Island Seed & Feed

Garlic is a staple in kitchens, and of cuisines all the world over.   Long used both for its medicinal value and its ability to wake up any tired dish, garlic has been raised and traded by indigenous people for all 6000 years of life on this spaceship that we call earth.  Garlic, like the rest of the members of the Allium family (leeks, onions, and shallots), can grow in a wide range of soil conditions, but are at their happiest when they are planted into a soil that is richly composted and fertilized, well-drained, kept moist, and cultivated to keep out any competition from other plants such as weeds and grasses.

Garlic grows a shallow root system, so be careful when digging around the plants. A prepared garden bed that is in a full sun location is ideal.   Garlic can be planted here on the south coast from mid-September through early March.   When you are getting ready to plant, break the bulb into its individual cloves, and set aside the largest for your garden while using the smallest in your kitchen for cooking purposes. When planting, use the larger cloves, this will both yield the largest possible bulbs at harvest time and maximize your garden space.  Plant the cloves root side down with the tops of the cloves being 1” deep.  Gently cover the cloves with soil and then top with 1-2” of rich compost, animal manure, or mulch.  This topper will keep the soil evenly moist, suppress a lot of weed growth, and gradually feed the developing bulbs during their growing season.  While the plants are growing, keep the soil moist, as you would for any leafy green like lettuce or spinach, and do not hesitate to throw a new layer of compost on top of, and around, the growing bulbs.  Hard neck varieties grow a tall, woody, flowering stalk that usually produces little bulblets at its top.  If the plant is allowed to put its energy into these seeds, the bulb that is developing in the ground will end up being smaller, so we recommend cutting off the flower spike when it is around 9” tall.

When harvesting garlic, it is important to pay attention, because there is a definite window in which you will have the best results.  If dug too soon, the new bulbs will not have had time to form their protective skins, and as a result will bruise easily and not store well.  Observing your plants and watching the changes that they are going through will help you make an informed decision on when to harvest.  As the bulbs mature, the leaves will begin to brown and die back.  When there are still 5-6 green leaves remaining on the plant, we dig up a trial bulb and check it out.  What we look for is to see that the bulb has developed to a nice size and has a suitable buildup of protective papery wrappers around it.  If left in the ground for too long, hard neck varieties will begin to separate and grow new plants.  If you have decided that it is time to harvest, dig the plants up carefully.  We recommend using a digging fork to gently break the soil apart.  Then lift the garlics out of the ground while being careful not to tug too hard and break the stalks off of the bulbs.  Next, brush off the soil from around the roots and bulb and its root, still being careful not to bruise the garlics, as this will greatly shorten their storage time.

Drying is the essential part of curing the bulbs, so do not use water to wash them off.   Immediately move the newly harvested and cleaned garlic out of direct sunlight.  There are different ways to cure your garlic, but the most important consideration is air circulation.  You will want the curing bulbs to be drying evenly in a dark, cool place.  Some growers tie 6-10 garlic plants together and hang them up.  Others will spread out the plants to be cured on screens, drying racks or slatted shelves.  Garlic stores longer if it is cured with its leaves or stalks attached.   The plants should be left to cure from 3 weeks to 2 months, depending on the humidity and air circulation.  After thoroughly drying your garlic, trim off the roots and cut the stalks 1 1/2” above the bulb, after which you can store them in a net bag or an old onion sack.  If you have chosen to cure your garlic in bunches, you can hang them in a pantry or other convenient, cool location and use as needed.   Soft neck varieties can be braided and hung.

There are two distinct sub-species into which all modern garlic fall, these are Hard-neck varieties which produce a flower stalk and Soft-neck varieties which usually do not.   These two sub-species can are then broken down into the five main groups of garlic: Rocambole, Standard Purple Stripe, Porcelain, Artichoke, and Silverskin.

