Home Vegetable Gardening PRESENTED BY: CAROLYN KINNON, MIRACOSTA - - PDF document

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Home Vegetable Gardening

PRESENTED BY: CAROLYN KINNON, MIRACOSTA COLLEGE HORTICULTURE PROGRAM Chapter 13 – CALIFORNIA MASTER GARDENER HANDBOOK

2 nd Edition, 2015.

VEGETABLES

Botanically speaking, vegetables are edible plant parts, like leaves, stems and roots, that are not fruits. Fruits are those edible plant parts that contain seeds, or are immature fruits that have not yet developed seeds. For example tomatoes and squash are fruits, and sweet corn is immature fruit. However, for the purpose of this class, we’ll use the term “vegetables” to refer to all types of edibles produced in home gardens, with the exception of herbs.

Vegetables can be classified in many ways, but the two most useful classifications to gardeners are:

• 1. Growth Habit
• a. Annuals – produce only once per

season and must be replanted.

• b. Perennials – produce crops for multiple

years before replanting is necessary.

2. Temperature Requirements (for best production quality)

a. Cool Season – best grown when avg. temps are 55-750 F b. Warm Season – best grown when avg. temps are 65-950 F

VEGETABLE CLASSIFICATION

Most vegetables are considered to be annual crops, but some perennial crops are: artichoke, asparagus, rhubarb, and many herbs.

https://www.mastergardenersd.org/vegetable-planting-guide/ Photos copied from:

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More to Know Cool Season and Warm Season Vegetables

COOL SEASON

• Food value is higher per/lb. and per/sq. ft.
• Edible parts are the vegetative parts – roots,

stems, leaves, and immature flowers rather than the fruits.

• Subject to “bolting” if temps are too warm
• “Greens” generally have shallower root

systems

• Show more dramatic response to N & P

fertilization WARM SEASON

• Food value is lower per/lb. or per/sq. ft.
• Fruit of the plant is eaten, rather than leaves

and roots.

• Require long warm (hot) days and warm soil to

mature

• Intolerant of prolonged freezing temps.

Vegetable Culture

https://www.mastergardenersd.org/growing-guides/

• Keep in mind the need for weeding, irrigating, trellising,

pest control, fertilizing, and harvesting.

• Activities should be done “as needed” rather than on a set

schedule or automated system.

• Time required will vary throughout the growing season,

and will be determined by:

• Plant maturity, weed seed “bank”, weather affects on soil

moisture and pest populations, soil fertility, types of vegetables planted, etc.

• “Scout” your garden several times a week for soil

moisture, weeds, insect pests, and disease symptoms.

• What you see should dictate your cultural activities.
• ie: Irrigating should be done based soil moisture, which will vary

with weather conditions and soil type, humidity, stage of growth.

The size of your garden should be determined by the amount of time you can devote to cultural activities.

Plan your garden before you begin.

• Planning is the key to any successful garden.
• Time and space are best used if you set out to produce large amounts of

vegetables from a limited space.

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Choose garden location by keeping these factors in mind

• Soil
• Should be “friable” = crumbles easily = ideal condition to work
• Can be amended to achieve
• Depth of 6-inches for shallow rooted crops to at least 2-feet for deeper root systems
• Increase depth with raised bed, if needed
• Level Ground
• Is easier to prepare, plant and irrigate
• If ground slopes – plant rows across the slope, not up and down to avoid soil runoff during irrigation
• Water Supply
• Should be near enough to easily reach the garden with a hose/provide pressure to drip systems
• Avoid areas where established trees and shrubs will compete for available soil water
• Adequate Light
• Vegetables need at least 8 hours of sunlight each day
• Avoid planting in shady areas
• Avoid planting too near to walls or fences that reflect heat/higher light intensity
• Timing
• Refers to the maximum use of the available growing season
• CA allows for 3-4 growing seasons in the same space, in close rotation as determined by “days to

maturity” for the various crops

• Spring (cool season), Summer (warm season), and Fall (cool season again)
• Trellising & Staking
• Consider growing twining/vining crops vertically (ie: squash, cucumber)
• Use your imagination for trellising, as long as the structure will support the weight of plants and fruits
• Ties should be material that will not cut stems/vines, and leave loose enough to provide for stem expansion.
• Raised Beds
• Optimize use of poor soils by adding organic amendments; increase drainage with increased soil

depth

• Avoid use of pressure-treated lumber (unless it’s “non-arsenical”)

Use Garden Space Efficiently

Spacing is extremely important for proper development of vegetable plants and their products.

