Category: Edibles

Grow Potatoes in Grow Bags

Growing potatoes is easy in well-prepared soil. Spring rains give the potatoes a head start without effort. We’ve harvested potatoes that volunteered in a compost pile!

Growing potatoes in a planting bag filled with potting soil is rewarding and simple. Potato grow-bags have several advantages over conventional garden growing. They drain well, and they are easy to harvest.

Grow your Potatoes the Easy Way!

Prepare
Cut seed potatoes into chunks having at least two eyes each. Allow the pieces to be dry at least overnight or dust with sulfur. 

Fill the container about 1/3 full with a 50/50 mixture of Master Nursery Bumper Crop and either garden soil, or Master Nursery Potting Soil. Add Masters Tomato Vegetable Fertilizer or Master Start.

Plant
Plant one seed potato for every 3 gallons of fabric pot capacity. For the #10 container, for example, plant three to four seed potatoes. Place the seed potatoes evenly in the pot.

Water the soil thoroughly. It should be moist but not soggy.

Care
Soon, you will see little stems pop through the soil. Mound up more soil/compost mix, on the stem without covering the top set of leaves. The leaves need sun and air exposure.

As the potatoes continue growing, keep adding the soil/compost mix around the stem until you reach the top of the container.

In June, when the plants begin to bloom, you can harvest “new” or young potatoes. Or for larger more mature potatoes, wait until mid to late summer the potato leaves and stems will begin to turn yellow. Timing will vary somewhat depending on the potato variety.

When the foliage has died back, stop all watering about two weeks before harvest. The leaves and stems will turn almost all yellow. You are ready to harvest.

Harvest
Don’t use a spade or sharp instrument! Pull out all the stems and leaves, wearing gloves. Dig in and find your hidden potatoes or simply dump out the “potato bag”.

Store
Arrange potatoes in a single row for a day and allow to dry. Then brush off the soil. Store potatoes in a cool, dry area with ventilation. Do not store potatoes in the refrigerator!

Bag Care
Potato planting bags are reusable! Shake out any extra soil and allow the container to dry. Store in a dry location until you are ready to start again next spring.

Have you Tried Growing Potatoes?

Did you know that home grown potatoes taste different than store bought? They have amazing flavor and are so easy to grow! Potatoes grow under ground – it is fun to dig for buried treasure. The whole family will enjoy growing and eating home grown potatoes.

Normally arriving in January. Our first potatoes have arrived very early!

Potatoes are planted mid-February in a sunny location. Follow these simple instructions for success with this culinary favorite.

  • Sifra Potatoes are white potatoes with high moisture and low starch content which are excellent for boiling, salads, stews, or roasting. During boiling these potatoes keep their shape.
  • Prince of Orange Potatoes are a red-skinned dark yellow fleshed table potato, suitable for general use. Constance has a buttery taste and smooth texture making it ideal for mashing, boiling or baking.
  • Red La Soda Potato has a rosy skin and waxy white flesh which is tasty baked, boiled or fried. Red La Soda keeps well and withstands our heat and drought.
  • Russian Blue Potato is purple-blue inside and out with a delicious mild flavor.  The color remains – imagine purple potato salad.

Planting Tips

Storing Before Planting
Potatoes can be stored for months before eating or planting. If you are purchasing potatoes before planting time, store them in a cool, dry place. Keep the potatoes in a cardboard box or brown paper bag during their hibernation period. Keep in mind that they require ventilation, so do not stack or pile the potatoes too high. 

Preparing the Soil
Potatoes prefer a loose, well-drained soil. Our native soil is not ideal and must be amended. We recommend mixing at least 3″ of MASTER NURSERY BUMPER CROP into the top 6″-12″ of soil; you’ll need 3 bags for each 50 square feet of planting area. In addition, incorporate two pounds of MASTER NURSERY 0-10-10 to encourage root and stem growth and 2 pounds Iron Sulfate to neutralize the soil pH. Or plant your potatoes in fabric “potato bags”. Talk about an easy harvest – just dump them out. No digging required.

Choose “Certified Potatoes”
Our potatoes have been inspected to assure they are disease-free and are ready to be planted in your garden. Potatoes purchased from the supermarket have been treated with a sprouting retardant making them marginal for use in the garden. Choose from our improved selection which includes many of the popular new colored varieties.

Cut and Dry the Potatoes
Cut the potatoes into chunks 1 ½” square with at least two eyes. Spread them in a single layer (cut side up) and allow to air dry at least overnight. Cut surfaces should be dry to the touch. The air-dried cut pieces are less likely to rot in the cool, wet soil. Dusting with sulfur before planting will further decrease the chance of disease infection. If potatoes are small, simply plant the whole thing.