ROCAMBOLE (hardneck)-These are the most popular and widely grown of the hardneck garlics.  Rocamboles produce large cloves that have a deep, full-bodied flavor and are easy to peel, which makes them a favorite of chefs.  However, due to their loose skins, these have a shorter storage life than most other varieties.  Longer storage is possible if the bulbs are well grown and well cured before storage.  Rocambole cloves are usually rounded and blunt at the tip.  Most strains average 6-11 cloves in a single circle around he stem.  One pound of seed garlic will yield about 60 plants.(This varies widely) Clove colors range from brown to tan.

STANDARD PURPLE STRIPE (hardneck)- A variety named because of the bright purple streaks and blotches on both the bulb wrappers and the clove skins. These are regarded as the most attractive garlics and usually win “Best Baked Garlic” awards at fairs and cook-offs.  Most strains have 8-12 cloves per bulb, are longer and are crescent shaped.  This variety will store slightly longer than rocambole.  One pound of seed garlic will produce approximately 60 plants.  This is an attractive ornamental garden plant.

PORCELAIN (hardneck)- This is a variety that has been coming into its own lately.  In the past few years gardeners and gourmets alike have been turning others onto this large, easy to peel, long storing, flavorful garlic variety.

ARTICHOKE (softneck)- This is a very vigorous and large-bulbed garlic variety.  The plants are shorter than hardneck varieties and have a wider growth habit.  Artichokes are named for their pattern of overlapping cloves, reminiscent of the true artichoke.  Many Artichoke strains have 3-5 clove layers, containing 12-20 total cloves.  Outer cloves are fat and round, but irregular in shape, often with three flat sides and a paper tail at the tip.  Many Artichokes have a mild flavor, which makes them attractive to those who eat their garlic raw, for health reasons.  Clove skins adhere tightly to the garlic, one reason for their long storage life. One pound will yield approximately 80 plants.

SILVERSKIN (softneck)- This is the variety that is most often found on the shelf at the market due to its very long storage life.  They are also the highest yielding variety and do well in a wide range of climates. Bulb wrappers are fine and smooth, usually all white.  Three clove layers are common, total cloves per bulb will vary from 12-20.  One pound of seed will yield approximately 90 plants.  Outer cloves are usually flat and wide, while inner cloves are tall, narrow and concave.  Silverskins have long been the favorite of braiders because of their smooth shiny skin and symmetrical shape.  These are the last garlics harvested and may lodge (fall over) a week or more before harvest due to their weak necks.

Soft Neck Types

Inchelium Red (Artichoke group)- From Inchelium, WA, on the Colville Indian Reservation.  These bulbs are large, 3+ inches in diameter, and produce 8-20 cloves of good size.  Mild, but lasting flavor, with a hint of hot.  The dense cloves make for an excellent keeper, and the flavor has been known to become stronger during storage.  This hardy variety won a Rodale taste test of 20 garlic strains and was named “Very best of the Soft Necks.”

Early Italian Purple (Artichoke Group)- The bulb is large and white-skinned with purple stripes and numerous small cloves.  This vigorous plant is well adapted to our California coastal climate and is widely grown around Gilroy, the “Garlic Capital of the World.”

Italian Late (Silverskin group)- The bulbs of this variety are typically fat and round, and covered with an extra-tight, light colored skin that makes for an excellent keeper.  Italian Late garlic takes longer to mature than the Early Italian Purple variety and produces bulbs that are smaller as well.  This variety is good for braiding.

Nootka Rose (Silverskin group)- This is a heirloom garlic from the San Juan Islands in Washington state and produces a medium to large bulb with 15-20 cloves that are streaked with red and mahogany.  In rich soil, the cloves can lose their rosy hue.  The flavor is strong and the bulbs are sought after for braiding.

Silver Rose (Silverskin group)- This is a fast growing vareiety that produces rose-colored cloves that are wrapped inside of smooth, bright-white skins.  Silver Rose garlic does beautifully in braids and is one of the longest keepers that we provide.  There are 12-15 cloves per head.  Popular with growers in the Southwestern US.

Hard Neck Types

German Porcelain (Porcelain group)- Grows a very large bulb containing 4-5 very large, easy-to-peel cloves. This variety is #1 in taste, and stores well for a hard neck.  The white wrappers or skins have delicate purple stripes.  Does well in any climate.

