Zone 9 Garden

Time for Spring Prep

Dan — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:56:12 +0000

It is that time of year when planning for a spring garden. The weather is still a little bit cool for planting out side, but the earlier the planning starts the more successful the garden will be!

Some Things to consider when planning:

Types of crops
Crop requirements
Space
Soil Amendments

Types of Crops The list of crops that can be planted in spring in Zone 9 is vast! Most vegetable favorites go in the ground this time of year. From Tomatoes to Green Beans all the way to Radishes it is the perfect time to begin planting! Refer to our Spring Planting Guide for a good reference.

Crop Requirements

When planning your crops it is important to take their requirements into account. Putting crops like Legumes in close proximity to Tomatoes is never a good idea, the legumes produce a lot of nitrogen causing the tomatoes to grow vigorously with out producing. Take some time and study the crops requirements and plan accordingly.

Space

Now I the perfect time to add more space to a garden that you have been wanting to expand. By either digging, trenching, sheeting or any other method, start now.

Soil Amendments

Soil Amendments often take a few weeks to become their most effective. Adding them before the sowing of seeds or planting helps the soil stabilize before anything has to grow. Placing a THICK layer of compost over the soil now and working it in a week later is a great plan!

Now get out there and plan your garden!

Warm Winter Affects Zone 9 Gardens

Dan — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:42:42 +0000

Many gardeners in Zone 9 wait for winter to grow some cool weather vegetables. This winter, many gardeners planted their cool weather crops anticipating a cool down that has yet to arrive! Crops such as lettuce, spinach and many other leafy greens quickly bolted to seed and ruined the crops! The upside to this warm winter is that many of the crops that would have died of by now are still thriving! Tomatoes and beans are loving this weather! Check out our Zone 9 Gardening Forum and tell us all about your winter crops!

Fresh Peas – A Winter Staple

Dan — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 21:58:10 +0000

In Zone 9 the winter is here, and with that comes a few winter crops. Peas are one of the most popular, and also one of the easiest to grow. There are many types of peas, but this guide will concentrate on shelling peas!

Soil

Peas are part of the legume family, and as such they produce their own nitrogen (well, bacteria does it for them, but you get the point). The soil they are planted in should not be overly rich in nitrogen, but well balanced.

Make sure that peas are not grown in the same area other legumes were in the last few months, rotate those crops.

Seed

Pea seeds should be sown directly into the soil. They are a cool weather vegetable, so they should be sown in the fall, or early winter. Place the seeds about ¼” deep and keep the soil moist. They should germinate in a week or two.

Streaking

Peas are climbing vines and need to have something to climb. A 4-5’ tall piece of bamboo works great for this. After the seed has germinated drive one end of the bamboo into the soil directly behind the pea plant. As it grows train it to grow up the steak!

Fertilizer

Peas will not need much fertilizer if the soil is of good quality. A high quality compost mix works well for peas.

Harvest

Peas are ready to harvested when the pods are think and plump and the peas inside the pod can be easily distinguished when touched. Once the peas are ready to be harvested, grab the pod and pinch just above it. That will release the pod from the plant!

NOW ENJOY SOME PEAS!

Pepper Corking – What is it?

Dan — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 17:17:01 +0000

This time of year in Zone 9 peppers are one of the most popular and most prolific crops. Many growers run into what is known as Pepper Corking and incorrectly think there are problems and often give up on the pepper plant.

Corked Jalapeno

What is Pepper Corking?

Corking is a scaring that appears on the surface skin of a pepper, commonly on Jalapenos. This scaring is caused by the pepper growing faster than the skin can keep up. The skin rips and the heals leaving a small scar.

The scars make the pepper look less appetizing, but for many pepper aficionados, corking is a sign of a great tasting mature pepper. In many South American countries and even in Mexico Corked peppers fetch a high price at market, while they are often not sold at market here in the US due to consumer obsession with appearance.

The only down side, some don’t even find this a downside, is that the rind of the pepper can be a bit tougher!

No related posts.

How to Grow Broccoli in the Fall

Dan — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 14:16:38 +0000

Broccoli is a winter crop favorite, but it can also be grown early on in the fall with great success. At first Broccoli can be a slow grower, which makes it a perfect candidate for starting indoors in mid-summer.

Sowing Broccoli Seeds

August is the perfect time to sow Broccoli seeds indoors. Broccoli seeds are tiny and can be sown in just about any sterile soil. They require consistent moisture and temperature. The seeds will germinate in 5-10 days.

Transplanting Broccoli

Once the high heats of the summer pass Broccoli can be transplanted outside. Broccoli is a heavy feeder and because of this they require a rich, well-drained soil. A natural local soil that has been amended with heavy compost and manure works very well.

The plants will appreciate a bit of shade during the hottest part of the day, so select a location that will allow the plant to get some relief from the heat.

Broccoli Care

Once transplanted allow the plant a week to establish itself. Once established Broccoli will grow faster and more vigorously if provided a well balanced fertilizer. A weekly spray of kelp meal (or similar fertilizer) will encourage healthier plants and a better harvest.

