Articles by Dr. Francis Gouin

Article - The Bay Gardener by Dr. Francis Gouin; by Dr. Francis Gouin - 3/1/12

Are You Tough Enough to Make Horseradish?

This root is easy to grow, but processing it is tearful, hard work

If you’ve been smart enough to plant horseradish, your reward is at hand. Now that the tops of the horseradish plants have died back to the ground, it is time to dig up the roots and make horseradish with a kick. Add fresh homemade horseradish to cocktail sauce, horseradish sauce or your favorite baked beans, and you’ll feel that kick. Horseradish plants need to be grown in full sun and in a well-drained soil rich in organic matter. I grow my horseradish in a...

Article - The Bay Gardener by Dr. Francis Gouin; by Dr. Francis Gouin - 2/23/12

Lessons on Growing Onions

From keeping to ordering to planting

Last year’s crop of onions was great. It was a bumper crop and should have supplied the family with fresh onions through March and into April as the previous year’s crop. However, due to the early sprouting and a disease called neck rot, we finished eating the last onion shortly after Thanksgiving. Having never experienced this problem before, I decided to investigate the cause. A commercial onion grower advised me that I should have dragged a timber over the...

Article - The Bay Gardener by Dr. Francis Gouin; by Dr. Francis Gouin - 2/16/12

Prune Boxwoods in Winter’s Cold

Snap now to help your plants stay healthy

Healthy plants grow, and unless pruned, they often outgrow their function in the landscape. This problem is most often resolved by pruning during the spring and summer. But pruning boxwoods during these months often spreads canker-causing microorganisms between the cut surfaces, infecting the branches. Cankers damage boxwoods and are difficult to control with fungicides. Prune Raspberries At the ground line, prune away canes that produced fruit last year. They are easy to identify because...

Article - The Bay Gardener by Dr. Francis Gouin; by Dr. Francis Gouin - 2/9/12

Garden-Fresh Radishes in Winter?

Yours if you build a cold frame

You can now pick fresh, crisp ruby-red radishes from your cold frame, as well as spinach, lettuce and green onions. If you have a cold frame, that is. If not, here are instructions so you won’t miss out next year. In early November of 2011, I sowed radish seeds in my cold frame. I built it from a sliding glass patio door. The glass door is hinged on a 33-inch-tall timber wall to the north and slopes toward the south to within 12 inches of the ground. You can use a...

Article - The Bay Gardener by Dr. Francis Gouin; by Dr. Francis Gouin - 2/2/12

Will Mild Winter Force Spring?

Not in natives; Mother Nature knows what she’s doing

Several readers have expressed concern that the warm winter will cause plants to flower and grow. There is no need to worry about native plants in our climate initiating growth or flowering before spring. Mother Nature took all of these factors into consideration when selecting plants that belong here. In our climate, native plants start preparing for winter in mid-August. Growth begins to slow, scales grow to protect the vegetative buds through winter, and spring-flowering...

Article - The Bay Gardener by Dr. Francis Gouin; by Dr. Francis Gouin - 1/19/12

So Much Variety, What to Choose?

Some seeds are worth trying; others you should avoid

My 2011 vegetable garden was the most productive I have ever had. Even as I write this column in early January, I am still harvesting kale, collard greens, kohlrabi, cabbage, mustard greens and Brussels sprouts. I also had the best harvest ever of fall peas, snap beans and carrots. The kale we are eating and sharing with friends is called Siberian kale. It is a tenderer curly variety, with leaves closely resembling those of collards. The collards have also been great and...

Article - The Bay Gardener by Dr. Francis Gouin; by Dr. Francis Gouin - 1/12/12

The Gardener’s Calendar begins in January

How to use seed catalogs to best advantage

The seed catalogs have been coming in the mail since early December; most will have been mailed by mid January. Many of the catalogs offer bonuses if you order early. You can save money by purchasing early, and you are guaranteed against having to accept substitutions. Concentrate on the same catalog to save money on packaging and shipping. If you examine servicing charges closely you will notice that as the sub-total increases, the packaging fees decrease. ...

Article - The Bay Gardener by Dr. Francis Gouin; by Dr. Francis Gouin - 1/5/12

How Hot Is Your Compost Pile?

Heat and steam mean the microbes are working

The temperature in the middle of my compost pile ranges from 90 to 120 degrees. I measure using a compost thermometer with a 14-inch stem. The height of the pile has been shrinking rapidly, with the center sinking faster than the edges. Temperature and shrinkage tell me that the microbes are feasting, changing those leaves, weeds and grass clippings into compost. Heat is a by-product of composting, as is carbon dioxide and water vapor. Dig into your compost pile on a cold...

Article - The Bay Gardener by Dr. Francis Gouin; by Dr. Francis Gouin - 12/22/11

Keep Your Poinsettias Cozy

Otherwise winter’s chill will wilt your Christmas blooms

Keep Christmas in bloom by shielding your poinsettias from sudden drops in temperature. Remember, poinsettia are a tropical plant, so a sudden chill below 40 degrees can cause the plant to quickly lose foliage, including the red or white bracks. At 36 degrees, foliage can be freeze-damaged. Within 24 to 48 hours, tissues between the veins in the leaves will appear water-soaked and turn black-green. There is no recovery. To keep your poinsettia warm, avoid...

Article - The Bay Gardener by Dr. Francis Gouin; by Dr. Francis Gouin - 12/15/11

Winter Doesn’t Stop Weeds

Stop them now and save yourself extra work come spring

Have you looked at your garden lately? When you do, don’t be surprised if you see chickweed, henbit, annual bluegrass, cranesbill, etc. starting to create a green carpet. Those weeds are pretty small now, but if you don’t get out there and control them, they will be much larger next spring. Winter annual weeds tend to sneak up on you. It takes more than hoeing to bring them under control. If you simply hoe them out of the ground and leave them there, they will...