Sweet Anticipation: Strawberries
Right now, when frosty mornings are still to be expected, gardeners need to exercise a little patience before thinking about spring planting, even here in the temperate Bay Area. But if you’re already having sweet dreams of strawberries and cream, it’s not too soon to plan your planting: we have our bare root plants and […]
These humble crops will keep you covered
In our mild Bay Area climate, mid-winter can often seem like spring. There are still some important planting tasks at this time of year that you should consider, which will benefit your garden year-round, including planting cover crops. Cover crops are plants whose primary use is improving the soil, rather than as a food source. […]
Foraging for Your Thanksgiving Tablescape
https://youtu.be/ZA5wAwPlqVI Learn how to select and arrange materials from your back yard to create a festive centerpiece that celebrates the beauty of the seaon. Steven Schwager collects fruits, vegetables, grasses, berries, and flowers to form a delighteful arrangement to adorn your holiday table.
Planning & Planting Winter Veggies
https://youtu.be/npmZnPhN56s Worried that cooling temperatures spell the end of your vegetable garden? Don’t despair, there are plenty of choices to keep you hauling in harvests even though the days are short. Garden Manager Steven Schwager walks you through the process of selecting, planning, and planting these crops, from garlic to leeks to fava beans. Trade […]
Just add Buzz: Providing for Pollinators
Creating an inviting environment to attract pollinators is a surefire way to ensure you’re getting the maximum yield in your vegetable garden. Honeybees are only the most familiar member of the huge family of bees and wasps, there are many others that play an essential role in pollination. While for many of us, it doesn’t […]
To Pull or Not to Pull?
Fava beans are among spring’s culinary treasures. But they’re also a great way to improve your soil. Many people plant fava beans in the cool winter months here in the Bay Area when they thrive. Since they possess the capacity to fix nitrogen into the soil (through a symbiotic relationship with Rhizobium bacteria), favas are […]
Kitchen Scrap Gardening
If you’re finding yourself doing some accidental homesteading now that you’re Sheltering in Place, you’re not alone! Many of us are baking bread, getting out in the garden, and finding other ways to stay home and stay occupied in this unusual time. Since we’re lucky to live in a climate when spring arrives early, you […]
A Peck of Peppers for your Paprikash
Whether by chance or by design, MAGC’s Edible Garden boasts a particularly Hungarian-themed pepper crop this year. Our Garden Manager, Steven Schwager, has Hungarian ancestry, which may have played a part in the selection process; however the choice was made, the plants are thriving. Peppers’ spicy heat comes from a chemical called capsaicin, and pepper […]
The Garden School Gets Cooking from the Edible Garden
Our on-site preschool is called the Garden School for a reason: the children spend time out on the grounds almost every day, exploring and discovering the natural world. This fall, they have been helping with the harvest in the Edible Garden, and helping others as well. In September, the preschool students trekked over to the […]
Spring Greens
These early spring days are ideal for growing leafy green crops, which thrive in our Edible Garden. We’ve had to do more watering this year since rainfall has been below average, but the tender lettuces, hardier kales, and leafier herbs are all flourishing this time of year. We have harvested broccoli, lettuce greens, arugula, and […]