• Improved varieties
• require less space than standard varieties and may provide higher yields (ie: bush beans, some varieties of melons,

squash, and tomatoes).

• Succession Planting
• sowing seed at 1 to 2 week intervals for a continuous supply of vegetables.
• Companion Planting
• growing two crops in the same place at the same time with one maturing and being harvested long before the other

(ie: radishes are harvested before carrots).

• Intercropping
• plant early-maturing crops between rows of late-maturing crops.
• Distance between rows depends on the size of the plants when fully grown.
• plant to allow for crop maturity, but close enough to inhibit weed growth between plants and reduce soil moisture

evaporation with leaf cover.

• many vegetables can be spaced after direct seeding, by broadcasting the seed and thinning after germination (ie:

lettuce, beets).

Use Garden Space Efficiently – Spacing Plants

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How Much and What Varieties to Plant

• Plant enough of each vegetable crop to meet your needs.
• Consider fresh, stored, and preserved food supplies.
• Table 13.2 provides estimated amounts of a crop to plant for a family of four
• When choosing varieties consider the following factors:
• Disease Resistance
• Maturity Date (for timing and crop rotation)
• Compactness of Plant (space considerations)
• If uncertain about varieties to plant, choose a variety designated “AAS” (All America Selections);

consult printed and online seed catalogs, and your local UCCE and the UC California Garden Web

• Avoid purchasing unlabeled or generic seed or transplants
• Characteristics can vary widely among varieties of the same crop (ie: F1 hybrids where cross-pollination

is not controlled)

Varieties - Open Pollinated (OP) vs. Hybrid (F1)

Hybrids are cross pollinated in nature, or on purpose for specific traits = cultivar or variety. The OP advantage: When seed is saved from an open pollinated plant and sewn the following year, the characteristics of the plant and its fruit will remain the same, or “come true,” unlike with an F1 hybrid. But there is a catch [to OP]. If a bee were to transfer pollen from another variety of your plant to your desired variety, the two varieties may “cross pollinate,” causing the next generation to have a different color, shape, or flavor from the current one. Commercial seed producers and home seed savers carefully isolate OP varieties to prevent unwanted cross-pollination.

“Seed buying 201: Seed Questions Answered” - https://ucanr.edu/sites/ucmg2014conference/files/200054.pdf http://marinmg.ucanr.edu/files/187913.pdf

Parts of a Flower

(Pistil, Stamen and Ovule for Pollination, Fertilization and Seed Development)

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What Varieties to Plant – OP and F1 Hybrid

• Neither OP or F1 varieties are wholly superior or inferior to the other.
• Choose OP varieties to be sure of the resulting plant and vegetable produced
• Heirloom varieties are OP varieties that have been documented to have been in cultivation for at

least 50 years

• Climatic conditions in your growing area, if different than that of the original heirloom variety,

may impact the resulting crop (ie: reduction in flavor).

• Heirloom varieties often lack resistance to common diseases affecting a particular crop, while

hybrids of the same crop often have some degree of resistance.

• Resistance is the result of selected cross-pollination for that specific trait, or occurs accidentally as a

result of the cross-pollination.

• Refer to “A Guide for Vegetable and Herb Cultivation in California” in this chapter for additional

information on selecting varieties and specific crop variety recommendations.