German Red (Rocambole group)- Large bright purple bulb contains 8-12, easy-to-peel, round cloves that are light brown in color with some tinges of purple at their base.  Flavor is strong, hot, and spicy.  This variety keeps moderately well when properly cured and stored.  Can be grown well in our mild climate, however, develops better size and quality where the winters are cold.

Passion fruits are the rounded, to oval, tart and tangy fruits that are borne on vigorous growing, evergreen vines that can grow 15-20 feet per year. While these are fast growers, passion vines are short-lived plants, usually living for only 5-7 years.   The leaves are 3-lobed, deep green and glossy on top and are paler and dull on the undersides.   They can grow 3-8” long and may yellow and fall off during the winter months.  Flowering occurs during the spring and summer months and the display can be dramatic.  Single flowers, 2-3” wide are formed in each node, along the length, of the years new growth.   The unique, frilly flowers are quite attractive.   Fruits are ripe 70-80 days after pollination occurs.   Plant your passion vine in a full sun location, and allow it to run on a fence or strong trellis.  It is also possible to train your vine to cover an arbor or similar structure.   Passion vines can grow in a wide variety of soil conditions, but prefer a sandy loam that has excellent drainage.  If the roots and the crown are kept in wet conditions, they are known to rot and die.  A rich soil with plenty of organic matter and a pH of 6.5 to 7.5 is nice.  When you are ready to plant your vine, dig a hole that is both 18’ deep and wide.  Into the bottom of this hole, add 2 heaping handfuls of compost, 3 cups each of landscape mix and worm castings, and two cups of azomite.   Mix the above ingredients with several handfuls of soil and then place the vine down into the hole and fill the dirt back in around it.  With every 4” of soil that you add back into the hole, mix in one cup each of compost, landscape mix and worm castings.  Once the hole has been completely refilled and the soil gently packed down around the vine, add a 2-3” layer of mulch in a 4 foot circle around the newly planted vine.  This will help to keep the shallow root system cool and well fed with nutrients during the year.

These are fruiting trees that are native to China and have been gradually introduced into our area over the last 120 years.  The trees are handsome, densely foliated, and fairly slow growing, typically reaching a height of 15 feet, here in Southern California.   Lychees need a full sun location and a well-drained soil that is rich in organic content.  Once established, a mature tree can be hardy down to 25F, while the younger trees will need to have some protection from heat, frost and high winds.  Flowering occurs in the late spring, as tiny petal-less, yellow-green flowers are produced in clusters that can grow to be 30 inches long.  The fruit ripen over the next 140 days and are 1” around, pink to strawberry–red in color and are covered with a roughly textured skin.  The edible flesh is sweet, firm and juicy, and is a translucent white color.  When you are ready to plant your lychee tree, dig a hole that is at least 24” deep and 18” wide.  Add 6 inches of soil back into the hole and then incorporate 2 heaping handfuls of compost, 6 cups each of landscape mix and worm castings and two cups of azomite into the loose soil.  Place the root ball of the tree down into the hole and add the remaining soil back around it, all the while sprinkling handfuls of compost, landscape mix and worm castings into the hole as you go.  Once planted, lay a thick layer of organic mulch onto the soil surface, under the trees drip line.  Due to the relatively weak root system of the lychee, you will need to stake the tree up for a couple of years until the roots are strong enough to hold the tree on their own. We recommend using two or three poles that are set into the ground at least 18” away from the trunk.  Using one pole that is driven in close to the trunk might break off the delicate root ball.  In the years that follow, fertilize your lychee in the spring and again in mid-summer by working 6 cups of both landscape mix and worm castings into the top 2 inches of soil at each feeding.   Water your tree so that the soil is kept moist, but is not water logged.  The thick layer of mulch is helpful for keeping the soil moisture level high. 

