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If your garden looks healthy but harvests are underwhelming, the issue isn’t effort—it’s timing and balance. After 30+ years growing year-round in Sonoma Valley—raised beds, mounded rows, and containers—I’ve learned this: 👉 Yield is set early.Not at harvest. Not at peak growth. At the moment plants transition from leaf growth to fruit. Get that window…
Yellowing young plants are one of the most common—and fixable—garden problems. When seedlings or transplants lose their green color, they’re telling you something is off. The key is identifying the cause early and correcting it before growth stalls. After 30+ years of gardening in the Sonoma Valley, a Zone 9b climate, I’ve found that most…
Plant Care and Garden Maintenance for the Spring Garden Cool-season vegetables thrive in the mild temperatures of early to mid-spring. In my Sonoma Valley garden, once soil temperatures reach about 45–65°F at 4 inches deep, cool-season crops move from simply surviving winter to putting on steady, flavorful growth. After more than 30 years of growing…
Small gardens can be incredibly productive when you choose crops that give the biggest return for the space you have. After more than 30 years of growing vegetables—first in California’s Central Valley, and now year-round in Sonoma Valley—I’ve learned that yield isn’t about garden size, it’s about crop choice and technique. I’ve taught and coached…
Cut off the top of your pumpkin, scoop out the seeds, carve a face in the flesh, place a candle inside, and replace the top. That is the story of the Jack-o’-Lantern.Well, not quite. If you’re ready to carve your own Jack-o’-Lantern, pumpkin varieties like ‘Autumn Gold’ and ‘Jack-o’-Lantern’ are perfect—they have the ideal size,…
Having grown strawberries in both coastal and inland gardens over the years, I’ve seen firsthand how dramatically climate impacts success. In cooler northern regions, cold-hardy cultivars like ‘Sparkle’ and ‘Honeoye’ have consistently bounced back from late frosts and delivered strong early-summer harvests. Meanwhile, in my warmer Zone 9 garden, day-neutral varieties such as ‘Seascape’ and…
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