Thanks to Lee and Francine of GRUB
Cooperative Farm for their wonderful advice. It really helps when we get
details about varieties, planting dates, and such.
This Sunday
February 14, Jerry Bonds and Mary Berglund will be visiting with us. Mary
has an incredible one acre family farm which produces much of her
family's food. Expect to get specific recommendations about choosing
fruit tree varieties to extend the season in your home garden. And lots
of other information. Mary will have a handout of fruit tree varieties
either at the event, or it will be in next week's newsletter. Jerry has
been gardening his whole life, and enjoys sharing his expertise. His
specialties include onions, melons, potatoes, sweet corn. 1:30 to 3:30
at the Chico Grange. If you aren't signed up for the series, the cost of
an individual session is $15 at the door.
As of this
morning, the 80 copies of the Seeds of Change catalog still haven't
arrived. If they aren't here by Sunday, you might want to order your
own. A few other catalogs to consider: Fedco Seeds (Maine),Johnny's
Seeds (Maine), Territorial Seeds (Oregon), Park Seeds (South Carolina),
Harris Seeds, Lockhart Seeds (Stockton CA), Willhite Seeds (Texas. lot
of melons). They all will send a free catalog. Lockhart doesn't sell
online, only mail order and phone order. If you deal with them, make a
point of requesting untreated seed. You don't want to be
handling that pink
stuff (Thiram). Late breaking news: We have plenty of Territorial
Seed Company catalogs to distribute this Sunday.
The fabled
February Planting Window may yet come to pass. After today, Weather.com is predicting 8
days of a 20% or less chance of rain, and highs in the 60's. So by
next weekend, Vina loam, Vina sandy loam, and similar soils may be dry
enough to work. It would help to scalp off whatever leaves, weeds, mulch
or whatever is covering the surface of your soil.
Soil tests have
come back to Carl Rosato, and he will have your results graph ready
for him to interpret Sunday February 21. Carl will be interpreting the
soil samples for anyone wanting to stay after class ends at 3:30.
Carl will also
bring a limited number of bareroot peach and nectarine trees for
purchase by class members on February 21. These are 3/4" diameter
trees, a larger size that will likely start to bear fruit a season
sooner than smaller trees. We will be taking reservations
at the break
tomorrow. Cost is $10 each. Varieties available are:
Paul Friday Lucky
13 peach (yellow peach, ripens mid July),
Red Gold nectarine
(yellow nectarine, ripens early August),
Elegant Lady peach
(yellow peach, ripens mid August),
Blushing
Star Peach (white peach, ripens
early August), and
O'Henry peach (yellow peach, ripens
late
August).
Carl says these should all do very well and
produce excellent flavor in Chico. He has grown all but Paul Friday
Lucky 13, and that one is his brother's favorite variety.
C Bar D Feed
has asparagus crowns, seed potatoes, and baby chicks for sale. They
also carry several of the Lockhart Seeds varieties in bulk.
Gardening Tips: If
you want to plant a spring garden, next weekend is probably going to be
your best opportunity. Lettuce, spinach, beets, chard, kale, peas,
radishes, carrots and similar cool season plants need to be established
early, so that they mature in April and May.
Happy Gardening,
David Grau
Valley Oak Tool
Company
P.O. Box 301
Chico CA 95927
telephone
530-342-6188