“Seed buying 201: Seed Questions Answered” - https://ucanr.edu/sites/ucmg2014conference/files/200054.pdf

Prepare a Garden Plan on Paper

• Make a sketch of the garden dimensions.
• Make a list of the vegetables you want to grow.
• Arrange the crops in the garden according to the:
• Amounts you wish to grow
• Dates to be planted
• A plan will also:
• Aid in buying supplies
• Serve as a guide for planting and seasonal crop rotations

 Plan for perennial crops to be located to one side of the garden so as not to disturb them during planting of future annual crops.  Plant tall crops on the north side of the garden to avoid shading low-growing crops.

Figure 13.1 - Sample Garden plan with planting dates and bed widths

Have a Few Good Quality Tools On-hand

• Spade or spading fork
• for turning the soil, amending soil, and breaking large

clumps of soil

• Rake
• to smooth soil after spading and seedbed preparation; for

clearing rubbish and removing small weeds

• Hoe or Hula Hoe
• to remove tough weeds and cover seeds after planting, or

to create a V-shaped row for planting.

• Twine and Stakes
• to space rows evenly and lay out rows in straight lines
• Putty knife or Spatula
• for blocking-out seedlings when transplanting, for cleaning

tools

• Trowel

Hori-Hori Knife

• for transplanting and for loosening soil around plants
• Rubber/plastic handles (vs. wood – swell & splinter)
• With “depth markers” is helpful
• Hori-Hori has one serrated edge – division, harvesting
• Dibble (short, round, pointed stick)
• to make holes for transplanting seedlings, to firm soil

around the plant roots.

• Harvesting knife (knives)
• Garden Snips/Pruners
• Yardstick or Tape Measure

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Guidelines for Tool Care

• Keep Tools in Good Condition / Avoid Spread of Disease
• Clean after each use
• Scrape off soil
• Spray with a 10% bleach solution and wipe with a clean cloth
• Keep in a dry place to prevent rust
• If rust occurs:
• soak tools in oil for a few hours, then wire brush or use fine sandpaper to scrub off
• Keep cutting tools sharp
• Store tools by hanging, to prevent damage and injury to yourself and others

Preparing for Planting

Starting From Seeds

• If you start your vegetable plants from seed:
• Buy fresh seeds
• Pay attention to the “packaged for” date
• Some seeds lose viability (ability to germinate) after about 1 year, some are good for 3+ years
• Buy larger amounts if seed is known to keep for several seasons
• Store leftover seed in a cool, dry place
• Write the date of purchase on the seed packets
• Seed older than 3 years will typically have much lower germination rate
• Planting may be waste of time and garden space
• Plant during recommended time period on seed packet or other reliable source
• Warm season crops require warm soil temps for high rate of germination

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Starting From Transplants

Transplants are usually ready to harvest earlier than plants grown from direct-seeding.

• Growing your own Transplants
• Allow 6 to 8 weeks to produce plants large enough for transplanting.
• Don’t start seed to early
• Seedlings can become root bound in small containers (ie: cell packs)
• Seedlings may become nutrient deficient
• Stressed seedlings are less successful after setting out in garden
• Avoid these issues by starting transplants (from seed) in a hotbed or cold frame
• Transplants must be hardened-off before setting out
• Purchasing young plants from a nursery
• Avoid stressed plants (very wet, very dry, nutrient deficient, leggy/stretched stems) and those with signs of

pest damage; check containers for slugs/snails

• May also require hardening off – pay attention to retail growing environment
• Avoid purchasing unlabeled plants

Soil - Texture

• Soil provides plants with Air, Water, and Nutrients.
• The ability of a soil to provide all three is dependent on it’s texture.
• Soil Texture describes the make-up of particle sizes and pore spaces (space between the

particles) and determines drainage and contributes to tilth.

• Texture is difficult to change.

Soil Tilth Improvement and Soil Preparation

• Soil tilth is the condition of the soil as it relates to plant growth. *Remember “friable” is desired!
• Good tilth describes a soil that can hold and provide (act as a reservoir for) adequate quantities of air, water, and

nutrients for up-take by plant roots.

