Tag Archive for: Home Gardening

AccessAlmaden - What’s Happening in Almaden Valley

Posts

DIY Garden Projects for the Long Weekend

/in /by

DIY Garden ProjectsThinking about DIY garden projects for the Memorial Day weekend? Spring gardening is a favorite recreational activity for many of us, and though we are still sheltering-in-place, there are a lot of cool backyard DIY garden projects we can do while enjoying this beautiful weather.

Raised garden beds

Raised garden beds are great for growing seasonal vegetables and herbs. These can be made with bricks if you have any left around the yard or with untreated, but rot-resistant wood. Raised bed kits can also be ordered online. Place them at a location where they get at least six hours of sunlight. Here is a good resource for DIY garden beds.

Bird houses

Bird houses in the backyard are a nice way to attract small birds like robin, bluebird, wren, sparrow, and swallow. Bird houses also help some bird species thrive by providing a safe shelter from other predators. Find out more about placing bird houses here.

Arbors and trellises

Arbors and trellises make a beautiful feature for any backyard or front yard. Arbors create an inviting entrance and can highlight a special part of your garden. Trellises can offer support to pretty flowering creepers or vegetable plants. Learn more about how to install garden arbors and trellises here.

A Colorful Story for Your Backyard Garden

/in /by

Backyard gardenHello Almaden families! Hope you are all safe and sheltering in place right now. We are all facing a tough situation, but it need not be completely frustrating. We can use this opportunity to get a lot accomplished around the house and in the backyard garden, along with some great family bonding time.

It’s spring, and the beautiful weather calls one out to the garden. It’s time to go out for some planting. Spring is the best time to plant seasonal flower bulbs, saplings and beds to yield the summer.

In late March or early April, spring planted bulbs will transform your garden into a glory of colors in the summer. Some of the most popular varieties are calla lilies, dahlia, gladiolus, begonia, anemone, canna, and a variety of lilies like rain lily, nerine lily, and the Asiatic lily.

Late April is the time to plant the saplings directly into the ground. You can create beautiful borders or fill up those empty spaces in your backyard garden. While planting, take care to position sun-loving and shade-loving varieties in the right zones. Some of the plants you can place directly into the ground at this time are roses, which will bloom right through September or early October. While gardening stores stock a variety of annuals, you can get better yield from your hard work by planting perennials which keep blooming year after year. Popular perennials are lavender, geranium, daisy, iris, aster, black-eyed susan, bugleweed, and clematis, among others.

Stay safe and enjoy some family time in the garden.

For more planting information, visit:
https://gardenerspath.com/plants/flowers/best-flowering-perennials
https://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-calendar/CA/San%20Jose
https://www.ufseeds.com/learning/what-to-plant-in-april
https://www.americanmeadows.com/flower-bulbs/spring-flower-bulbs

Cleaning Up to Welcome Spring

/in /by

welcome springIt’s the end of January, and while there’s still a chill in the air, it’s also the time to begin working in the yard and garden so you can welcome spring in all its splendor. Here are some essential ‘welcome to spring’ tasks that you can tackle right now and enjoy your garden for months to come.

Clean Ditches and Drains

Clear out fall leaves, seedlings and other debris from ditches and drains around the garden to ensure good drainage from the soil. The cleared garden refuse can be put in a compost bin for ready fertilizer to use during spring and summer. If you don’t have a compost bin, this is also a good time to build one.

Start a Compost Pile

A good carbon-nitrogen balanced compost can be created by using common garden and kitchen waste. Carbon-rich matter are branches, dried leaves, wood chips, bark dust or sawdust pellets, shredded brown paper bags, corn husk, coffee grounds, conifer needles, egg shells and wood ash. Nitrogen can be found in fruit and vegetable scraps, tea leaves and grass clippings. A good balanced compost has more carbon than nitrogen, about one-third green and two-thirds brown material. In three months, the compost will be ready to use.

Refresh the Lawn

If there are bare patches in the lawn, re-seed them. Mix grass seed into soil in a wheelbarrow and spread over the bare areas. The rains will ensure that the seeds germinate and new grass grows well in spring. A good grass fertilizer may also be sprinkled now.

Trim and Fertilize

Trim trees and flowering bushes, and remove dead foliage to make way for new spring growth. Weed pulling is also best done now when roots are shallow. Late winter is also the best time to fertilize fruit trees and flowering bushes and shrubs.

Add Mulch

Add mulch to a depth of about three to four inches around the base of young fruit trees to protect new growth from the late winter frost. Keep the mulch a few inches away from the crowns and stems of plants.

Clean Bird Baths and Feeders

Water accumulated in bird baths can be a health hazard for both birds and humans, so it is important to scrub them clean at least every two to three weeks. Scrub with baking soda, or a 1:10 chlorine bleach and water solution for more stubborn dirt. Pressure wash if needed. Keep baths filled with fresh water every week to attract birds throughout spring and summer.

