Master Gardeners May 27, 2018

Get your garden ready for summer veggies! Even though it’s a grey May, and June gloom’s just ahead, there's still time to get that summer garden going. And the UC/CE LA County Master Gardeners  will be handing out their lovingly-grown seedlings and seeds — all for FREE! 

Join them on SUNDAY, May 27 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and bring your garden questions and dreams. They’ll be giving away: 

Two kinds of green beans: Emerite Pole Beans (stake these), long and strong; and Bush French Filet Beans (aka haricots vert), those slender, little delicacies.

And get ready for pickles! Heirloom Lemon Cucumbers

and Straight Eight Heirloom cucumbers. 

Need some super greens? Renee’s Seeds Summer Perfection Spinach was bred to stand up to summer heat and is easy to harvest with straight up leaves; and Baby Tuscan Kale will satisfy those who love dark leafy greens, raw in their salads or sautéed. Cut and come again: when the leaves are 4-5 inches long, snip 'em for salads and watch them grow back again for an abundant and healthy harvest!

Slow Bolt Cilantro will give you that bright one-of-a-kind herbal kick that enhances Thai, Indian and Mexican food. And it won’t go straight to seed (bolt) in summer’s hot sun. 

What would summer be without TOMATOES! Container Super Bush (no cage needed) and Pandorino Italian grape tomatoes will make your summer picnics juicy, joyful, colorful and delicious!  

And yes, Virginia, there will be Zucchini — Astia Container Zucchini that produce small, easy to pick summer squash that won’t sprawl all over your garden.

Last but not least everyone’s favorites: Sun Samba Sunflowers! 

Don’t forget to check out Be Water Wise for inspirations, practical ideas and water

conservation planning.

And please bring along those empty plastic six packs, so the MGs can keep filling them with the seed they love to grow and you love to take home with you.  Any color will do!








SPECIAL PREVIEW FOR NEXT MONTH (JUNE)   Save space in your garden for Rhubarb! MGs planted up some Rhubarb from heirloom Italian seed company Franchi. Get ready for those big, red, tangy stalks that are excellent for crumbles, pies, jams and oh, so much more. (Don’t eat the leaves—just the stalks!)

You’ll be able to choose Fresh Culinary Chives (heirloom seeds, of course) to add to your quiches, baked potatoes or vinaigrettes.