Yard to Fork

🌱🌞 Guess what, folks? Our snap peas are putting on a show in the garden, rain or shine! 🌧️☀️ And get this: these crunchy delights you see in the picture? They’re straight from one of our awesome customers’ gardens! Talk about yard-to-fork freshness right in our own backyard! 🌿✨

As we dive into spring, our garden archways are bursting with these vibrant green beauties, making every sunny day feel even brighter and every rainy day a little cozier. But hey, who’s complaining when the result is such deliciousness on our plates, right? 🍽️💫

Speaking of plates, let’s talk meal ideas! From stir-fries to salads, these snap peas can take any dish from ho-hum to oh-wow! 🥗🍲 Picture this: tossing them into a zesty lemon pasta or mixing them into a colorful veggie stir-fry. Hungry yet? We sure are! 🌟

So, here’s to our amazing customers who make our garden dreams come true and to the simple joys of growing, cooking, and sharing nature’s bounty. 🥂 Let’s savor every crunchy bite and every sunny moment together! 🌼

It can be difficult to get out to the garden when it’s cold and wet. Our Yard to Fork maintenance crew is the perfect solution. The Bi-weekly Edible Garden Maintenance service allows you to reap the benefits of a healthy garden without having to harvest in the rain or worry about pest issues. We take care of it all for you! We even rotate your crops each season with your favorite fruits and veggies. Better yet, you will receive this awesome harvest basket handcrafted by the Yard to Fork crew for your produce to go into each time we visit. Call today if you’ve got garden beds, fruit trees, or other edible plants that need some tender loving care! We can’t wait to help you with your gardening needs 👨🏼‍🌾

It’s never too early to start thinking about spring gardening. We’re gearing up for a great spring and now is the perfect time for you to get your garden beds ready! Whether you have existing beds and need a refresh of good soil or want to start from scratch with new garden beds that will last for years to come, Yard to Fork is ready to help! Schedule a consultation today by visiting our profile or going to yardtofork.com/scheduleservices

Today through the end of the weekend we are offering 20% off our mini garden beds! It’s our newest product available on our website right now! Especially geared towards those without the space for full size raised garden beds, these mini beds are perfect for balconies! Get growing today!

Looking for something to do this weekend? Head on over to the Farm to Fork Festival in downtown Sacramento and visit our booth! We’ll be there talking about all things gardening. Chat with our master gardeners and learn more about how we can transform your backyard into a beautiful, edible space you can enjoy for years to come!

Tonight 4-9 pm and tomorrow 11 am -9 pm

See you there!

In honor of National Tea Day today, we would like to highlight Chamomile! The two most common varieties used to make herbal infusions for beverages are German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) and Roman chamomile (cham nobile). This calming edible flower grows well in raised beds, containers, or in-ground gardens. For the most abundant flower production, grow chamomile in full sun and allow it the space to reseed each season. Harvesting chamomile is easiest when you slide your fingers under the hundreds of fragrant white flowers and then pull upwards with your fingers close together.

Here is a list of other tea-making plants we are helping our clients grow this season: lavender, lemon and orange balm, raspberry leaf, lemongrass, echinacea, lemon verbena, Arabian jasmine, pineapple sage, rose hips, thyme, calendula, stevia, elderberry, holy basil, yarrow, catnip, passionflower, peppermint, and many varieties of mint.

Show your support for our business by helping us become a 2023 Nextdoor Neighborhood Fave. As the only business awards voted on by neighbors, receiving this award will help our business grow so we can continue to serve you. Share the love and vote for us today! nxdr.co/2023Faves

Today we spend time relfecting on those that have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Thank you to those who have served our country so that we can have the freedom to do what we love, like gardening and helping others find joy in their garden.

🌱 Attention all garden enthusiasts! 🌱

If you’re looking for a better way to plan your garden this year, check out Yard to Fork’s latest blog post on “Using Zones for Garden Planning.” This informative article explains how to divide your garden into different zones based on the specific needs of your plants, making it easier to create a thriving garden that yields a bountiful harvest.

Whether you’re an experienced gardener or just starting out, this article is a must-read for anyone looking to take their gardening skills to the next level. So head over to the Yard to Fork blog today and start planning your best garden yet! 🌻🍅🌿 https://bit.ly/3ASMPca

Happy Earth Day from Yard To Fork 🌎 We love growing potatoes….And we grow them NOT in bagged soil mixes, but rather, in soil blends composed of naturally made elements from the earth. Such as a little bit of clay (for water retention and nutrients), plenty of well composted organic material (water retention, nutrients, and drainage), and even some sand (optimal drainage). This allows us to grow 40-50lbs of potatoes in just a 4’x4’ area of a 2’ tall raised bed!

Book an Edible Garden Coaching Services with our Master Gardeners on our website in any available time slot. The calendar is filling up fast this season now that spring has finally arrived!

Last week we had the pleasure of speaking with Heritage EDH Gardener members for a private group coaching session. We spent time teaching while we transitioned the garden beds to summer plants. We had a blast!

Thanks for having us out!

