Now that summer’s heat has Fresno gardens looking a little worse for the wear, it’s time to think about the vegetables you’ll cultivate when days grow shorter and mornings are crisp and cool. A great source of inspiration will be Fresno County Master Gardener Gwen Olshove’s free presentation on cool season vegetables from 10 a.m. to 12 noon Saturday, Aug. 8, at the Woodward Park Library.
Growing vegetables in the cool season may not be as popular as spring gardening, but it has many advantages. The food value of cool season vegetables is usually higher per pound because the edible parts of the plants are vegetative – roots, stems, leaves or immature flowers – rather than the fruit. Cool season vegetables are also easier to grow. “You don’t have to worry so much about sunburn, irrigation and weeds,” Olshove said.
She and her husband have grown vegetables for 50 years, starting with one tomato “bush” (with few tomatoes and abundant greenery) and leading over time to their current 300-feet of vegetable beds that produce food year-round on their property near Academy.
“Home grown fruit and vegetables are so much better tasting than the food at the grocery store,” Olshove said. “Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, spinach, beets: It’s amazing the difference.”
During her class, Olshove will draw on her extensive experience to recommend Fresno-area resources for vegetable production, such as budget-conscious compost, vegetable transplants, and a unique seed starting system that doesn’t require expensive equipment. “All you need is a south-facing window,” she said.
She will share tips and tricks she’s learned for building soil health, garden design, pest management, fertilization and, importantly, how to keep vegetable gardening fun and interesting year after year.
“I always advise experimenting with something new,” Olshove said. At a local retailer she found Di Cicco broccoli transplants, a mild and sweet heirloom variety with an extended harvest period. Crinkly, ruffled Savoy cabbage transplants also made it into her garden. A few years ago, she discovered Armenian cucumbers and won first and second place for Armenian pickles she entered in the Fresno Fair's food preservation competition.
“It’s amazing when you grow your own vegetables. You’re forced to use them in creative ways. It reaches over into your cooking practices.” In her case, it even prompted creation of a cooking club, a ready group of friends who are happy to share in her garden’s bounty.
- For Saturday’s class, download, print and bring to class the Master Gardeners’ Vegetable Planning Guide (PDF).
- Find all the upcoming Fresno County UC Master Gardener classes here.
- Click to reserve your spot at Fresno Master Gardeners' free classes, including the Aug. 8 Cool Season Vegetables class at the Woodward Park Library, 944 E. Perrin Ave., Fresno.
Top photo: Healthy Savoy cabbage grown by Master Gardener Gwen Olshove.
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Written by UC Master Gardener Jeannette Warnert