Growing Blackberries in Containers: Compact Varieties & Care Tips
No yard? No problem. Compact blackberry varieties thrive in containers, producing full-sized berries in small spaces. Here's everything you need to know about growing blackberries in pots.
Starting Peppers from Seed in Santa Cruz County: Access Better Varieties
Starting peppers from seed gives you access to the varieties that actually thrive in Santa Cruz County's cool climate, not just the standard bells that struggle in fog. The process requires patience and a heat mat, but rewards you with stronger plants and far better variety selection than nursery transplants offer.
How to Overwinter Carrots in Santa Cruz County: Your Guide to Sweet, Year-Round Harvests
Learn to overwinter carrots in Santa Cruz County for sweeter, year-round harvests. Planting times, best varieties, and winter protection tips for local gardeners.
How to Prune and Trellis Blackberries: A Step-by-Step Guide
Proper pruning and trellising transforms blackberry patches from tangled messes into productive, easy-to-harvest plants. Learn the techniques that work for erect, semi-erect, and trailing varieties.
Best Blackberry Varieties for Santa Cruz County Gardens
From thornless Triple Crown to ultra-sweet Ponca, find the perfect blackberry varieties for your Santa Cruz garden. Includes flavor profiles, harvest windows, and growing tips.
Growing Strawberries: In the Ground vs. Raised Beds vs. Containers
Strawberries grow in almost any setup: directly in the ground, in raised beds, or in containers on a patio. Each method has tradeoffs around drainage, maintenance, production, and cost. This guide compares all three approaches to help Santa Cruz County gardeners choose the best option for their space, soil, and goals.
Determinate vs. Indeterminate Tomatoes: Which to Grow in Santa Cruz County
Understand the difference between determinate and indeterminate tomatoes. Which type is best for Santa Cruz County's coastal climate and your garden goals?
Tomato Problems and How to Fix Them: A Santa Cruz Troubleshooting Guide
Troubleshoot common tomato problems in Santa Cruz County: blossom end rot, cracking, blossom drop, leaf diseases, and pests. Local causes and practical fixes.
Growing Malabar Spinach in Santa Cruz County: Summer Greens When Spinach Bolts
Malabar spinach thrives in summer heat when regular spinach bolts. This vigorous climbing vine produces abundant, nutritious leaves perfect for stir-fries, soups, and fresh eating all season.
Growing Blackberries in Santa Cruz County: A Complete Guide
Blackberries thrive in Santa Cruz County's mild coastal climate. This complete guide covers variety selection, planting, trellising, and care for abundant harvests in your backyard.
Strawberry Troubleshooting Guide
Diagnose and fix the most common strawberry problems in Santa Cruz County, from plants that won't fruit to pest damage and disease.
Dry-Farmed Tomatoes in Santa Cruz: Growing Intense Flavor with Less Water
Dry-farmed tomatoes produce intense, concentrated flavor by relying on stored soil moisture rather than irrigation. Learn which Santa Cruz microclimates can support this water-wise technique.
Edible Flowers: Growing and Using Flowers in Your Kitchen
Learn to grow edible flowers in Santa Cruz County. Complete guide to nasturtiums, calendula, borage, and more, with growing tips, harvest timing, and culinary uses.
Why Your Peppers Won't Turn Red in Santa Cruz County
Your peppers reached full size weeks ago but refuse to change color. They're sitting on the plant, stubbornly green, while you wait for the red, yellow, or orange you expected. In Santa Cruz County's cool climate, this is one of the most common frustrations pepper growers face.
Blueberry Problems in California: Yellow Leaves, No Fruit, and Other Issues
Diagnose and fix common blueberry problems in California: yellow leaves, no fruit, leaf browning, pests, and diseases. Solutions for Santa Cruz County gardeners.
Watering Tomatoes in Santa Cruz County: How Much, How Often, and Common Mistakes
Learn how to water tomatoes properly in Santa Cruz County. Deep watering techniques, signs of problems, and tips for coastal vs. inland microclimates.
Acidifying Soil for Blueberries in California: A Step-by-Step Guide
How to acidify soil for blueberries in California. Sulfur application rates, water pH management, and ongoing maintenance for healthy, productive plants.
Tomato trellising techniques in your California Garden
Trellising lifts your tomatoes off the ground, reducing rot, fewer pests, and better air circulation. It's more than keeping your garden tidy; it's about providing your tomatoes with what they need to thrive. This guide covers stake and weave, tomato cages, trellis nets, and DIY options, plus tips for training plants to climb and maintaining support throughout the season.
Growing Parsley in Santa Cruz: The Two-Year Herb That Outperforms
Parsley is the most underrated herb in the garden. While basil and cilantro get all the attention, parsley quietly produces for two full years, tolerates our foggy coastal conditions beautifully, and adds depth to nearly every savory dish. Here's how to grow both flat-leaf and curly varieties in Santa Cruz County.