• Soil with good tilth drains well and is easy to work without becoming sticky when wet and crusted when dry.
• Improving Soil Tilth
• Texture is difficult to change, but tilth can be changed and improved with additions of organic matter (ie: compost,

manure, sawdust, leaves, lawn clippings, and peat moss).

• Avoid excessive amounts of organic matter that may contain excessive salts (manure) or materials that may contain

pesticides (lawn clippings).

• Additional N may be needed when organic matter is used
• The first step in soil preparation is spading, rototilling, or plowing.
• Don’t till if the soil is too wet (ie: very wet clay)
• Prepare the soil as soon as it is dry enough to work easily with out resulting in compaction
• Work the soil to a depth of at least 6-inches
• Break up large clods with a spading fork immediately after spading, until the clods are pea-sized granules
• Form in to raised bed(s) if desired

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Soil Fertility - Before Planting - Organic

Vegetables grown in CA soils often require some fertilizer for best growth.

• Plants will generally need N, some soils are low in available P and a few are deficient in K
• Manure
• Apply to soil several weeks or even months before planting and work it in well, for adequate decomposition

time and leaching of salts from the soil surface

• 1 lb. of dry steer or dairy manure/sq. ft. of soil surface
• Manure containing litter (straw, shavings, sawdust) requires N fertilizer to avoid tying up N already present as

well as that added from manure

• 1 lb. of dry poultry manure for every 4 to 5 sq. ft. of soil surface (less than steer and dairy)
• Commercial Fertilizers
• If manure or other organic materials are used, usually only commercial N is needed.
• Suitable sources of commercial N are alfalfa or cottonseed meal, ammonium sulfate, calcium nitrate, and

urea

• Limit to .5 – 1 lb./100 sq. ft. of soil surface

Soil Fertility - Before Planting - Inorganic

Either organic or inorganic (synthetic) fertilizers may be used to supply needed nutrients to vegetables.

• A combination of the two fertilizer types gives better results with vegetables than either used alone.
• Particularly if P and K are required in addition to N
• If organic materials are not applied, apply inorganic fertilizers that contain both N and P
• Ammonium phosphate (16-20-0), or 5-10-5 and 12-12-12 are examples.
• Apply 1 – 2 lbs./100 sq. ft.
• Don’t exceed 1.5 – 2 ozs of actual N/100 sq. ft.
• Application Methods
• Broadcast before preparing seedbeds - Work into the soil soon to prevent N losses through volatilization
• Banding at seeding time with 1 – 2 lbs./100 feet of row
• Apply to shallow trenches along-side the seed row and 2-4 inches below the seed bed, cover with soil.
• Furrow irrigate by placing the fertilizer between the seed/plant row and the irrigation furrow.
• Sprinkler irrigate by banding fertilizer on either side of the row.

Time of Planting

Temperature is probably the most important climatic factor that affects the success of your garden.

• Time of planting should have your crop maturing when average (air) temps are likely to be optimal.
• Make adjustments to your planting dates if your area varies widely from recommended temps for a given crop
• If soil is not moist to a depth of several feet (ie: after winter rains), irrigate to this depth before planting.

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Direct-Seeding and Transplanting

• Direct Seeding
• Depth of planting seed depends on the size of the seed.
• General Rule = plant to a depth 2x to 4x the average diameter of the seed
• For very small seed, plant about ¼” – ½” deep
• Seed planted at shallow depths can be covered with vermiculite (rather than soil) to keep seed moist

and dark during initial germination.

• Setting-out Transplants
• Plants should have strong 6-8”stems and be well covered with healthy green leaves
• Plants should be watered 2 hours before “setting” in the garden (and set in to moist soil).
• Plant peppers, tomatoes (and similar plants) slightly deeper, to cover stem to first leaf.
• Firm soil around the roots, DO NOT “pack” soil.
• Water plants immediately.
• An application of ½ strength fertilizer solution may help establishment.

Caring for Your Vegetable Crop

Irrigation – The Most Important Job!

