We put the 'Community' in Community Gardens
Fresno Peppers from the Fall Garden
Yes, it is the time for Harvest Moons, Fall Planting, and time for the Fall Camarillo Community Garden’s Meeting.
Come out this Thursday evening, September 20th and join us at 7:00 p.m. in Room 3 of the Community Center.
Here’s a beautiful heirloom tomato we’re showing off- it’s a Black Krim – oh so dense and delicious!
The Ventura County Star ran a great article on the garden and our search for new garden locations. They even created a video, shown below:
Read the full article here: “Second Site Sought for Community Garden”
The Antonio Garden should see fewer rodents problems in future due to natural predation.
There are bobcats living in the barranca just past the condos. First, we had one, then it took a mate, and now there are 2 half-grown bob kittens roaming the hills.
When the first one showed up, we had coyotes, rabbits and squirrels, but not a single house cat on the hill. The adult bobcats have tangled with the coyotes who leave the area alone now. Caring for the kittens has reduced the adults’ range this last year, and the impact on the local rodents has been dramatic.
The bobcats has reduced the quail population considerably, but now we have gone from being over run with rabbits and squirrels to being almost rodent free. A biologist recently said the way you judged bobcat presence was the lack of jack rabbits
An adult bobcat ranges a mile or more in any direction, but the kittens only venture less than a mile. After eliminating everything except the gophers, I expect the kittens to be showing up at the garden along with their parents to help out with the squirrel and rabbit problems
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Another natural predator that should be familiar to you in the garden is the falcon.
We are lucky to have a pair successfully nesting in the area. After creating a more meadow-like yard, open to the sky, the falcons have spent a lot of time working my garden and orchard areas.
Together with the red-tail and red-shouldered hawks and resident owls on patrol, our rodent problems are greaetly reduced.
Now, if they would just work on the gophers…
The weather we have had the last two winters has been quite puzzling. We had La Ninas predicted but got El Nino rains. And 92 degrees days followed by 45 degree days. East Winds (or Santanas) followed by monsoons.
What we are seeing in our gardens is cool weather crops bolting from the heat, and warm season veggies being challenged by the cold weather. Here are a couple of ideas for you to consider.
Here is the quandary – most veggies need full sun, some veggies need shade. How do we get both? And how do we maximize our limited gardening space?
How about a grow-your-own shade system.
Shade Structure View From Above
I wish I could give credit for this idea, but forget where it came from. Shade structures from light wood frames and chicken wire or light mesh makes a sturdy support for climbing or sprawling plants. The supporting frame can be any convenient size, and can be readjusted to change the shadow cast.
The frames double the amount of growing space with a shade providing plant, given full access to the sun, and cool weather veggies in their own micro-climate.
Sprawling plants, such as cucumbers or peas provide shade and developing fruit benefit from being kept off the cold, damp ground.
Shade Structure Side View
Other early developing plants that needs support are determinate tomatoes. Try growing these on mesh and the fruit will hang out the bottom, waiting for you.
‘Determinant’ means the plant’s genetics have determined the number of tomatoes they will grow, and they grow them all at once.
These fruit heavily, suddenly, and tend to be early season varieties – which means they are in and out before summer really hits.
New Zealand Spinach is another possibility. This plant is not a true spinach, grows rapidly, easily, and adapts well to our weather.
Ours was started from 1 packet of seeds in 1952. This plant has proved to be both drought and heat tolerant (although not at the same time).
New Zealand Spinach
This under-appreciated green is very high in nutrients, often 50% more than ‘real’ spinach. It gives a slightly spicy taste to recipes calling for spinach. The leaf is thicker than spinach and slightly fuzzy, giving it more texture than true spinach.
Another nice thing about this plant is that is doesn’t care if it is hot or cold – or both.
It grows quickly enough that you can adjust the light that passes through simply cutting it back harder or not. If let go, it forms a dense mat that covers the ground, preventing weeds. Any excess, with all the water and nitrogen it contains, does wonders for your compost pile.