Harvesting Broccoli

Broccoli will develop a single large head in the center of the plant. The buds that make up the head will begin to swell, this is the first sign that the flowers are going to open. This head should be harvested once the first hint of blossoming shows up.

The main head is not the only harvest a Broccoli plant offers. Side shoots will begin to develop once the main head is harvested. This side shoots will continue to develop late into the winter.

Tips

Mulch around the plant to maintain a consistent moisture level.
Continue to harvest side shoots until they are too small to justify the effort.
Once all broccoli has been harvested, a shredded plant adds many nutrients to a compost pile

Fall Garden – Time to Start Planning

Dan — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 15:08:59 +0000

Its July 4th, a time for Americans to celebrate their independence and a time for those in Zone 9 to start planning for their fall garden. While it may seem a bit early to be thinking about fall since summer just started, many fall crops should be started in early to mid august.

Crops to Sow in August

Beans
Broccoli
Celery
Collards
Green Onions
Summer Squash
Winter Squash
Water Mellon

Considerations

Heat

Some parts of Zone 9 have VERY hot summers. And sowing seeds outside during the heat may lead to a low germination rate. Many of the crops that are sown in August in zone 9 can be started inside with great success.

Moisture

Many of the august sown crops require moisture constancy. The heat of a Zone 9 summer can dry out soil quickly and lead to a low germination rate. For those plants that are going to be sown out doors it is important to keep the soil moisture constant.

So select the crops that you want to grow in the fall, find the best place to grow them and start to sow the seeds, indoors or out!

$0.20 Wal-Mart Seeds

Dan — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 19:38:09 +0000

This is post number 7 in a blog series called $0.20Wal-Mart Seeds

The second round of Jalapenos are starting to be produced by the plants that were planted from the twenty cent seeds bought from Wal-Mart.

These plants are producing as much, if not more than any other jalapeno plant that I am growing!

Congo Peppers – What are They?

Dan — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 00:18:26 +0000

One of the most popular hot peppers to grow in the Zone 9 Garden is the Habanero and for years it stood alone as the hottest peppers in the world. While is has long since lost its standing as the hottest, it is still one of the most popular. The Congo Pepper is a verity of the Habanero Pepper that is a little bit larger and a little bit hotter.

The Congo Pepper comes from Trinidad and is often referred to as the Congo Trinidad Pepper. It is from the species Chinense (a group of mild all the way to super hot peppers) and can grow to larger than 2 inches across.

Visually the Congo Pepper is quite different from the Habanero. The Congo is quite a bit larger and is ribbed far more. The colors can range from green (not ripe) to red all the way to a chocolate brown.

The plant looks just like any other pepper plant, but can be quite a bit larger than some. It is a slow grower to start out, but makes up for it by growing quite a large number of peppers in the summer!

How to make Cayenne Powder

Dan — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 19:39:10 +0000

Cayenne Peppers are one of the most prolific peppers in the Zone 9 Garden. They grow fast, grow large and produce many peppers. 2 favorite uses from Cayenne Peppers are Crushed Red Pepper and Cayenne Powder. This is how to make the powder.

Dry the Cayenne Peppers

Before the Cayenne Peppers can be powdered they need to be dried. The easiest way to do this is to use a food dehydrator per the instructions of the machine. If a dehydrator is not available the peppers can be hung and dried over a period of about 2-3 months.

Cut the Cayenne Peppers

Cut the dried peppers into small pieces. At this point decide if the seeds are going to be used for a hotter powder or remove them for a milder powder.

Grind the Cayenne Peppers

Using a coffee grinder put the peppers in the grinder and grind them until they are a fine powder. This will often take many passes through the grinder. Place the powder in a spice jar!

Notes:

Be careful when working with the peppers. They are hot and can easily burn the eyes and inside of the nose.
If removing seeds they can be saved and used for crushed red pepper.

Make Hot Peppers Hotter

How to Grow Okra

Dan — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 17:57:10 +0000

Okra is a southern staple and is popular in many recipes as well as eaten strait. Okra is also one of the few vegetables that will grow well in the heat of a Zone 9 Garden Summer.

Okra from Seed

Okra is an easy vegetable to grow from seed. The seeds should be sown a few weeks before the last frost date and can continue to be sown all the way to the end of spring. The seeds will germinate in 5-7 days.

Transplanting Okra

Okra seedling should be transplanted out doors after the first few true leaves are form. Okra likes a rich well-drained soil. The plants do get fairly large and should be spaced about 2-3 feet apart. Although Okra is very heat and drought tolerant they should be well watered after transplanting until the plants are well established.

Okra care

Once established okra is a very low maintenance plant. They require only about 2 inches of water a week but can tolerate less. Mulch high in organics like compost can provided almost all the nutrients Okra needs to thrive. A well-balanced fertilizer added during flowering and fruit setting will help yield.

Okra Setting Fruit

Okra is part of the hibiscus family so the flowers are often large and quite attractive. They are self pollinating and quite prolific. The okra will grow rather fast and will be ready to harvest a few days after the flower falls off.

Notes

Harvest okra before it gets more than ½’ thick to keep it from getting stringy and tough
Harvest often to increase yield