I consider this everbearing (day neutral) strawberry to be the best homeowner cultivar, especially for beginners.  The bare root plants are significantly larger and the resulting plants are larger, more vigorous and disease resistant.  The berries are extra large with firm flesh and can be left on the plant for several days fully ripe without getting overly soft.  Quality is very good to outstanding, especially appreciated in late summer-fall when spring-bearing cultivars are at a lull.  Expect each plant to produce about a quart of berries each year. 

Strawberry plants are perennial and grow a clump of long-stalked leaves forming a mound about 12" tall and 20" wide.  (If your plants don't grow this larger, your soil is not good enough.)  The plants bloom clusters of white flowers on stalks, heaviest in spring but continuing into fall.  The resulting berries generally hang to the ground.  Individual plants live 3-4 years.  Every summer the mature plant produces many genetically identical offspring at the end of foot long runners.  These "babies" produce fruit the following year.

Situate in full sun for best results.  Provide excellent drainage.  Strawberry plants thrive in the sandy soil found along river beds.  On farms the soil is mounded up 18"-36" high (higher with clay soil) and covered with plastic.  Organic farms use black plastic to stop weed growth and rotate crops on a 4 year cycle.  Conventional farms use clear plastic (warmer soil) to speed production, but must fumigate to kill weed seed, pests and diseases than accumulate after each crop. 

I prefer growing strawberries in pots, which keeps the berries off the ground.  Our ACID MIX is the ideal potting soil for strawberry plants.  Provide ample water and fertilizer.  Osmocote is a good, time-release fertilizer to mix into the soil when starting new plants. 

To lower maintenance I have grown individual strawberry plants in 8" wide pots place in deep plastic saucers.  I watered once per week with enough water to fill the saucer.  The saucer acted as a reservoir and as a protective moat to keep snails and pillbugs from damaging the fruit. 



Rhubarb is a perennial suitable for ornamental use.  It is a cool season plant growing vigorously when temperatures stay below 90 degrees F.  Even though it is at its best in Northern climates (8' tall in Canada), it has been grown successfully at Knott's Berry Farm for generations.  Locally the plant grows about 3' tall and 5' wide.  The stalks are harvested in spring and cooked.  2-4 plants provide enough stalks for one family.  The leaves contain oxalic acid, an irritant that may be toxic if eaten in large quantities.  (Oxalic acid is present in small amounts in chard, spinach and other greens, which gives them a bit of tartness.  Yes, oxalic acid is also present in the leaves of the infamous Oxalis weed.) 

Situate in cool sun to part shade.  It is highly important the the soil is well drained and doesn't contain much compost.  Compost, and most organic matter, causes the crown to rot when soil temperatures increase in summer.  They thrive in sand and our potting soils.  Space plants at least 3' apart.  Provide ample moisture and snail/slug control.  Remove flower stalks that form.  Harvest 2-4 stalks per plant at a time.  Vigorous plants can be harvested lightly the first spring.   

Rhubarb plants require a winter chill to perform properly.  Low neighborhoods along riverbeds and in canyons are the best locations.  You might also try large clay or wood containers that can be moved into the shade during the winter. 

We have about 15 plants available. 



A generation ago there was an asparagus field at I-5 and Sand Canyon in Irvine.  It may have been in operation for a decade.  Currently there is a small crop being grown at the Great Park.  The UC 157 variety is mostly male and produces a better quality spear under local conditions. 

Asparagus plants are attractive enough for a background screen, growing about 5' tall and 3' wide.  Spears emerge from the ground in spring and can be harvested for up to 2 months.  Spears are not harvested until the 2nd spring.  All spears are picked until the size drops below pencil thickness.  After that the plants are allowed to grow and regain strength the rest of the year.  The attractive, ferny foliage is bright green, turning brown in winter.  Asparagus plants can remain productive for over a decade.  Mature plants can produce 1-3 spears per week for 6-8 weeks every spring. 

Space plants 1' apart in each row.  Space rows 3' apart.  Situate in full sun.  Provide average soil and average water with decent drainage. Install plants with the crown several inches below ground level with the roots spread out radially below it.  Control snails and slugs.  Cut dormant (brown) foliage to the ground in winter. 

Supposedly my grandfather received commendation from the Japanese government for introducing asparagus to Japan from California in the 1920's.  He also introduced tomatoes, but since they didn't become popular quickly my father ate a lot of ketchup when he was a boy.