Plant
Form rows that are 4″ deep and 2′ apart. Set the seed potato pieces in rows, cut side down, 12″ – 18″ apart. Do not plant if the soil is very wet, but be sure to water thoroughly after planting. Or plant in our fabric bags with professional MASTER NURSERY POTTING SOIL and some EB STONE TOMATO AND VEGETABLE FOOD. Fabric bags are great to grow in, and harvesting is easy. In a bag pieces can be set about 4″ apart.

Hilling Up
The potatoes will form above, not below, the planted pieces. When the plants reach 5″ – 6″ tall, draw up loose soil (or a soil/straw mix) around the plants so that only 2″ of the stem is exposed. Hill soil up again in 2-3 weeks. Hilling up gives the potatoes a light soil to expand into as they grow.

Water & Feed
After growth begins, give the plants regular deep watering (once per week). Feed potatoes monthly with EB STONE TOMATO AND VEGETABLE FOOD, a balanced fertilizer. This along with the MASTER NURSERY 0-10-10 and Iron Sulfate incorporated at planting completes the nutritional requirements.

Harvest
Dig early or “new” potatoes when plant tops begin to flower (around June), dig mature potatoes when tops die down (late summer). Dig carefully to avoid bruising or cutting them. Store in a dark place at approximately 40 degrees.

What you will need:
  • Master Nursery Bumper Crop
  • EB Stone Tomato & Vegetable Food
  • Master Nursery 0-10-10
  • Iron Sulfate

Figs

pixdfig[1]Fig trees are among the easiest fruit trees that can be grown.  They grow happily in the ground and some varieties in containers (Black Jack or Violette de Bordeaux), making them perfect for all kinds of gardeners; they also look great with bold textured, tropical-like leaves spring through fall. They need to be planted in an area with good drainage where they will receive full sun, at least eight hours a day.

In the past, we brought fig trees into the nursery in January with the bare root fruit trees, but figs would prefer not to go through the trauma of bare root transplanting. We now have a very large assortment of fig trees grown in tall liner pots, which means they have undisturbed roots and they transplant very well.  All are self-fruitful and very water-wise when established and long-lived.

Fig Varieties

Black Jack
Large, purplish-brown figs with sweet, juicy, strawberry red flesh. Harvest August to October in Central California. Naturally small (semi-dwarf) tree. Suitable for planting in a large container, or in the ground planting.
Black Mission
The favorite. Purplish-black skin, strawberry – colored flesh, rich flavor. Heavy bearing, large tree. Coast or inland.
Brown Turkey
Large, brown skin, pink flesh. Sweet, rich flavor used fresh. Widely adapted – coast or inland climate. A small tree, prune to any shape.
Panache ‘Tiger’
Especially fine flavor! Small to medium sized fruit with green color and yellow “tiger” stripes. Strawberry pulp is blood red in color.

Pomegranates – Ornamental – Edible – Wholesome

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Pomegranates are now in stock, a delicious and juicy fruit as well as a beautiful water-saving landscape shrub or small tree. They are perfectly happy in our warm sunny climate, producing showy orange-red blooms in summer followed by beautiful bright red fruits that ripen in late fall. There are several varieties of Pomegranates to choose from including Wonderful, Pink Satin, and Eversweet.

pomegranate-small

Pomegranates are also healthy. The juice around the seeds is laden with antioxidants, very delicious and a delight to eat. Press fruit to juice. If you object to a mouthful of edible seeds remove the seeds through a strainer.  Pomegranates are great for jelly making.

All pomegranates are long-lived, self-fruitful and they are naturally water-wise; they can be grown in any well-drained soil. A look through the garden on a spring or summer day will seldom turn up a pest on a pomegranate. They are virtually pest and disease free.

Varieties

Eversweet
Very sweet, virtually seedless fruit. (Even immature fruits are sweet.) Red skin, clear (non-staining) juice. Harvest late summer through fall. Coast or inland. 8-10 ft arching shrub, train as tree or espalier. Large, showy, orange-red flowers.

Pink Satin
Medium to large size, medium pink to dark red fruit with medium to large, light-pink edible seeds. Wonderful refreshing light-colored juice is non-staining, with a sweet, fruit punch flavor. The plant is vigorous and can be grown as a shrub or tree and kept at any height by summer pruning. Eat fresh, juice or use in salads.

pomegranate-seeds

Wonderful
Large, purple-red fruit with delicious, tangy flavor. Best quality in hot inland climate. Red-orange bloom, ornamental foliage.

Parfianka
A large bright red high quality fruit from Turkmenistan. Arils are large and bright red with a small, soft edible seed. Sweet fruit with a hint of acidity.