Want to learn more about your garden and how to best rotate crops for the upcoming summer season. Book a coaching session today with one of our master gardeners at www.yardtofork.com/scheduleservices

Looking back to one of our “garden oasis” projects where we created a beautiful, therapeutic, and productive garden space in an open area on this larger property. It’s these kinds of garden installations that really get us excited about the warmer weather coming up and all the varieties of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers that we love to plant! There are so many benefits that come with having raised garden beds, whether you have 1 bed or 10. Check out our list of just some of the benefits of raised gardening using the link https://bit.ly/3mkCn9B

Ever wondered what the heirloom variety really is when it comes to tomatoes? In our latest blog, we break down what it means and provide a little more education about these delicious tomatoes. Check it out https://bit.ly/3FUzKSH or head over to our website and see all the latest blogs yardtofork.com/blog

Have you ever seen a carrot like this? Carrot roots tend to crack if they’ve had insufficient or fluctuating water, and then get a sudden influx of moisture, which overloads their cells and breaks apart the root. The best way to avoid this is to monitor soil moisture levels regularly, making sure that the soil stays moist, but not too moist using a consistent drip irrigation schedule. The more even your watering, the better quality your carrots will be!

Here at Yard To Fork, we have an extensive understanding of drip irrigation systems, especially when it comes to edible plants, so don’t hesitate to contact us if you need assistance with improving or setting up your gardens drip irrigation. Schedule a consultation today! https://bit.ly/3AR0pNu

A cornucopia of radish varieties! Full of vitamins and antioxidants, radishes are an easy and fast addition to a garden. Here are some common favorites:

Daikon is a white, cylindrical radish that can grow up to 18 inches long! Mild in flavor, it is usually cooked or pickled rather than consumed raw due to its density. Give it space!

Red radish is your most common variety: red skin, white flesh, small, and round. It has a light but spicy flavor and crisp consistency that snaps when bitten. Eat raw or cooked!

French Breakfast is a delicious variety that has a unique, long shape and two-toned red/white color. It has the characteristic spicy bite of a radish, but also a slightly sweet aspect, and makes a great snack with a dash of salt!

Watermelon radish is very unique and beautiful, with a greenish-white skin and a bright pink, watermelon-colored flesh. It’s a larger radish, requiring about 3 inches of space to grow to full size, and is on the sweeter side. It’s a fun one!

Round Black radish is also beautiful and unique, with a dark purple to black skin shade and white flesh. The flavor os stronger than other varieties, and provides a delicious kick to both fresh and cooked dishes!

Plum Purple radish is on par with the red radish in size, but has an awesome purple skin color, and is on the sweeter side in flavor. It’s bright color makes a great garnish, and is great as a fresh snack!

Already have a garden and want to grow these? You can learn more about different foods to grow in your garden by scheduling a coaching service today! Head over to yardtofork.com/scheduleservices today to book a time that works for you and your schedule.

Happy Valentine’s Day!! Gardens can be a great place to find a wonderful bouquet for your special someone. They don’t have to just be flowers or just edibles… there can be a mix like you see here. Echinacea, zinnias, kale, and many others all in one lovey space.

Want to get started on your garden today or maybe give your Valentine the gift of a new garden? Check out our shop page and purchase a gift certificate today!

Yardtofork.com/shop

Still thinking of what you could get your Valentine?? Have a gardener on your hands or someone who inspires to be a gardener? Well, we’ve got the thing for you! Purchase a Yard to Fork gift certificate to give on Valentine’s Day 🥰

Head to our shop page for an instant download after purchase! Yardtofork.com/shop

Maybe you’ve asked yourself…Will I lose too much fruit this season by cutting this branch? Will I kill my fruit tree if I prune too much? Is this a disease or completely normal? How long can I leave ripe fruit on the tree? Is this the right spot and angle to cut?

Allow the Yard To Fork team to take the guesswork out of pruning your fruit trees so you can enjoy organic, quality fruits without the headache! Call to schedule today at 916-905-7027

Ever wanted to make homemade Sauerkraut? Check out our latest blog to see a tried and true recipe using more than just cabbage leaves. You really can use any Brassica leaves to make a delicious Sauerkraut.

Easy Sauerkraut from your Winter Garden — Yard To Fork Sauerkraut is one of the easiest and most delicious things you can make from your winter garden harvests. Traditionally, shredded cabbage leaves are used to make sauerkraut, but any leaves from related plants are hardy enough.

Are the tops turning yellow on your beautiful heads of pale cauliflower? Not to worry! Although it is still perfectly edible, the discoloration is due to a bit too much sun and can make it taste bitter. Prevent this from happening by using a method called “blanching.”

This is the simple practice of tying the lower leaves up around the cauliflower head to shade it from the sun. Using a soft line like cotton twine or a strip from an old t-shirt, lift up leaves that are large enough to cover the head and loosely tie them together so that they provide full shade. This makeshift sun shade will keep your cauliflower protected, and the leaves will still photosynthesize. Make sure to tie them loosely to allow for full growth of the head, as well as to allow some air movement to prevent moisture build-up.

This winter, consider blanching your cauliflower heads to ensure a nice, uniform appearance, and to keep them delicious!