Understory veggies that would benefit from the shade and cooler micro-climate include shorter lettuces (such as the ‘cut-n-come-again’, mache mixes, or other baby lettuces) in front, with taller varieties such as Romaine, chard, or taller cabbage family plants (broccoli, cauliflower, etc.) placed to the rear.
The stair-step arrangement allows air and predators access to your plants, keeping them dry and free from bugs and diseases. Or at least, that’s the theory 
Our experience with aphids hiding in curled leaves shows the value of keeping areas open - watch that drama unfold.
The outlook is bright for predatory insects. The long wet winter has given us an abundant crop of predatory insect. An army of lady bug larvae was emerging in this morning’s warmth – and heading off to feed…
Remember when ordering seeds this year Renee’s Coupon Code that brings Camarillo Community Garden 25% of each purchase is FR442A – as we mentioned in this post on our new partner.
Saving Seeds
Now that we have been harvesting our crops, a number of people have asked about seed saving. Today I got a a copy of a new publication on seed saving. Although it is designed for teachers with school gardens, there is a bounty of really useful information included for everyone.
I have loaded the book onto our site, and you can read it by clicking this link: A Handful of Seeds – SEED STUDY AND SEED SAVING FOR EDUCATORS, by Tina Poles, Occidental Arts and Ecology Center. If you would like to save a copy to your computer, right-click the link and select ‘save as…’ from the pop-up menu.
As I said, this is meant for use in schools, but you will find everything from basic botany, parts of flowers named and explained, what (and why) are there fruits, essays on our major food crops and our food pioneers.
Biodynamic gardening, and its close relative, permaculture, are two very popular styles of gardening. Biodynamics and permaculture topics have been popular for many years, but much of the information is based on folk-lore, superstition, and untested ideals. Biodynamic farming is similar to organic production, and like an organic garden, no synthetic pesticides or fertilizers are used.
A biodynamic farm is viewed as its own ecosystem and most often includes a diverse mix of crops and livestock, which are considered complimentary. Biodynamic farmers use “unique preparations” and compost. Planting, cultural operations and harvesting are guided by celestial events.
With a mix of organic principles and cosmic spirituality, practitioners believe their compost emanates “energetic life forces to vitalize vegetables, plants, flowers, lawns, gardens, farms and our earth.”
While much of mainstream agriculture is unconvinced about the value of biodynamic tenents, UCCE farm advisor Glenn McGourty sees their value.
Many of the precepts do seem to be viable, and recently, many are being tested in a scientific manner by University agricultural researchers. This article in the San Francisco Examiner suggests that the ‘mainstreaming’ of biodynamics is close at hand. There are currently 75 California wine producers either certified biodynamic or in transition and the number is growing by 15%t each year.
Others, as suggested in this Agricultural And Natural Resources News blog post, think the system is a ‘hoax’, and are “shocked and outraged” that UC Cooperative Extension is co-sponsoring a “Shortcourse in Biodynamic Winegrowing.”
Napa County farm advisor Glenn McGourty says such farming systems “are well documented to improve soil quality, grow productive crops, reduce the need for petrochemical inputs, recycle farm byproducts in a safe and effective way, and provide a gentler footprint on nature compared to some practices used by conventional growers.”
“There are lessons for all of agriculture in some of the basic agronomy that biodynamic farmers practice,” McGourty continues.
I am in contact with several of the farm advisers noted in the stories and hope to be able to present you with detailed research on this subject – so stay tuned!
Update!
Here is a link to an article titled, “The Science Behind Biodynamics” by Lynn Carpenter-Boggs, Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources, Washington State University.
Biodynamics (BD) is experiencing an upsurge in interest, along with related organic and sustainable farming practices. However, BD has some unique aspects that are poorly understood and steeped in myth. Biodynamics may not be the cure-all that some practitioners claim it to be, but the BD system clearly holds potential to improve agricultural and horticultural production and to teach us about beneficial microorganisms and biochemistry.