Grapes can be a great addition to your garden.  These deciduous vines provide fruit, wine and shade.  Grapes can be planted on fences, trellises and arbors and will grow just fine in a wide range of soil types, as long as there is adequate soil moisture.  Although not ideally suited for our coastal conditions, it is possible to grow both table, and wine grapes here in Southern California.  Your most important decision is choosing a variety or varieties that are suited for your local region.  Consult with a local grower or knowledgeable nurseryman who is familiar with your area.  Once you have chosen appropriate varieties, plant your new grapes 6-10 feet apart, or singularly, and allow them to climb up onto a structure of some sort for support.   Dig a hole 18” deep and 12” around.  Into the soil at the bottom of this hole, mix two heaping handfuls of compost, 5 cups each of landscape mix and worm castings and 2 cups of azomite.   Once thoroughly mixed, place the root ball of the grape down into the hole and fill the soil back in around it.  As you are backfilling the soil, mix in an additional two heaping handfuls of compost, 3 cups of both landscape mix and worm castings and one more cup of azomite.   In subsequent years, fertilize your grapes by adding 6 cups each of landscape mix and worm castings into the soil around the base of the vines in the spring as the canes are beginning to bud out.  An additional feeding of the same quantities can be done around the first of July.   After each feeding, make sure that the ground under your vines is properly mulched.  An animal manure mulch can be applied with the first feeding in the spring, and then a low nitrogen mulch such as a simple leaf litter can be used later in the season.   Your vines will benefit from a yearly pruning, this is typically done in the late fall once all of the leaves have fallen to the ground. 

The Coffea arabica plant is an evergreen tree that can grow up to 20 feet tall.  However,  under normal circumstances, the plants are pruned and kept under six feet tall, to make harvesting easier, and to encourage a heavier fruit set. The leaves are broad, dark-green, 3-6 inches long and have a shiny, waxy surface on them.  Ideally, coffee is grown at elevations between   ft, in sub-tropical environments where temperatures are between 32-100F.  Soils conditions are best when the soil is fertile and well watered, yet also well drained.  A south-east facing hillside, that receives 2-3 hours of direct sunlight a day would be perfect.  Here in Southern California, the coastal foothills provide the best opportunity for growing coffee, and while the elevations are typically not enough to provide for the best conditions, the other environmental factors can be met, and it is still possible to grow a good cup of coffee, at home, in your own backyard.  When you are planting your coffee plant, dig a hole that is both twice as wide and twice as deep as the root ball.  Into this hole incorporate, two heaping handfuls of compost, 3 cups each of landscape mix and worm castings, and one cup of azomite.  Then place the plant down into the hole, and as you are back filling the dirt, add two more heaping handfuls of compost, 2 cups each of landscape mix and worm castings and one cup of azomite, into the soil column.  The addition of a mulch layer under the leaf canopy will keep the soil evenly moist, prevent drying and add valuable nutrients for the soils microbial life.   Your plants will begin to flower 2-4 years after planting and will produce small, sweet-smelling, white flowers that are borne in clusters. The berries are harvested when dark-red, and are usually ripe 19 weeks after pollination.

Although they are native to the eastern United States, there is growing proof that with the correct varieties, it is possible to successfully grow blueberries here in the southwest.   When selecting blueberries to grow at your place, choose varieties that are suited for our warm, wet coastal winters that annually have very few chill hours.  Also, by selecting two different, yet compatible varieties of blueberry, you will increase the quality of your pollination.  Ask your local, knowledgeable, nurseryman for help in determining which strains are right for your area. Blueberries are deciduous bushes that can grow up to 6’ tall, and be equally as wide. Plant in a sunny, well-draining location, that has a moist, cool soil, that ranges towards the acidic side.  When you are ready to plant your blueberry, dig a hole 18” deep by 18” wide.  Into the bottom of this hole, add 2 heaping handfuls of compost and 2 cups each of landscape mix, cottonseed meal, worm castings and azomite.  Mix these ingredients around with some of the excavated soil, and then place the root ball of the plant down into the hole.  Fill in the hole with the remaining soil, stopping to incorporate an additional two cups of compost, landscape mix, cottonseed meal and worm castings with every 5 inches of soil.  Once in the ground, keep a 3-4” layer of mulch under the drip-line of the plant.   For the first year in the ground, you will want to encourage foliar plant development and not let the plant expend any of its energy on fruit production.  As hard as it will be to do, you need to remove all of the flowers before they set fruit.  This difficult task will set the stage for increased fruit production in the future.   Blueberries can flower profusely, and as a result can set more fruit than they can successfully grow out to maturity.  To counter this, we advise trimming the branch tips back several inches, to the point on the branches where the fruits become evenly spaced.   Keep the plant well-watered during the period that it is producing fruit.