• Soil must be kept moist during the crop cycle to a depth of 1 ft. or more for good yield and quality
• Avoid creating wide fluctuation in soil moisture (particularly injurious to fruits – ie: tomatoes, peppers).
• Frequency of irrigation is determined by soil moisture, depth of crop roots
• Keeping only the soil surface moist results in most of the water evaporating and too shallow root depth.

Irrigation Methods Advantages Disadvantages Furrow Irrigation Doesn't Wet Leaves Requires more water to wet soil to necessary depth and spread Drip Irrigation Doesn’t Wet Leaves; places water accurately in root zone; applied at slower rate reduces water waste; work in dry furrows/aisles while running; no management required while irrigating; emitters are flow rated to make output calculations easier Added costs of system and equipment;

• ccassional plugging of drip orifices (emitters)

Soaker Hoses A form of drip irrigation; good for short rows if soil is level Not as uniform application on longer rows or slopes Hose & Sprinkler Less water required to wet soil to depth Water on leaves increases incidence of plant disease, takes time and management during irrigation period

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Avoid Guessing – Water Conservation

• Use a Moisture Meter or Soil Probe
• Measure water output
• Hose irrigation – time how long it takes to fill a 1-gal container at your normal application pressure =

flow/min. 1-gal water = 1.6 inches of water over 1 sq. ft. of soil

• Sprinkler irrigation – place empty cans under the sprinkler spray at various spots, use a timer, measure

depth of water collected in each can for that “run time” and average the various depths = amount of water being applied to garden at same run time.

Fertilizing

Know your vegetables and what they need!

• In sandy soil with no manure applied
• Leafy vegetable crops
• Side-dress with N once seedlings or transplants are well established and at least 3-4 inches high
• Fruiting vegetable crops
• Delay side-dressing tomatoes until the first fruit set and repeat every 4 weeks until final harvest
• Pepper seedlings perform optimally with a high P granular fertilizer applied to seedlings when 4-6

“true leaves” are fully mature.

• Application Rates (non-water soluble organic or inorganic)
• Avoid burning roots when banding at seeding time by applying fertilizer further away from row
• At rates similar to pre-plant/seeding time preparations with 1 – 2 lbs./100 feet of row

Thinning After Seed Germination

Overcrowded plants cannot grow rapidly or reach a good size!

• Thin small root crops, salad crops, and those grown for greens early, at the 2nd or 3rd true

leaf stage.

• Root crops (beets, carrots) to 2 inches apart in the row
• Radishes to 1 inch apart in the row
• Head lettuce to 12 inches apart
• Different spacing may be required in your garden than is recommended in Table 13.2
• Keep in mind the over-riding principle to avoid overcrowding

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Weeding

Weeds adversely affect crop growth by competing for water, nutrients, and sunlight. (Note: Weeds can also harbor pests and disease).

• The key to successful weed control is to prevent establishment and flowering.
• Cultivation
• Cut off and remove small weeds by scraping the soil surface with a hoe
• Avoid deep cultivation that can prune crop roots, causing loss of yield
• Mulching
• Can provide efficient weed control and conserves soil moisture when applied 2 – 4 inches thick
• Organic mulches can be tilled under periodically to improve soil condition (add N at 2 lbs./100 sq. ft.)
• Black plastic, weed-block fabric, newspapers, etc. can serve as mulch but don’t offer benefit of soil conditioning
• If applied pre-plant during soil preparation, cut “X” just large enough for the root system to fit through
• Hand-weeding
• When soil is moist; Easiest way to remove majority of root system and avoid re-sprouting of perennial weeds; less

potential damage to crop plant roots than cultivation with tools (depending on size of garden)

Basic Problem Diagnosis

Cultural Problems & Pests and Disease

• Proper planning and preparation, appropriate variety selection,

and good cultural care will prevent many problems in your garden.

https://ucanr.edu/

• Plan for potential problems before you plant
• Proper planning of garden
• Proper Cultural Care
• Become familiar with the pests and diseases most likely to affect your crops.
• Consult Tables 13.5 and 13.6, and/or the UCANR Pub. 3332 Pests of the Garden and Small Farm (Flint

1998).

