Tips from our expert gardeners and our farmers-

Guide is per type of vegetable with specific instructions for different varieties where needed.

Once you bring home a 4" tomato start, your goal is to establish a massive root system and prepare for fruit.

1. Post-Purchase Care (Days 1–3)

• Acclimation: Give them 2–3 days of dappled (not direct) sunlight to prevent leaf scorch.

• Hydration: Nursery pots dry out fast. Check daily; if the soil feels like a wrung-out sponge, water it.

2. Transplanting (The "Deep Plant" Method)

• Soil Temp: Only transplant once soil is consistently 60°F or higher.

• The Technique: Remove the bottom few sets of leaves, leaving only the top cluster. Dig a hole deep enough to bury 2/3 of the stem.

  • Why: Tomatoes grow "adventitious roots" all along the buried stem, creating a much stronger plant.

• Spacing: Space plants 24–36 inches apart to ensure airflow and prevent blight.

3. Support & Initial Feeding

• Staking: Install cages or stakes immediately after planting. Doing it later damages the expanding root system.

• Fertilizer: Use a balanced organic fertilizer (like 5-5-5). Avoid high-nitrogen blends at this stage, or you'll get a giant green bush with no tomatoes.

4. Maintenance (Weeks 2–8)

• Watering: Water deeply at the base of the plant. Avoid wetting the leaves to prevent fungal diseases. Aim for 1–2 inches of water per week.

• Mulching: Add 2–3 inches of straw or wood chips around the base to maintain moisture and keep soil temperatures stable.

• Pruning: For indeterminate varieties, pinch off the "suckers" (the small shoots growing in the "V" between the main stem and a branch) to focus energy on fruit production.

1. Post-Purchase Care (Days 1–3)

• Acclimation: Give these 3 days of dappled sun. Opo squash leaves are broad and can sunburn easily if moved from a nursery to full Bay Area sun too quickly.

• Hydration: These are water-heavy plants. Do not let the nursery pot dry out completely.

2. Transplanting (The "Hill" Method)

• Soil Temp: Strictly 65°F+. Opo squash is a tropical plant; if the soil is cold, it will rot or refuse to grow.

• The Technique: Create a small mound (hill) of soil. Bury the plant at the same depth as the pot. Opo squash does not like its stem buried deep like tomatoes.

• Spacing: Space plants 4–5 feet apart.

3. Support & Initial Feeding

• Staking: Requires a heavy-duty trellis or fence. The vines can grow 15+ feet and the gourds are heavy.

• Fertilizer: High-phosphorus organic fertilizer at planting to encourage root and flower development.

4. Maintenance (Weeks 2–8)

• Watering: Consistent, deep watering at the base.

• Pollination: These bloom at night. If you don't see fruit setting, you may need to hand-pollinate the female flowers (the ones with a tiny bulb at the base) with male flowers in the evening.

• Pruning: Pinch the main growing tip once it reaches 10 feet to encourage lateral "fruiting" branches.

5. Harvesting

• Timeline: 60–70 days from transplant.

• Ripeness Check: Harvest when the gourd is 10–12 inches long and the skin is light green and tender.

• Test: If you can’t easily pierce the skin with a fingernail, it is overripe and will be "woody."

1. Post-Purchase Care (Days 1–3)

• Acclimation: 2 days of transition. Okra loves heat and handles full sun better than most.

• Hydration: Keep the root ball moist.

2. Transplanting

• Soil Temp: 70°F+. Okra is the most heat-demanding plant on your list. Wait until the "Indian Summer" feel starts or at least late May in Zone B.

• The Technique: Plant at pot level. Be extremely gentle; okra roots are brittle and hate being disturbed.

• Spacing: Space 12–18 inches apart.

3. Support & Initial Feeding

• Staking: Generally self-supporting, but in windy areas, a short stake helps.

• Fertilizer: Balanced 5-5-5 at planting.

4. Maintenance (Weeks 2–8)

• Watering: Drought tolerant once established, but for high yield, water deeply once a week.

• Mulching: Mandatory to keep the soil hot.

5. Harvesting

• Timeline: 50–60 days from transplant.

• Ripeness Check: Harvest pods when they are 2–3 inches long.

• Daily Check: Okra grows incredibly fast. A pod can go from perfect to "woody/inedible" in 24 hours. Use shears to cut them off; do not pull.

1. Post-Purchase Care (Days 1–3)

• Acclimation: 3 days. Eggplants are very sensitive to transplant shock.

• Hydration: Keep moist.

2. Transplanting

• Soil Temp: 70°F. Like okra, it loves the heat.

• The Technique: Plant at pot level.

• Spacing: 18–24 inches apart.

3. Support & Initial Feeding

• Staking: Use a small cage. A single plant can produce 20+ heavy fruits that will drag the branches onto the dirt.

