Why Not Make A Salsa Garden??!!

If you have been thinking about growing a garden this Spring, why not grow what you love to eat? How about a SALSA GARDEN??? All you need is a small piece of ground, with some good compost (you don't have to learn to compost, you can buy it by the bag). You can also grow all of these in pots on a patio! So let's get to it! All you need is a tomato plant. Almost any variety will do.

Onions are a must. You can grow 'em in the ground or in a pot. In California, you must start these in Oct/Nov either from seed or in Spring using the little tiny plants you get in a bundle at the nursery. In CA you can't get big onions from those little mini bulbs in a bag.

Jalapenos or most any other hot pepper will do nicely.

If you like cilantro in it, it's easy peasy to grow in ground or in a pot.

Last but not least, why not grow a dwarf lime tree! Essential for the salsa (and the cervesas).

I'll bring the chips!

Why "When to Plant" Charts Are So Confusing!

Hello Gardener Friends! OK...so I wanted to talk a little about all these "When to plant" charts I've been seeing on the net lately. While they are great guidelines...in my humble opinion, they are just that. GUIDELINES! Depending on your zone, planting times vary HUGELY! For instance, I read one that said that now was the time to start lettuce and broccoli and cabbage, among others. Now, for zones that are up to their necks in snow, maybe zones 6 or 7 and lower, then YES. But in the south, especially here in California, it is the opposite. We start all brassicas in October or November.

I will speak for myself that when I was a new gardener, reading the back of the seed packet that says, "start 1-2 weeks after last frost" always threw me. We don't get any frost. Well, rarely, anyway. I think they take all the zones, and average them out or something. My point is these dates are relative. The Old Farmer's Almanac is a great resource to check out. It's even online and it is specific by zone. Here in zone 10b, the night time temps are finally in the 50's and days are mostly warm. It's about time to plant out your seedlings or plants, if you started indoors under lights, or plants from the nursery. I started my seeds in January under lights! However, my friends in Colorado and in New York, who won't plant out till May, at the earliest, can start seeds indoors now. Think of how big you want your plants to be at the time of planting outdoors.

My point is, check LOCAL sources, nurseries, Farmer's Almanac, etc. for your specific planting times, and don't rely on what other folks are doing in other states. I hope that cleared a little something up for my new gardener friends. Happy planting!