• Take steps to prevent pest problems before they occur.
• Resistant varieties – “VFN” code on seed packets/plant labels = resistance to Verticillium, Fusarium, and

Nematode (Root Knot)

• Good Air Circulation within the garden to avoid leaf diseases
• Full Sun Exposure
• Avoid Splashing overhead irrigation and splashing soil on crops susceptible to fungal and bacterial diseases
• Clear diseased foliage from previous crop cycle
• ie: Alterneria leaf spot
• Be prepared to apply management strategies when problems do occur.

Problem Diagnosis - Plan, Prevent, Prepare

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• Many plant and vegetable problems can be caused by improper environment or cultural care,

including:

• #1 is Improper Irrigation - Uneven moisture, too much or too little water
• Results in root damage, poor yields and smaller produce
• Poor soil fertility - too little or too much fertilizer
• Poor soil tilth
• Improper temperature
• Insufficient light
• Improper pH – most vegetable crops need 6.0 – 7.0
• Incorrect planting depth or seeds washed away
• Old seed
• Pesticide injury (ie: horticultural oils can burn leaves; herbicide drift can damage vegetable foliage)
• Compare your visual observations with descriptions in diagnostic tables and other sources
• Use moisture meters, soil probe, water and soil tests or submit samples for testing
• Pay attention to other factors existing around the garden that may contribute to problems

Diagnosis - Cultural Problems

https://ucanr.edu/

• Home gardeners should expect to tolerate some number of insect pests
• Vegetables do not need to meet market standards
• Pests cannot be eliminated from outdoor garden environments
• Pests on leaves of fruiting vegetable plants may not cause damage to fruit
• ie: trails and tunnels on tomato leaves from leaf miner insect
• Outer leaves of leafy greens are usually not eaten
• Determine likely insect pests based on: plant family, injury symptoms, location of damage on plant/plant

parts, presence of honeydew or sooty mold, distorted leaves, presence of fras, chewing damage, leaf mining.

• Determine if injury will likely prevent successful production and yield; take steps to reduce pest populations if

necessary

• Disease may also be a result of environmental conditions or poor cultural care
• Poor air circulation and/or too much shade can result in fungal diseases
• Poor soil drainage or too frequent watering can result in root rot and damping off diseases
• Excess salts from fertilizers or water can burn and damage roots and burn leaf margins

Diagnosis – Insect Pests & Disease

https://ucanr.edu/

Harvesting and Storing Vegetables

Post Harvest Fresh Produce Safety Highlight - YouTube youtube.com

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Harvesting & Storing

Harvest when at the best stage for eating, and early in the morning for crisper, cooler vegetables.

• Immediately use any bruised or soft vegetables after harvest
• Preparing fresh vegetables for storage
• Discard any part that shows evidence of decay
• Remove tops of root crops (ie: carrots, beets)
• Wash to remove dirt, drain/dry excess water
• Most fresh vegetables keep best in the refrigerator at 40 – 450F
• If not storing in refrigerator’s crisper (hydrator) place vegetables in plastic bags or containers
• DO NOT:
• put ripe fruits together with vegetables in the crisper (ethylene gas from fruits has negative effects on vegetables)
• combine cole crops with other commodities to avoid absorption of their strong odors
• store radishes with fruits and leafy vegetables unless in plastic bags, or store celery with onions or carrots

Herbs

• Culinary herbs are those used to season food and are very

easy to grow with a minimum of care.

Herbs – Growth Requirements

Herbs are divided into 3 groups (annual, biennial and perennial) depending on the species, variety, and life cycle. Annuals and perennials are planted in spring.

