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UC Master Gardeners of Sacramento County

Home vegetable gardening

 

Image
Summer Harvest. Click to enlarge
Summer harvest.

Few experiences can match the pleasure of savoring homegrown vegetables.  The flavor and number of varieties that you can grow far exceed what you can buy at a grocery store.  Growing vegetables does not have to be time consuming or difficult.  Many vegetables can be grown successfully in containers on patios and rooftops.  Experience really is the best teacher, and as your gardening knowledge increases, so will the rewards.

When you grow your own food, you know where it came from and exactly how it was grown.  If you are concerned about the use of chemical-based fertilizers and pesticides, you have control over the fertilizers and soil amendments used to make your crops flourish as well as what you use to fight pests and diseases.  Also, you will know that your vegetables are as fresh as possible.

Below is a collection of resources just for the home gardener from the UC Master Gardeners of Sacramento County and other external resources. 

Monthly Tips - a calendar of activities for the home vegetable gardener.

Vegetables at the FOHC - a history of the vegetable garden at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center (FOHC) including our honor of being an All America Selections (AAS) display garden.

Summer Problems - pests, diseases and abiotic disorders in summer vegetables.

Planting Plans - lists of what we grow in summer and winter at the FOHC.

Raised beds - details for building the raised planters at the FOHC. 

Crop Rotation - enhances soil fertility and helps avoid insect and disease pests.

Master Gardener Publications, Studies and Videos

Videos

 

External Resources

 

Publications

  • Garlic (PDF) - from the UC Davis Vegetable Research and information Center.
  • Onions (PDF) - from the UC Davis Vegetable Research and information Center.
  • Grow your own vegetables (PDF 78kb) - tip sheet covers the basics of home vegetable gardening including planting requirements, when and how much to plant.
  • Vegetable Garden Basics (PDF 86kb) - 7-page document that covers planning and planting a home vegetable garden. (ANR 8059)
  • Soil solarization - for gardens and landscapes using the heat of the sun to manage soilborne pests from the UC IPM program.
  • Soil solarization research project (PDF 292kb) - conducted by UC IPM in a Sacramento County strawberry field.
  • Community Gardens (PDF) - about all sorts of community gardens and shows you how you can set one up in your own neighborhood. (ANR 8499)

Videos

  • Building healthy soil - California Water Boards shares tips for healthy soil that saves water too.
  • Manage garden pests - a listing of videos and webinar recordings on pests and beneficials. From UC IPM.

ANR = free publication from the UC Agriculture and Natural Resources Catalog
PN = free publication from UC Integrated Pest Management
EHN = Environmental Horticulture Notes from the UCCE Master Gardeners of Sacramento County
GN = Garden Notes from the UCCE Master Gardeners of Sacramento County