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Sonoma County iGrow Blog
Does dry winter mean early spring?
It might, but it is still early and temperatures are bound to fluctuate, with plenty more chilly temperatures ahead.
Thankfully, we finally had one good rain. But it was a lot in a short time period so much of it ran off. This points once again to the reasons to have plenty of mulch on the soil – to protect it from pounding rain, reduce erosion and then to keep the moisture in during dry spells.
Gardening in a California Winter
Well tonight is predicted to be one of the coldest nights of the year, and it barely warmed up today, but we can still be out gardening! When we get this super cold spell, the main thing we need to worry about is citrus. We can grow citrus here in Sonoma County but there are a few nights a year that can turn a happy citrus tree to toast. Cover it with a blanket or build a little structure over it. Plastic is not good protection and can be a problem if left on and the sun comes out and cooks the tree.
Trees in winter
Happy New Year! And what a totally different year it is! I was re-reading my blog from a year ago, http://www.igrowsonoma.org/blog/garden-dreaming-planning-and-pruning, when the soil was totally saturated from so much rain. This year the soil has been extremely dry in many places for weeks, with very little rain for over 2 months and strong, desiccating winds around a month ago.
Happy Solstice
I have been scratching my head trying to figure out what to write for my mid December blog and I realize part of the problem is that I don’t do much gardening this time of year.
Beauty in the late fall garden; planting perennials
This is my favorite time of year. I know that it is a blessing that I have the luxury of taking walks on these brisk days amongst glorious fall color and that I don’t feel extra pressure around the holidays. My work load has always been light now and I like to spend time with Mother Nature. It feels like she is dozing off now, full, content and relaxed, after a long year of growth.
Is it really November?
Gorgeous days make me wonder what season I am in, then I am reminded as it starts getting dark by 6.
The season shifts: using mulch, loving clay soil, build compost, last plantings and taking a break.
What a lovely Indian Summer we’ve had! The early rain was a problem for tomatoes and grapes, but it turned the fields and hills green already and the warm afternoons ripened a bumper crop of peppers in many of our gardens and farms. With frost predicted this weekend, I’ll soon be harvesting the last peppers to roast or sauté and freeze, and the last basil for pesto. Since my garden is too tiny for cover crops, I will be putting down a nice mulch of old goat shed bedding where the summer crops were and over my little garlic patch, which I planted 2 days ago.
