.  This could be every couple days when it’s “warm” to as often as daily or more often when it’s “hot”.  Container plants are especially vulnerable in the heat, so keep an eye on them.
  2. Harvest! Keep the fruits and veggies picked as they ripen.  This will encourage new fruit to form.  Avoid the dreaded 2 foot zucchini!
  3. Now’s a good time to send in a soil sample to have it tested. The benefits of a soil test far outweigh the minimal cost.  I use Timberleaf Soil Testing in Murrieta.
  4. Keep the weeds at bay. The best tool I’ve found for weeding a vegetable bed is a digging fork.  It will allow you get them out roots and all.

This is also a great time to start preparing your soil for fall planting.  Add compost and other amendments depending on your soil’s needs.  Greensand is a terrific way to increase a lot of the micronutrients in your garden.  You should be able to find it in the fertilizer area of your nursery.

]]> http://ocfamilyfarm.com/planting-advice/mid-august-in-the-so-cal-garden/feed 0