Southern California Vegetable Gardening

The first book in my SoCal Year-Round Gardening Series released on Earth Day! Southern California Vegetable Gardening tells you everything you need to know to grow a tasty, organic veggies in SoCal.

In the book, you will find SoCal growing info for more than 40 vegetables. There are also chapters on growing in our climate, soil, fertilizing, watering, pests and diseases and gardening with kids.

Learn to Grow Veggies in SoCal

The Makings of a Veggie Gardener

When I was a kid living in rural Massachusetts, there was a lady who lived across the street. She had a large fenced-in vegetable garden. I don’t recall her name, but we could call her Mrs. McGregor. She was a bit on the cranky side. At first, she thought I was up to mischief when I hung around the outside of the garden and began asking about her gardening techniques. 

When Mrs. McGregor realized that I was truly interested in learning how to garden, one day she grudgingly opened the gate. She motioned for me to come inside her patch of paradise. That started a series of mini gardening lessons. Each lesson ended with me being able to pick whatever delish veggie I wanted. Then I’d eat the vegetable right then and there.

In time, Mrs. McGregor gave me carte blanche to go into the patch even when she wasn’t around and eat whatever I wanted. The other neighbor kids would gasp and say I was going to “get into big trouble.” But as I dined on veggies in the garden, I knew better. 

I still remember the thrill of eating straight from Mrs. McGregor’s outdoor cupboard. My favorite crop to munch on was the carrots. They were so crispy and sweet.

Organic Vegetable Gardening in SoCal

When I started gardening in my own vegetable patch in SoCal in the late 1980s, I tried carrots, but soon found they didn’t grow like Mrs. McGregor’s. The big reasons were a difference in climate and soil. After some experimenting, I did figure out the secrets to growing carrots in SoCal.

Learn about growing carrots and nearly 40 more veggies in Southern California Vegetable Gardening, which is now out in paperback and ebook, and can be read for free on Kindle Unlimited.