Eve
A superb introduction from the University of California. Eve pomegranate has bright red fruits with dark red arils. The flavor is excellent and has been described to have hints of cherry.

Grenada
Grenada pomegranate is known for being darker in color and less tart than Wonderful. It also ripens about a month earlier than most pomegranates.

December Vegetable Guide

December Vegetables

Vegetable

Plant Time

Amount Family of Four

Special Notes

Plant Now
Asparagus January – February 30 – 40 plants Permanent, perennial. Pick up free planting guide. Bareroot after mid-November
Broccoli August – February 15 – 20 ft. row Can be planted more than once/year for a continuous harvest. From starts or seeds
Brussels Sprouts August – February 15 – 20 ft. row N/A From starts or seeds
Cabbage August – February 10 – 15 plants Suitable for a small garden if compact varieties are grown. From starts or seeds
Cabbage, Chinese August – February 10 – 15 ft. row Suitable for a small garden if compact varieties are grown. From starts or seeds
Carrots Year ’round 20 – 30 ft. row Suitable for a small garden if compact varieties are grown. Can be planted more than once/year for a continuous harvest. From Seeds
Cauliflower August – February 10 – 15 plants Tie leaves up and over head to protect from frosts. From starts or seeds
Celery August – February 20 – 30 ft. row Suitable for a small garden if compact varieties are grown. From starts or seeds
Chard August – February 3 – 4 plants Suitable for a small garden if compact varieties are grown. From starts or seeds
Chives Year ’round 1 clump Suitable for a small garden if compact varieties are grown. From Starts or Seeds
Endive August – February 10 – 15 ft. row N/A From Starts or Seeds
Garlic October – January 10 – 20 ft. row Suitable for a small garden if compact varieties are grown. Note: plant through EARLY January for best results From Bulbs
Kohlrabi August – November 10 – 15 ft. row Suitable for a small garden if compact varieties are grown. From Starts or Seeds
Leeks August – February 10 ft. row N/A From Starts or Seeds
Lettuce August – February 10 – 15 ft. row Suitable for a small garden if compact varieties are grown. Can be planted more than once/year for a continuous harvest. From Starts or Seeds
Mustard August – April 10 ft. row N/A From Starts or Seeds
Onions (bare root) November – December 60 plants Stockton red, white & yellow. Suitable for small garden. Plant 2″ apart, thin and use during the winter. Leave 6″-8″ between remaining plants. Harvest large hamburger slicers in June. Bundles
Onions (bulb) November – March 30 – 40 ft. row Suitable for a small garden if compact varieties are grown. Bulbs
Onions (green) August – December —- Suitable for a small garden if compact varieties are grown. Can be planted more than once/year for a continuous harvest. From Starts or Seeds
Parsley Year ’round 1 – 2 plants Suitable for a small garden if compact varieties are grown. From Starts or Seeds
Peas September – January 30 – 40 ft. row Suitable for a small garden if compact varieties are grown. Can be planted more than once/year for a continuous harvest. From Starts or Seeds
Radishes Year ’round 4 ft. row Suitable for a small garden if compact varieties are grown. Can be planted more than once/year for a continuous harvest. From Seed
Rhubarb December – February 2 – 3 plants Bare root in November – January, Canned in February – April and again in September and October. Bareroot from mid-November
Spinach September – January 10 – 20 ft. row Suitable for a small garden if compact varieties are grown. From Starts or Seeds
Strawberries June – September 12+ plants Bare root in late January/February – 6-Packs arriving in March. Bareroot after mid-December

Alternatives to the Traditional Christmas Tree

Consider a living tree to decorate this holiday season — Colorado and Alberta spruce are two great traditional choices.  If you want to be daring here are some fun alternatives:

  • Citrus already decorated with fruit
  • Japanese maple with stunning branches
  • Holly plant
  • A blooming Yuletide camellia whose bright red single flowers may well be decoration enough, or
  • A fruitless or fruiting olive
  • Bay Laurel makes a beautiful container plant. They can be trained to form a small tree, cone, or remain as a bush.
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Meyer Lemons

All of these possibilities would make great landscape plants at the season’s end. If there’s no room in your garden, consider donating your plant to the garden of a local school, park or church? What a great way to green our communities.

Here are some helpful hints to keep your living Christmas tree healthy and happy.

This is a hard one – try to minimize its indoor time. A week to ten days is a good maximum to be in the house. Choose a well-lit area away from the heat of a fireplace or furnace. Protect the floor with a cork trivet topped with a large saucer to catch the watering water. In between deep waterings water your plant with ice cubes that slowly melt (helpful hint: use a turkey baster to relieve excess water from the saucer after the plant has had an hour or so to absorb it).

