Vegetables

Artichokes are considered a cool season crop but can be grown as a perennial in Santa Clara County. They require lots of sun, plenty of water, and occasional protection from frost.

Asparagus is a perennial plant that can produce for years if grown with care. Choose a site in full sun and prepare the soil well. The plants send up 5-foot tall, ferny growth over the summer, so plant them where they won't undesirably shade other plants. Asparagus plants will be either male or female. The…

Start your seeds 6 to 8 weeks before you plan to transplant them into the garden. Peppers grow best when the soil is warmed and daytime temperatures are regularly over 75ºF, typically late April or May in Santa Clara County. Temperatures below 50º–55ºF cause flowers to abort or the fruits to be misshapen.

Tomatoes do best planted in full sun all day, although they will usually produce some crop with less. If your plants have had symptoms of disease in previous years, it is important to plant in soil that has not grown tomatoes or their relatives such as peppers or eggplants for three or more years.

When to plant: Transplant: February–April, August–September (maybe October) Harvest as soon as they reach maturity (the head is firm and has reached an acceptable size). Leaving them in the garden too long may result in bolting or split heads.

The foothills of the Sierra Nevada have a diversity of growing regions. Throughout the region, farmers have been successful in growing many different types of agricultural commodities.

Our annual Spring Garden Fair is held at our Martial Cottle Park Demonstration Garden in San Jose. You can shop our plant sale, stroll through our gardens, attend a talk, and bring your plant, soil, pest, and tool questions to our Information tables.

Too many tomatoes to choose from? Can't make up your mind? Consider High Density Tomato Growing, a great technique for anyone who wants to try lots and lots of varieties. Some advice: Plant two different tomato seedlings together in a single cage.

Direct seed May–June (possibly April and July). Plant every 2–3 weeks for successive harvest (or when the most recent seedlings have 3–4 leaves). Sweet corn is ready for harvest about 17 to 24 days after the first silk strands appear, more quickly in hot weather, more slowly in cool weather.

We offer a wide range of delicious and unusual pepper/chile seedlings from around the world - India, South America, Mexico, Africa, USA and more. Whether you like sweet and juicy or hot and searing, you'll find many choices to please your palate.