For more information on this topic, check out the new Yard to Fork blog we just launch on our website!

How would you re-imagine this garden space? Swipe to see what kind of Yard To Fork transformation can happen in a space like this! This new garden has a redwood wall ready for hanging wall planters, two south-facing garden beds, and wine barrels loaded with saffron bulbs and artichokes.

Are you excited to start a new garden with the help of the Yard To Fork crew?! Scheduling a garden consultation with Yard To Fork is easy at www.Yardtofork.com/scheduleservices

Brussel Sprouts are a unique treat in a Winter garden, as you harvest the nice, neat little sprouts from the stem as it grows taller.

Each variety has an optimal size for harvesting, a balance between the sprouts being too young and tightly-bound, or over-mature and loosely bunched. Usually sprouts mature along the base first, so it is best to harvest them from the bottom as the stem grows.

However, the window is small for optimal size before the sprout leaves loosen and are no longer nice and dense, so monitor the plant closely and harvest at the right size, regardless of where they are along the stem.

Keep the stem clean from broken stems and prune any leaves that are misshapen, decaying, or pest-laden (the leaves are edible, so use those too). You might have some sprouts regrow along the harvested stem, which is a fun bonus. They usually aren’t as tightly-bound as the original sprouts, but they’re just as edible, and should still be harvested!

This garden in Rancho Murieta, CA is one of our favorite edible garden installations and transformations of 2022! Swipe to check out the amazing before and after photos and let us know what you think of this garden design. We are in the business of making yards more productive, functional, and beautiful all while coaching people on how to grow food well! Are you excited to start growing your own organic, nutrient-rich and flavorful produce in 2023?!

We love capturing large winter garden harvests from our Biweekly Edible Garden Maintenance clients!

Winter gardens can be just as productive as summer gardens with the right care. This past week, this client was able to harvest several heads of lettuces, celery, bok choy, radishes, Brussels sprouts, and so much more from their large garden space. Enough greens for all the holiday parties coming up!

Interested in getting your garden started in the new year? Schedule a consultation today to get started.

🚨Dense nutrition alert on multiple levels! 🚨

One of the best ways to grow nutritionally dense foods in smaller urban landscapes is to grow vertically! Creating additional soil space in the same footprint while allowing maximum sun exposure to the south for each plant is key. This gives you the potential to grow a variety of vegetables and herbs in a compact space with root systems competing less for soil nutrition, water, and space. With slow drip irrigation lines on every level of the raised bed, the smaller upper levels continue to drain down to the larger lower levels creating a very efficient watering system and allowing you to save water.

Yard To Fork vertical garden beds, like this 4’ tall 3’x8’ tiered bed, are a great component to an edible landscape along with fruit trees, blueberry rows, herb wine barrels, and fruiting vines on trellises. We will be showcasing more of this Yard To Fork landscape project soon!

Schedule a garden consultation with Yard To Fork now to prepare for a productive 2023 growing season in your yard! https://bit.ly/3AR0pNu

It’s been a busy year for the Yard To Fork team installing edible gardens/landscapes and helping educate people on how to grow the wide variety of crops we are blessed to be able to grow right here in the Sacramento region!

We are super excited to showcase many of the edible garden projects we’ve been working on this past season, and here is one of our favorites! This Yard to Fork client is now growing all kinds of winter crops like broccoli, cauliflower, kale, lettuce, spinach, cilantro, green onion, bok choy, and many more!

This garden includes a custom tiered L-shaped bed, a long 12’ bed, two half-wine barrels ideal for perennial edibles, and a strawberry patch in ground. More Yard To Fork gardens coming soon!

Interested in growing your own food in a Yard to Fork raised garden bed? We’ve got a great special going on right now. 10% off your garden install project (up to $250) if you schedule between now and January 31, 2023. https://bit.ly/3AR0pNu

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours! We hope that you take this day to relax and spend time with family and friends and maybe eat a few yummy things from the garden.

We are so very thankful for all our customers who have helped us grow to the company we are today! We wouldn’t be here without you all!

Can you believe that this is just a single basil plant? Although not much to write home about when still a seedling, even one basil plant can become a season-long supply of flavor when grown and pruned correctly.

We make sure to plant basil in a sunny spot, although some late afternoon shade is just fine in our hot Sacramento Valley sun. The well-balanced soil mix we use will also ensure your basil will get the nutrients it needs, while retaining enough moisture to keep it happy on hot days.

Harvest mature basil sprigs at the top of growing stems first, which will encourage lower shoots to branch out, increasing the size of your plant. When an annual plant starts flowering, it usually signals the end of its life cycle, but you can often extend your basil production by pruning off flowers in their earliest stage of development. When you see the small clusters forming, literally nip them in the bud!

When observing for common pests on basil, you might notice small, soft-bodied aphids or wispy whiteflies congregating on buds or on the underside of leaves, in which case a thorough dousing of water will remove them. Slugs are also known to chow down on leaves at night, evidenced by gouges and holes in the leaf surface, so check your plants in the early morning and remove them by hand immediately!