Decorate with small lights and light-weight ornaments.

Herb Gardening in Winter

As the temperatures drop and the desire to garden remains high, cold hardy herbs can fill a need to grow something edible.  Herb gardening can be enjoyed in a kitchen window, a container on the deck or out in the garden bed, and they are perfect for Thanksgiving Stuffing, winter stews, salads and more. 

So take a few minutes and add herbs to the vegetable or kitchen garden. You‘ll find that their magic can add a savory taste to all your cooking!

chives Chives
This spiky plant looks like a cluster of onions. In late May, it is crowned with lavender flowers. Clip and chop handfuls of it to season salads, dressings, potato & egg dishes and soups. It is one of the most versatile kitchen herbs. You can flavor white vinegar with a few stems of this herb and enjoy it splashed over garden ripened tomatoes.
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Lavender
The addition of culinary grade English or French lavender in tiny amounts can jazz up dishes as diverse as grilled pork chops, to scones, cakes, and even candy.
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Mint
The flavor of mint is refreshing, cool and sweet, especially good in iced drinks and teas, with lamb or in salad dressings. Remember to grow mint in pots as it spreads rapidly by runners and will come up in the “living room” if left unimpeded. 
parsley150
Parsley
For a clean sharp and peppery taste, add to vegetables and salads as a garnish. Include in sauces, soups, stews, and stuffing. Special tips: Parsley is high in Vitamins A, C, and B.
rosemary150 Rosemary
Wonderful flavoring for chicken or any barbeque. Evergreen, woody shrub has aromatic foliage (It’s related to mint.) The flavor of rosemary is bold and piney.  Use it in pickles, jams, preserves, and sauces, as well as meats and soups. Special tips: Use a branch of rosemary as a basting brush at your next barbeque or put some on the coals for nice aroma. Plant in full sun.
sage150 Sage
Warm, slightly bitter, this flavor is a must for turkey stuffing, as well as pork, duck and sausage seasoning — special tips: Dried sage leaves are used as a substitute for coffee or tea.

Bare Root Onions

Bare root onions have arrived.  At the moment we have red (Burger), white (Castle), yellow (Merlin), Walla Walla & red torpedo onions.

Our supplier starts the onions from seed in August and carefully nurtures them along to the bare-root stage. We bundle them in packs of 30. Bare-root is the preferred method of planting for many long-time gardeners.

Onions grow best during cool weather and are usually planted in the fall in California for late spring harvest. Plant in rows 1 to 2 feet apart in a moist seedbed, in full sun. Bare root seedlings should be planted 1 inch deep and 6″ apart.

Use our Recipe for Good Garden Soil and then get ready to plant.

Thanksgiving Pie Pre-Orders

Thursday, November 16th is the last day to order by 3:00 pm!

We are bringing in The Pie Company Pies!

ORDER by 3:00 pm Thursday, November 16th for pickup Wednesday, November 22nd (we are closed on Thanksgiving)

Your choice of ready-to-serve Apple, Dutch Apple (Crumb Topping), Mixed Berry, Peach Cobbler (Crumb Topping), Pumpkin or Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie.

These 10″ pies are available fresh (ready-to-serve) or frozen and available by pre-order only. The cost is $18.95 per pie.

All pie orders must be placed by Thursday, November 16th at 3:00 p.m. 

Pies are available for pick up on Wednesday, November 22nd between 9:00 and 5:00 pm. We are closed on Thursday for Thanksgiving! These pies will be available by pre-paid orders only. 

Call 925 447-0280

Ordering Closes at 3:00 on November 16th

Stews are Better with Home Grown Winter Vegetables

winterstew[1]As the days shorten and the earth cools it becomes the perfect time for planting a garden for fall and winter vegetables.

In California, vegetable gardening doesn’t stop with the fall harvest. There are many varieties of vegetables that do best in cool weather. Lettuce, cabbages, root vegetables such as carrots, radishes and beets are a few of them. It’s also an ideal time to start a winter hardy herb garden. The cooler temperatures will allow the herbs to be firmly established by the warmer days of spring. Herbs also do well in containers or planted along walkways where their fragrance is released as someone brushes against them.

Remember, a garden started now means fresh vegetables for winter stews and garden salads as well as herbal seasonings all year round.

If you haven’t planted your winter vegetables yet, this would be a good time. The vegetable starts are here now with fresh shipments arriving weekly. Use our Recipe for Good Garden Soil and then get ready to plant.

Fresh carrots, onions, cabbage will all taste great in winter stews and casseroles. Come in and choose now. We have Kale, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Chard, Cabbage,  Parsley, Spinach, Herbs, Lettuce and much more from seeds or starts, and we have Garlic and Onions from bulbs.