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| Do you have a gardening question? The UC Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County can help. Our volunteers are part of the University of California’s Cooperative Extension program, and we are trained to use research-based information to educate our fellow residents on home horticulture, pest management, and sustainable landscape practices specific to our area. Our monthly “Ask a Master Gardener” column will answer your questions and offer tips. Have a question? Email lifestyle@embarcaderopublishing.com |
April gardening tips
‘Harden’ your seedlings before transplanting
Now that you’ve selected your summer vegetable and ornamental seedlings, you’ll need to “harden” them off before transplanting them into your garden. Hardening is the process of allowing a plant to transition from a protected indoor or greenhouse environment to the harsher outdoor conditions, including fluctuating spring temperatures, wind and full sun exposure.
Mark your calendar: Master Gardeners Spring Garden Fair, Sat., April 11
For many local gardeners, the UC Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County’s Spring Garden Fair is a rite of spring. It’s the place to kick off your summer garden with demonstrations, talks, expert advice and tours — plus a huge plant sale featuring tomatoes, peppers and more. This year, the event will offer summer vegetable seedlings such as squash, eggplant, cucumbers, and beans, all specifically selected for the soil and conditions of Santa Clara County. Enjoy kids’ activities, an “Ask a Master Gardener” booth, a Green Elephant sale, and more. The Fair takes place at the UC Master Gardener’s Demonstration Garden at Martial Cottle Park in San Jose from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is free.
Start by giving them short exposures to full sun and cool nights over a period of one to two weeks. Place them outside in a shaded, sheltered spot for about two to three hours for the first few days and bring them in at night. Gradually increase their time outside and sun exposure each day. By the fourth or fifth day, you can probably leave them outside all night. Seedlings can dry out quickly, so be sure to keep them watered, especially during hot or windy weather. Protect them if nights are cold, and bring them in if it’s windy. Here’s more information: Hardening Transplants.
Time to thin fruit trees
Fruit trees often set more fruit than they can support, resulting in small fruit and sometimes limb breakage. Peaches, plums, apricots, apples, pears, kiwifruits and persimmons almost always need to be thinned. Thinning too late reduces the chances that remaining fruit will achieve full size. Remove excess fruit when they are about a half inch to 1 inch in diameter. Apricots and plums should be thinned to 2–4 inches apart; peaches and nectarines to 3–5 inches; for apples and pears, leave one to two fruit per cluster. Learn more here: Thinning Young Fruit.
Grubs in your garden?
Have you found C-shaped grubs in garden soil or under lawns and wondered what they are and if they’re harmful? Most garden and lawn grubs are thelarvae of certain beetles. These root-feeding creatures usually don’t cause significant plant damage if the population is fewer than six per square foot. Gardeners often hand-pick them, leaving them out for the birds, or add beneficial nematodes to the soil. In lawns, infestations can make turf feel spongy or roll up like a carpet.
Upcoming gardening events
UC Master Gardener gardening events are taking place throughout the county this month. Here are some of them, with more listed on our events page.
Spring Garden Fair – Martial Cottle Park – Saturday, April 11, San Jose
Beautiful, Easy-Care, Bearded Iris – Tuesday, April 14, Mountain View
Healthy Soil : How to Improve Your Soil for Planting – Tuesday, April 14, Saratoga
Plant Clinic Online – Tuesday, April 14, Online
Spring Cleaning: Where Indoor Pests Could Be Hiding – Thursday, April 16, Online
MRDG April Gardening Tips and Maintenance – Saturday, April 18, Cupertino
Now is the Time for Homegrown Tomatoes – Saturday, April 18, San Jose
Container Gardening – Saturday, April 18, San Jose
Container Gardening for All Seasons Course – Tuesday, April 21, Sunnyvale
Don’t Squash That Bug!: Integrated Pest Management – Saturday, May 2, San Jose
If you notice pits of 3 to 5 inches in your lawn, skunks or raccoons may be digging up grubs for their next meal. Here’s more information: Vegetable Garden Grubs and Lawn Grubs.
Quick-and-easy raised bed design
There are numerous advantages to raised beds: plants are easier to reach, you can add any soil blend you like, and you won’t compact the soil by walking on it – and you can build them yourself!
Here’s a good source for how to quickly and easily build raised beds.
You can build them with wood or cinder blocks or anything that doesn’t have chemicals that can leach out into your food, for example, pressure-treated lumber or railroad ties with creosote. If you’re using wood, redwood and cedar are the most resistant to pests and rot. You can be particularly green by using old fence boards or decking. Locate the beds where the plants will get the sun they need. Make sure the width is not more than twice your arm length so that you can easily reach all parts from the sides. To prevent gophers and other pests from tunneling into the root area, line the bottom of the bed with hardware cloth.
Would you like to ask a UC Master Gardener about a plant problem? Submit questions to our Help Desk online. Join our Zoom Plant Clinic on April 14 from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm, where you can ask questions directly to a Master Gardener.
You can also subscribe to our monthly Tips and Events newsletter. San Mateo residents can also find gardening advice on the UC Master Gardeners of San Mateo and San Francisco website.
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