While I am full of enthusiasm for my year-round garden, my methods have been extremely haphazard. I've done lots of reading and research, and I am constantly experimenting and trying new ways of doing things, but my results are often anything but extraordinary. In fact, I'd say I have about a 50% return on my planting investment. What a waste of time and resources! Clearly, this needs to change, or I risk my enthusiasm plummeting down, down, down, to discouragement.
So, I've been scouring the local land-use college archives, trying to find a guide for planting in my part of our county. Though I've found planting lists for other states and climates, I've never found a comprehensive list for MY area. Zone 9b. Inland Northern California. After several days of digging around in the UC Davis archives (and the Master Gardener program for this area), I've got some guidelines. Hooray! And while I'll need to tweak a few things for our in-the-valley-of-Mt.Diablo-area, this is pretty much how I'm going to roll in 2017.
I've made a handy-dandy printable, both for you and for me (for those of you who live here). Just click on it and you'll be able to print it out. Every month I'll link the appropriate list (just wait until you see May!). Together we can work to increase our harvest odds.
In between rainstorms, I've been hiking and walking a lot, missing my friend Joe. But this weekend I intend to start on this January checklist! I'm ordering the last few seeds I need, now. And consider that your reminder, too! The season is almost upon us!
