Food Growing And Gardening

Check out our information sheets on how to plant, grow, maintain and harvest common vegetables, fruits, herbs and nuts grown in Marin. We also list our favorite varieties that are best suited for local microclimates.

Start your seeds 6 to 8 weeks before you plan to transplant them into the garden. Peppers grow best when the soil is warmed and daytime temperatures are regularly over 75ºF, typically late April or May in Santa Clara County. Temperatures below 50º–55ºF cause flowers to abort or the fruits to be misshapen.

Transplant: May–June, possibly late April For best results, wait until daytime temperatures are regularly over 75°F Start in pots for transplants: February–April; ready to transplant in 8 weeks

Transplant: February–April, September–October (possibly November) Direct seed: March–April (possibly February), September–October (possibly November) If growing from seed for transplants, allow 4 weeks to be ready. Harvest spinach as soon as the leaves are large enough to use.

A 4-H project is a hands-on way for you to find your "spark" - something that you enjoy doing and that interests you.

Tom Swinnen, Pexels Fruit trees need suitable climates, well-drained soil, proper planting, and maintenance throughout the season. It takes some planning and work to get them established, but once you do it's a joy to pick fruit fresh from the garden. Here's how to create your very own home orchard.

Our annual Spring Garden Fair is held at our Martial Cottle Park Demonstration Garden in San Jose. You can shop our plant sale, stroll through our gardens, attend a talk, and bring your plant, soil, pest, and tool questions to our Information tables.

Lettuce is usually grown as a cool-season crop in Santa Clara County. If grown in the summer, it's recommended to plant where it will get shade from other crops or trees and to select temperature tolerant, slow bolting, varieties. It's a shallow-rooted plant which requires frequent watering when there's no…

There are two types of fennel: Florence fennel, also called bulbing fennel: grown primarily for the bulb-like base of the stalks which is eaten as a vegetable. Leaves and seeds can also be harvested. Common and bronze fennel: grown just for the seeds or foliage (they do not form succulent bulbs), but are…

View our calendars for recommended times to start seeds and plant vegetables and herbs in Marin.