• Fertilizer: Balanced organic fertilizer.

4. Maintenance (Weeks 2–8)

• Watering: Deep and consistent.

• Pest Check: Watch for Flea Beetles (tiny holes in leaves). Use neem oil or row covers.

5. Harvesting

• Timeline: 55–60 days from transplant.

• Ripeness Check: Harvest when the skin is glossy and dark purple. If the skin turns dull, it is overripe and the seeds will be bitter.

1. Post-Purchase Care (Days 1–3)

• Acclimation: 2 days of transition.

• Hydration: Moderate. Don't let the pot stay soggy.

2. Transplanting

• Soil Temp: 65°F+.

• The Technique: Plant at pot level.

• Spacing: 12–18 inches apart.

3. Support & Initial Feeding

• Staking: Usually unnecessary for Shishitos/Padrons, but helpful for tall Serrano plants.

• Fertilizer: Balanced organic feed.

4. Maintenance (Weeks 2–8)

• Watering: Let the top inch of soil dry out between waterings. Stressing peppers slightly can increase their heat (except for Shishitos).

Pruning: Pinch the top "growing tip" when the plant is 8 inches tall to create a bushier plant with more fruit.

1. Post-Purchase Care (Days 1–3)

• Acclimation: 2 days. Basil is sensitive to wind.

• Hydration: Basil wilts immediately if dry. Keep it hydrated.

2. Transplanting

• Soil Temp: 65°F. Cold soil (below 50°F air temp) will turn the leaves black.

• The Technique: Plant at pot level.

• Spacing: 12 inches apart.

3. Support & Initial Feeding

• Staking: Not required.

• Fertilizer: High-nitrogen (like fish emulsion) is actually good here to promote leaf growth.

4. Maintenance (Weeks 2–8)

• Watering: Water in the morning. Avoid wetting leaves in the evening to prevent downy mildew.

• Pruning: Critical. Pinch off the center stem above the second set of leaves to force branching.

5. Harvesting

• Timeline: Anytime leaves are present.

• Method: Never strip all the leaves. Always "top" the plant by cutting just above a leaf node to ensure it grows back bushier. Pinch off any flower buds immediately to keep the flavor sweet.

1. Post-Purchase Care (Days 1–3)

• Acclimation: 3 days of dappled light. Pepper leaves can be "tender" when coming from a greenhouse.

• Hydration: Ensure the 4" pot stays moist.

2. Transplanting

• Soil Temp: Steady 65°F. Cold soil causes peppers to turn yellow and stop growing.

• The Technique: Plant at pot level.

• Spacing: Space 18 inches apart.

3. Support & Initial Feeding

• Staking: Use small "pepper cages" or bamboo stakes. The heavy bells will pull the plant over.

• Fertilizer: High-potassium organic food. Avoid high nitrogen or you will get leaves but no peppers.

4. Maintenance (Weeks 2–8)

• Watering: Even moisture. Drying out then soaking causes "Blossom End Rot" (black spots on the bottom of the bells).

• Mulching: 2 inches of straw to keep moisture in.

1. Post-Purchase Care (Days 1–3)

• Acclimation: 1–2 days. These are generally tough.

• Hydration: Keep the starts moist.

2. Transplanting

• Soil Temp: 60°F.

• The Technique: Plant at pot level.

• Spacing: Sunflowers (12"), Marigolds (8"), Zinnias (10").

3. Support & Initial Feeding

• Staking: Only for the Sunrich Sunflowers if you are in a windy part of the Bay Area.

• Fertilizer: Standard balanced feed at planting.

4. Maintenance (Weeks 2–8)

• Watering: Water at the base. Overhead watering on Zinnias causes powdery mildew.

• Deadheading: For Marigolds and Zinnias, remove faded flowers to keep the plant blooming all summer.

5. Harvesting

• Sunflowers: Cut when the petals start to unfurl but before the center is fully open for the longest vase life.

Marigolds/Zinnias: Cut once fully open.

1. Post-Purchase Care (Days 1–3)

• Acclimation: 1 day. Very hardy.

• Hydration: Drought tolerant; don't overwater in the pot.

2. Transplanting

• Soil Temp: 55°F+.

• The Technique: Plant at pot level in your sunniest, driest spot.

• Spacing: 12 inches apart (it will spread as a groundcover).

3. Support & Initial Feeding

• Staking: None.

• Fertilizer: None needed; it prefers "lean" soil.

4. Maintenance (Weeks 2–8)

• Watering: Minimal. Let it dry out between waterings.

• Pruning: Cut it back by half in mid-summer to prevent it from getting "woody."

5. Harvesting

• Timeline: Anytime once the plant is 6 inches tall.

• Flavor: The flavor is strongest just before the plant tiny white flowers bloom.