By Paul Bacigalupi, U. C. Master Gardener - May, 2003
Inspiration comes from many places. For me, it was gardening
with my grandfather. Each year he would plant Roma and Baciccia beans, Swiss
chard, red potatoes, basil, tomatoes and more in his backyard. He planted
everything from seed, and I couldn't wait until the plants started pushing
up from the soil.
My own yard developed slowly. First I planted a variety of fruit
trees, some—such as quince and pomegranate—more ornamental than
others. I chose varieties with successive harvest times so that all the fruit
wouldn't ripen at once. For example, my apples ripen in the following
order: Gravenstein, Fuji, Granny Smith, Enterprise, Belle de Boskoop, Jonagold
and Karmijn de Sonnaville. I also spaced out fruit production in pears, apricots,
peaches, cherries, plums, nectarines, figs and citrus.
Around the borders of the yard, I have artichokes, elderberries,
currants, raspberries, marionberries, loganberries and kiwis on trellises.
Chamomile and borage grow freely, inviting the bees I need for pollination.
The center of the yard is planted to table grapes such as Heavenly Blue, Venus,
Vanessa, Thompson and Interlaken.
But the best part of the yard is the vegetables. Year round,
I grow mostly Italian or Mediterranean varieties from seed. Growing from seed
allows you to try heirloom or unusual varieties that nurseries don't
carry. I am constantly trying new varieties along with my old-time favorites.
This year, I am growing five types of zucchini: Gregzini (from
Modena Seed Company in San Francisco), Cristoforo (from The Cook's Garden),
Cocozelle (from Nichols Garden Nursery), and two from Italy. All are doing
well, but my favorite is Gregzini.
Beans do well in Napa. I have planted Cannellini and Borlotti,
both great for drying and using in soups. Roma, Dragon Tongue and Baciccia
are good for eating fresh. This year I'm trying two climbers, Anellino
and Trionfo from Italy.
Salad greens are also standard fare in my garden. I plant small
batches of seed continuously through the year so that I always have fresh
greens: endive, radicchio, chicory, arugula, dandelion and many types of lettuce.
When fall arrives, winter crops replace summer ones. Broccoli,
kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and fava beans are my usual choices.
When I was young, I bought my seeds in bulk from seed companies
in San Francisco, but most of those companies have now moved or gone out of
business. (Modena Seed is an exception, specializing in flower and vegetable
seeds.) Now I favor catalogues from the Pacific Northwest, such as Nichols,
Territorial and Raintree. Most of their seeds are compatible with our climate.
I find gardening rewarding and relaxing. At times, I still feel
like the little boy walking down the rows with his grandfather, waiting for
the seeds to pop through the soil.