Bananas are a plant that can be grown quite successfully here in Southern California if they are given proper soil conditions and are protected from temperatures that venture below freezing.   When looking for a location to plant your banana, choose one that has a rich, well-drained soil, receives full sun and is protected from strong winds.  Most importantly, this site will need to be safe from a frost, so make it close to a structure such as your house, or near another sizable object that can store heat during the day, and then radiate it out during the night. 

To prepare the ground for planting your banana, dig out a hole that is twice the width and depth of the container that your banana is currently living in.  Into the bottom of this hole add two heaping handfuls of compost, and one pound each of landscape mix, worm castings and a half-pound of greensand.   Mix these ingredients together with one shovelful of dirt and then place the un-potted banana with its dangling root ball into the hole and bury it with the dirt that you have taken from the pit.  As you are burying your banana, mix into the dirt, an additional four handfuls of compost, one pound each of landscape mix, worm castings and azomite and a half pound of green sand.  If you have gophers in your yard, it is advisable to plant your new banana in a cage.

Bananas are shallow rooted and need moist soil conditions in order to thrive and fruit.  So, water frequently and keep a 1-2” layer of mulch over the root zone.  Your plants will bloom15-24 months after being planted. The flower stalk takes 3-4 months to mature, and once the fruit bunches have developed, remove the red flower head, 6” past the last banana that has formed. Harvest the entire banana stalk from the main plant once the first fruit turns yellow.  Hang the harvested bunch in a well-ventilated, shady area and pick-off and eat the fruit as they ripen.  After a plant has fruited, it will produce 1-3 pups, and then die back.  If allowed to grow and prosper, these new pups will produce fruit in another 15-24 months.

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Around mid-fall, October/November, we should begin to receive our bare root strawberry plants and it is at this time, that those who know, will begin to plant them out into their gardens. Plant your new strawberry crowns into your prepared garden bed as soon as you can, not giving them a chance to dry out or get sick between our store and your garden.  Strawberries like to be planted into a soil that is slightly acidic and not overly wet, just kept damp.  Prior to planting, I work two handfuls of finished compost, and one small handful of both landscape mix and worm castings with the soil that I am planting each strawberry into.  When planting strawberries, I cut off all but two inches of the roots, and then bury the crowns halfway, leaving the top, growing portion of the crown above ground.  Place the plants at least 8-12 inches apart and allow them to send out runners.  Once the plants are in the ground and have begun to send out new growth, mulch the soil around the plants with straw, a rough compost, leaves or grass clippings.  Just use something that will keep the soil evenly moist and protect the plants from drying out.   If planted in the fall, strawberries will produce edible fruits from March through early June, and then if they are protected from harsh summer conditions, primarily drying out, the plants will fruit again in the late fall.   The secondary fruiting in the fall will be enhanced if you peel back the mulch layer and apply a handful of cottonseed meal around each plant sometime in mid-summer.

Strawberries are notoriously short-lived due to their tendency to build up diseases in themselves, and eventually succumb, and die out.   Despite this inevitability, it is possible to build up and maintain a perennial strawberry patch, it just takes a little work.  After the strawberry plants fruit, they will send out runners that will have a viable plant growing on the end of them.  If you take these new plants and fasten them to the ground by burying them under an inch or so of soil, they will establish and begin to bear fruit themselves the following spring.  Once your runners have taken root and are growing on their own, you can remove the older, mother plants.   If you follow this pattern, you’ll never have any plant more than two years old in the garden, and this will help prevent disease from wiping out your patch.