What is Biodynamics, and What is it Used For?
Biodynamics is an esoteric approach to agriculture created by Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner. Steiner was also the father of the philosophy “anthroposophy,” anthroposophic art, anthroposophic medicine, Waldorf schools, Camphill communities, Eurythmy dance, and several other movements in science and culture. In 1924 a group of farmers concerned with declining soil and food quality approached Steiner for a solution. Steiner, neither a farmer nor a scientist, drew on traditional European farming mythology and new impulses from anthroposophy to build BD. Biodynamics was envisioned to not only produce ample food and fiber, but also to heal and nourish the people who depend on these products by healing the soil, plants, animals, and earth.
You can continue reading here…
Biodynamics (BD) is experiencing an upsurge in interest, along with related organic and sustainable farming practices. However, BD has some unique aspects that are poorly understood and steeped in myth. Biodynamics may not be the cure-all that some practitioners claim it to be, but the BD system clearly holds potential to improve agricultural and horticultural production and to teach us about beneficial microorganisms and biochemistry.
Biodynamics is an esoteric approach to agriculture created by Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner. Steiner was also the father of the philosophy “anthroposophy,” anthroposophic art, anthroposophic medicine, Waldorf schools, Camphill communities, Eurythmy dance, and several other movements in science and culture. In 1924 a group of farmers concerned with declining soil and food quality approached Steiner for a solution. Steiner, neither a farmer nor a scientist, drew on traditional European farming mythology and new impulses from anthroposophy to build BD. Biodynamics was envisioned to not only produce ample food and fiber, but also to heal and nourish the people who depend on these products by healing the soil, plants, animals, and earth.
Planting a fall garden
Last month, we talked about getting out the cool season seeds and starting a fall or winter garden. The weather, again, was weird and temperatures in the high 90s don’t suggest cool season crops. A couple of us standing around in the garden with temperature in the high-90s and we were discussing putting in more tomatoes…
But lets assume it does cool off. If that happens we should be looking at planting veggies from this list:
Asparagus: If you have the patience, asparagus is a great investment. It takes a couple of years before you can bring in a big harvest, but once producing the plants will provide shoots for years. Look for asparagus ‘crowns’ the size of your hand – the bigger the better. Plant the crowns in a trench filled with compost, aged manures and soil. Fill the trench in each year with fresh manures. The crowns will grow when you allow the spear to develop into foliage. Taking too many too early will deprive the roots of the nutrients they need to develop.
Follow this link to read more about how to grow asparagus.
This is a good time to get in your root crops like beets, kohlrabi, chard (chard is related to beets), and turnips. Beets grow all year long, are slower to develop in cold weather, but are sure to please.
You can start putting in the cabbage family plants. These include cabbages, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts.
Other cool weather veggies appropriate for planting now include carrots, endive, garlic, leeks, lettuces/mache, onions, peas, potatoes, radishes, rhubarb, and spinach.
Here are some on-line resources to help you along the way:
Seed Suppliers:
Informational Sources:
Camarillo Community Garden members, staff and parent from La Mariposa School led a huge work party / educational event Saturday July 31st. The school provided materials and eager students to build a dozen new 8′ x 4′ x 1′ raised garden beds, while we provided guidance to build the beds. A special thanks to Karl for his never-ending enthusiasm and sense of civic duty.
The kids at the school turned out in force. Some of them worked all day and out-lasted their dads. It was a great experience for them to do so much of the work, from digging up sprinkler heads and filling the holes back in, to building the boxes and filling them.
Check out the video of the day’s doings…
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Here's a beautiful heirloom tomato we're showing off- it's a Black Krim - oh so dense and delicious! It's late summer and the vegetables are coming … [Read More...]
The Ventura County Star ran a great article on the garden and our search for new garden locations. They even created a video, shown below: Read … [Read More...]
The Antonio Garden should see fewer rodents problems in future due to natural predation. There are bobcats living in the barranca just past the … [Read More...]