For more ideas, visit:
https://learn.eartheasy.com

Spring Is In The Air – Prepare Your Yard! (Part 1)

/in /by

prepare your yardSpring Gardening

It is not officially spring yet, but with winter on the wane and the days getting warmer, it certainly feels like spring is in the air… and this is the perfect time to prepare your yard! With a little bit of work now, you will have a bountiful spring and summer garden, rich in vibrant colors with plenty to harvest.

There are four main tasks which are recommended for your garden this month.

Pruning and fertilizing

Late winter and early spring is the best time to prune fruit trees. If you haven’t already done it, now is the time. Pruning before the buds bloom will relieve the plants resulting in better growth and a better crop later on. Fertilize fruit trees with an organic fertilizer or compost for better quality yield.

Prune evergreen trees and shrubs leaving out branches in the direction you want to encourage growth. Rose plants and bushes should be pruned before they start budding. For spring flowering plants, wait until after blooming. Fertilize the rose plants at this stage. Fertilize garden beds at the top soil level and let the nutrients percolate down.

Planting

Now is the perfect time to plant fruit trees, perennial crops like berries and spring crops like beets, carrots, peas, spinach, leeks and lettuces. Bare fruit trees root in the winter and begin sprouting leaves and branches through spring summer.

Weeding

Control weeds in the garden while they are young. You can also use a weed preventing product like Preen.

Lawn care

Lawns should be watered deeply once or twice a week at this time, depending on the amount of rain. Avoid overwatering. Spread lawn seeds on bare patches and fertilize.

For more garden maintenance tips, visit:

http://eartheasy.com/grow_garden_early_spring.html

https://www.almanac.com/gardening/tips/CA/San%20Jose/02

 

How Does Your Garden Grow?

/in /by

garden growHow Does Your Garden Grow?

Imagine yourself in a bountiful spring garden surrounded by tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, crocuses and beautiful blossoms in a riot of colors and hues. But how do you bring this spring wonderland to your own front yard and backyard? The answer is, by starting now.

For many of us, gardening projects end in the summer. Yet, fall planting is crucial to a good harvest in spring, be it flowers or vegetables. Here’s how to go about creating a beautiful spring garden.

Picking bulbs for spring blossoms: Right now, garden stores and nurseries are stocked up on bulbs and seeds for planting. Tulips, hyacinths, crocuses, daffodils, irises are some varieties which are sure to give you a blooming garden come spring.

Spring veggie patch: For a vegetable harvest in spring, choose vegetables which can withstand the winter chill and frost. Carrots, cabbages, turnips, broccoli, celery, parsnips, radishes, kale, and brussels sprouts are among the varieties which are most hardy.

Planting time: Plant the bulbs after summer but before the ground gets frosty. October is usually a good time for fall planting, but here in the Bay area, it is safe to plant till early November.

Where to plant: Choose an area in your yard which is sunny and has good drainage. Prepare the soil with compost and fertilize after planting the bulbs.

Mulch: Be sure to spread a layer of mulch. This keeps keep the moisture in and prevents frost from settling on the bulbs in the winter.

For more information, visit https://www.almanac.com/gardening.
For hardiness zones, check out this excellent resource on fall planting of bulbs: https://www.almanac.com/sites/default/files/d6/fall_planted_bulbs.jpg

Dormant fruit tree pruning class – UPDATED 2022

/in /by

Learn how to prune your fruit trees with hands-on training at the Guadalupe River Park and Garden’s Historic Orchard. Professional landscaper Sean McGrail will be teaching techniques. January 22 from 9:30am to 11:30am. For more information visit http://www.grpg.org/Education.shtml. [EVENT IS CLOSED]

Sustainable Home Vegetable Gardening in Almaden Valley – UPDATED 2022

/in /by

logo: Master Gardeners of Santa Clara CountyGardening year round is easy and rewarding in our mild climate here in Almaden Valley. Learn from Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County how to have a successful, environmentally responsible food garden that provides delicious vegetables and herbs every month of the year.

This course stresses sustainable gardening practices such as mulching, efficient watering methods, on-site composting, integrated pest management, and use of organic fertilizers and soil amendments.

This six-week course is taught by Bette Lloyd, Master Gardener. The class meets at the Almaden Community Center on Saturdays, January 22 – February 26, 2011, from 10am-12pm. Register online or by calling 408-268-1133. The price is $70 per person. [EVENT IS CLOSED]

Gardening Course in Almaden Valley: Growing Fruit Trees & Berries – UPDATED 2022

/in /by

Master Gardeners Santa Clara County LogoAttend Growing Fruit Trees & Berries presented by the Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County. This four-week course stresses how good garden practices such as efficient watering, managing garden pests, and use of organic fertilizers and soil amendments apply to growing healthy fruits and berries.

Topics that will be covered include gardening basic requirements for specific fruits and berries, recommended varieties, and pruning techniques. Apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, plums, citrus, and a variety of berries will be covered.

The course is being held at the Almaden Community Center every Saturday beginning April 17, 2010 and ending May 8, 2010, from 10am-12pm. The price is $45 for residents and $49 for non-residents.

Register online at San Jose Parks, Recreation & Neighborhood Services. [EVENT IS CLOSED]

Skip to content