Newsletter Archives: Food Gardening

Potato Seed PreparationPotato 'seeds' are actually bits of potatoes with at least a couple eyes, from which the plants develop. Larger seed potatoes can be cut if they include at least 2 eyes each, just be sure to allow 24 hours to dry or become callused before planting. Potatoes will tolerate light…

Growing Kale and Collard Greens in the GroundChange planting location, no replanting for 2-4 years Full sun spring/fall, shade in summer Make sure seedling and planting location are moist and fertile before transplantingGently massage roots of kale before planting but gentle root care for the…

Lightweight garden infrastructure projects can give you a headstart Too early to plant? Consider taking on these lightweight garden infrastructure projects! Use cold frames, raised beds, and other season extenders to get a head-start on planting outdoors.As we look at sunny skies and longer days in May,…

The Basics of Growing Edible Crops in Tahoe  by Kristianne H., UC Master Gardener of the Lake Tahoe BasinOvercome ChallengesA Short Window: The average frost-free growing season is only about 93 days.The frost-free window typically runs from June 18 to September 19. This is unpredictable! Freezing…

Growing vegetables can be fun! It also can be very frustrating. But in any case, growing vegetables provides a wonderful learning experience for us as we learn from our successes and mistakes.  Here, we will discuss how to select varieties appropriate to our short growing season and how to start your…

Below is a crop-by-crop summary of the best time to plant vegetables here in the Lake Tahoe Basin.  Keep in mind these are estimates of ideal planting windows, each season can bring very different conditions so also take into account potential freezes in the weather forecast and your individual planting…

Growing food in Tahoe is not for the faint of heart - it can freeze any night of the year, it can snow in any month, but generally our frost-free growing season lasts at least 90 days--from mid-June to mid-September, which is enough to grow a wide variety of edible crops.  Here we'll walk you through…