• When planting herbs, factor in:
• Growth habit of the individual herbs
• A large number of herbs may be planted in or in rows for ease of irrigation and cultivation
• Small-sized herbs (chives, basil, peppermint, thyme) adapt to culture in pots or other containers that are 6 inches or larger
• Light requirements (full sun or partial shade)
• Soil texture should be loamy and well drained (work in organic amendment if not loamy)
• Soil pH is best at 6.0 – 7.0 (slightly acidic)
• Perennials
• Are best planted around the edges of the garden, or in the flower border if they are also ornamental
• Plant taller herbs in the background with lower ones in front, near walks and paths
• Grown in an area that will not be disturbed by tilling
• Herbs that spread by runners (mint) or re-seed readily (parsley, fennel) need a large area or plant in containers to

control

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Herbs as Potted Plants

• House Plants
• Most small herbs may be grown in 6-inch or larger pots in a sunny window
• Perennial herbs are best grown outdoors
• Patio Plants
• Containerized herbs may be grown outdoors on patios during summer in all areas, year-round where

winters are mild

• Best Herbs to Try in Pots:
• basil, sweet marjoram, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and bay laurel
• Start potted herbs
• from seed, cuttings, or divisions in mid-summer (hose off any insects or eggs that might be present)
• or purchase transplants

Herbs – Propagation

• Seeds may be started either indoors or outdoors
• Sow seeds directly into small containers about 6 weeks before the last expected frost.
• Perennials from rooted cuttings
• Root cuttings in flats or containers (hose off any insects or eggs that might be present)
• In clean course sand 4 – 5 inches deep
• Keep moist and out of direct sunlight
• Cover with plastic to maintain high humidity
• After 4 to 6 weeks, when rooted, plant in pots or in the garden (placed in appropriate light for species)
• Transplants
• After danger of frost is past
• Control weeds during growing season to prevent competition
• Use a light mulch for weed control and moisture conservation
• Irrigate as needed to maintain soil moisture required by various herbs
• Many perennials tolerate some drought once established
• Fertilize according to the same guidelines discussed for vegetable crops

Harvesting Herbs

• Harvest fresh leaves from plants that have enough foliage to maintain continued growth
• Pick herbs for drying just before the flowers open when leaves have the highest content of aromatic volatile oils
• Select and cut individual stems about 6 inches below the flower buds
• Remove dead or damaged leaves
• Gently rinse dirty leaves in cold water and dry on paper towels, or spray plants with a hose the day before harvesting
• Discontinue harvesting leaves of perennials in late summer to allow for enough over-wintering carbohydrate storage

and renewal of growth in the spring

• Saving Seeds
• For culinary use or for starting plants the next year
• Allow plants to mature and flower
• Harvest seed when they (seed pods, flower heads) change from green to brown or gray
• Allow to dry thoroughly before storing (refer to seed storage of vegetable seeds)

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Drying and Storing Herbs

• Drying herbs
• Tie cut stems in small bunches and hang them in a well-ventilated, low-dust, darkened room
• Label each bunch (many herbs look similar, especially when dry)
• Allow to dry without artificial heat or light unless leaves are thick and succulent (basil)
• Dry these leaves rapidly in an oven, dehydrator or solar dryer to retain color and maximum aromatic quality
• Larger leaves may be removed from stems and dried in a single layer on trays of mesh or screen and stirred daily
• Label each herb
• When drying is complete:
• Remove leaves from stems or trays, place in sealed glass jars in a warm place for 1 week
• Examine jars for moisture condensation on the inside
• If necessary, remove the leaves and spread out for further drying (on cookie sheet at <1100F, for faster results)
• Leaves are dry when brittle and crumble into powder when rubbed between the hands
• Leaves can be ground or powdered by crushing, blending, sieving, or with mortar and pestle
• Store dried or powdered herbs in airtight bottles, preferably of brown glass, in a cool place out of direct

sunlight

Additional resources used for this presentation:

UCANR Pub. 3382, California Master Gardener Handbook, 2nd Edition, Pittenger, 2015. (Chapter 13, Pittenger & Garrison) UCANR Pub. 3332, Pests of the Garden and Small Farm, Flint, 1998. http://ipm.ucanr.edu/index.html http://cagardenweb.ucanr.edu/

QUESTIONS…?

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