Make 2025 the year that you finally start your home garden. Whether growing a small box of herbs in the window or trying to maximize your vegetable yield in the backyard, there are so many health benefits to growing your crops. I know my children love to be a part of the process from seed to harvest, in addition to all the health benefits of them snacking on blueberries and green beans rather than Cheez-Its and Goldfish. But in order to make the most of this season’s fruits and vegetables, let’s go over some good tips and tricks to be prepared this year.
First, map out your desired area for planting. Ace Hardware in Solvang and Santa Ynez have great prefabbed options for smaller boxes, and Nielsen’s Building Material can help you with the larger scale selections. The staff at all those locations are very helpful and eager to offer answers to your questions.
Second, make sure you have the right soil. Many areas in the Santa Ynez Valley do not have the perfect sand, dirt, and mulch ratio. Delicate plants like fruits and vegetables need good drainage and the minerals and nutrients from a good dirt and mulch mixture. Windmill Nursery in Buellton is a great place to purchase crops and soil amendments as needed. The staff there is also extremely helpful and knowledgeable.
Third, the timing of the planting. April 13th is considered planting day, but once the frosty mornings stop, you’re fine. The tricky part, and anyone who has lived in the valley for a while knows, is that there is ALWAYS a super late frost in mid/late April that can mess with your plants. If the late frost is just a once or twice occurrence, there shouldn’t be a problem.
Lastly, don’t hesitate to take chances and have fun doing it! I never thought I would grow broccoli and blackberries, but my children love it so much that it’s been a wonderful experience. Teaching them about responsibility, nutrition, and where food comes from has also been very rewarding.
For more information, contact zacacreeklandscape@gmail.com