Online Kitchen Garden Chat: Garlic, seeds and … the Persephone Period?

If you’re up on your Greek myths, you’ll remember that Persephone was the daughter of Demeter, goddess of the harvest, and Zeus. Persephone was abducted by Hades, god of the underworld, who after Zeus’ intervention permitted her to live “up top” two-thirds of the year, and one-third with him. Demeter is happy and tends the harvest, so the story goes, while her daughter is present, but shuts everything down during those  months when she’s gone.

When our daylight drops below 10 hours per day, we enter what horticulture folks have dubbed the “Persephone Period.” In the Sacramento area this year, that period begins on Nov. 19. Daylight will go back above 10 hours on Jan. 22, 2025.

This limitation of daylight may affect human mood and activities somewhat, but it has a profound effect on our plants, especially edibles. Explaining that effect is part of the monthly Kitchen Garden Chat coming this Saturday online with the Yolo County master gardeners.

Master gardener Treva Valentine will also discuss seed saving and tips for garlic ordering.  (Many popular varieties sell out, so it’s good to have a couple of options.)

The one-hour Zoom workshop begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 7. It is open to all interested gardeners. The Zoom link is:  https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/98028723763

For more on Yolo master gardener activities, go to https://yolomg.ucanr.edu/