Growing the Best Fruits and Veggies in California. Low Tox

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In this updated 2nd edition of California Fruit & Vegetable Gardening, the critical elements of climate, soil, sun, and water are addressed to ensure your success, no matter which part of The Golden State you call home.

California’s diverse and unique growing conditions offer special challenges to food gardeners. Whether you garden in the southern, central, or northern part of the state, you’ll find the answers you’re looking for. From soil preparation and starting seeds to safely managing California’s most troublesome vegetable garden pests, author Claire Splan guides you to your most productive garden ever.

Inside, you’ll find detailed profiles of over 60 edible plants that thrive in California’s distinctive growing conditions, including favorites like avocados, tomatoes, passion fruits, eggplants, beets and pomegranates. In addition to vegetables and fruits, also featured are popular herbs. Helpful charts and planting graphs keep you on track, while the garden maintenance tips found throughout ensure a lush, productive, and high-yielding garden.

Whether you grow in containers, raised beds, an extensive kitchen garden, a community garden, or a backyard veggie patch, California Fruit & Vegetable Gardening serves as an invaluable resource to West Coast gardeners, regardless of whether you’re a first-time grower or an experienced Master Gardener.

California Fruit & Vegetable Gardening is part of the regional Fruit & Vegetable Gardening series from Cool Springs Press. Other books in the series include Texas Fruit & Vegetable Gardening, Mid-Atlantic Fruit & Vegetable Gardening, Carolinas Fruit & Vegetable Gardening, and many others.

From the Publisher

Starting at the Beginning with Seeds

Given the choice between buying seedlings in six-packs or 4-inch pots or starting the plants myself from seed, I’ll almost always choose the latter. There are a lot of advantages to growing from seed, but the most obvious one is cost. Seeds are by far the most inexpensive way to grow. In addition, with seeds you’ll have a much wider range of plant varieties from which to choose, including interesting heirloom varieties that you will never find in the stores. And I’ve often found that plants I’ve grown from seed in my garden become better established than transplanted seedlings from the nursery.

But the truth is I just love planting seeds and watching them grow. It is fascinating to watch the seedlings emerge, then unfold their true leaves and reach for the light. Many people seem to think that growing plants from seed is complicated, but for most vegetables and herbs, it is really quite simple. It’s just a matter of creating the right environment for the seedlings to start their lives.

Creating the Perfect Soil

Perhaps you live in an area with dark, nutrient-rich loam. When you squeeze a handful of soil, it forms a clod that then crumbles in your hand. When you breathe it in, it doesn’t smell like salt or chemicals; it smells fresh, moist, and alive. Lucky you! From a gardener’s perspective, sitting on good soil is like sitting on a pile of gold. Odds are, however, that your soil is less than perfect. You may have sandy soil that has the benefit of good drainage but is deficient in nutrients. Or you may have clay soil that turns to hard rock in the summer and waterlogged muck in the rainy season. Maybe your soil is highly acidic or highly alkaline. Whatever your soil conditions, there are simple ways to improve them. It may take some time and diligence to work your way toward having that lovely loam in which most fruits and vegetables thrive, but it can be done.

PESTS & DISEASES

This is the part of the book that’s similar to those long lists of potential side effects that you get with prescription medicines. The unfortunate truth is that the same wonderful climate that we Californians enjoy that makes growing food so easy also makes a welcome environment for many pests and diseases.

Many of them are more of a nuisance than a serious threat, but there are a few bugs and diseases that can be extremely damaging and difficult to eradicate or even control, particularly if you’re trying to avoid toxic chemicals. In most cases, however, there are simple steps that will keep your plants’ defenses up and their enemies at bay.

FRUITS, HERBS, NUTS & VEGETABLES

When choosing which edibles to grow in your garden, consider more than just what you like to eat. There are the practical issues of space, sun exposure, hardiness zone, and timing.

But there are other questions to ask yourself. What commercially grown fruits and vegetables are high on the contaminated foods list, carrying significant amounts of pesticides and herbicides? What fruits or vegetables have had food safety issues, such as E. coli or salmonella contamination? What fruits or vegetables would cost more to buy in the store than to grow at home? What fruits or vegetables have greater varieties available to home growers? What retains more nutrition or simply tastes a whole lot better when grown in your own garden? (The answer to that last question: Almost everything!)

Here are the rules:

Start with a few favorites.See what flourishes in your garden.Try something new.Enjoy your bounty!

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Cool Springs Press (April 20, 2021)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0760370400
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0760370407
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.8 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.05 x 0.8 x 10 inches