Are these plants ‘organic’?  Yes, as of January of 2008 our operation has been certified organic by CCOF, one of the first organizations to certify organic growers in the United States.  We are also pleased to say that our growing practices did not need to change – so whenever you purchased plants from us, you were getting healthy plant stock grown with the utmost care.

Will this plant grow in this container?  You should buy seedlings when you are ready to take them home and transplant them within the week.  For some of the delicate seedlings, you may need to transplant them within a day or two.  We use a soil less mix that holds water well but does not provide any nutritional support, so if you must wait a week or more, you should plan on providing at least one gentle feeding in between times. 

How often do I water this?  It is our experience that most failure with vegetable plants and especially with Mediterranean herbs comes from over watering rather than under watering. The same plant in clay container on a windy or sunny deck will need to be watered far more often that one in the ground in a fully planted garden.  The quality of your soil, the amount of sun or shade, the type of container, the amount of wind, whether the plant is in the flowering or fruiting stage, all these conditions affect the amount of water needed.  If you think your plants are too wet, withhold water for 48 hours and see if they improve. 

Will this plant grow in the shade?  Some of the plants we offer tolerate shade but few prefer it.  Six hours of sun each day is considered full sun.  Six hours of early morning sun is not as effective as six hours of mid-day sun. If a plant is not receiving as much sun as it needs, it will become leggy, lose color, and become stressed which, in turn, attracts aphids and other pests. 

Will this grow in a container?  It is amazing how many vegetable plants produce well in containers.  And most all the herbs do.  We recommend a book called “The Bountiful Container” by McGee & Stuckey.  All of your questions will be answered about container growing vegetables and herbs.

Can I grow this vegetable or herb plant in the house?  Probably not unless you live in a greenhouse or have a sunroom.  Most plants need much more light than most rooms in houses and apartments.  Air circulation is also a critical factor in keeping plants healthy.  Look around, though, you may find a south facing window that opens onto a ledge appropriate to containers, or a deck or porch that you hadn’t thought about. 

Why am I such a failure with cilantro?  You aren’t.  Cilantro doesn’t transplant well and grows almost too fast for most home gardeners (market growers seed some each week of the season to assure a continuous harvest.)  Think about some alternatives like arugula, Vietnamese coriander (perennial) or buy it each week from the farmers’ market.

Do you have carrots?  Carrots need to be grown directly from seed in order for them to develop a deep edible root.  Some gardeners have had success transplanting them, but the ones we have tried were bent.

How do you use this plant medicinally?  We don’t know.  We are just gardeners.  There are lots of herb sites on the internet with information on how to use the various parts of these plants for health.  But please, see a practitioner before you eat these or any herbs for health reasons.

Do you have a store?  We continue to sell our plants and herb boxes at farmers’ markets throughout the Central Coast region.  In March, 2008 we opened a retail outlet in Moss Landing as a way of serving our customers in the Castroville, Prunedale, Watsonville and North Salinas areas.  The vender stand is located on Highway 1 at the Whole Enchilada Market and is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 AM to dusk.

How much do these plants cost?  Our annual vegetables start at $2 each and perennial herbs start at $3.  Plants in larger 5 inch containers start at $5 regardless of their life cycle.  We occasionally have plants on sale for $1 each.  Window boxes and salad bowls start at $15 and go up to $50. 

Do you ship plants?  At the current time, we only sell our seedlings, plants and window boxes directly to customers at the farmers markets in our community. 

How can I learn more about vegetable and herb gardening.  The first and best way is to just dive in and experiment.  Talk to gardeners and visit community gardens to see how they grow their vegetables and herbs.  There are also a number of books and catalogs we recommend.  They are:

The Square Foot Gardener by Mel Bartholomew
A new system for laying out, planting, and maintaining a productive, attractive garden in a small amount of space.
Golden Gate Gardening by Pam Peirce
The complete guide to year-round food gardening in the San Francisco Bay Area and Coastal California
The Bountiful Container by McGee & Stuckey
Create container gardens of vegetables, herbs, fruits, and edible flowers.
The Big Book of Herbs by Tucker & DeBaggio
A comprehensive illustrated reference to herbs of flavor & fragrance
Heirloom Vegetable Gardening by William Woys Weaver
A master gardener’s guide to planting, seed saving and cultural history
100 Heirlom Tomatoes for the American Garden by Carolyn J. Male
Johnny’s Selected Seeds Commercial Catalog – www.Johnyseeds.com
Territorial Seed Catalog – www.territorialseed.com
Seeds of Change Catalog- www.seedsofchange.com
Seed Savers Exchange Catalog – www.seedsavers.org
Kitazawa Seed Company Catalog – www.kitazawaseed.com
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds – www.RareSeeds.com