HOrT COCO-UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa

  As I write this, the first signs of fall are all around us — a hint of leaves turning color, cooler temperatures, and rain on the horizon. In California this means we are approaching the season for native plants to begin their annual cycle. Because they live their complete lifecycle in one year,…

  Did you know that all pumpkins are winter squash, but not all winter squash are pumpkins? It is a bit confusing, but as far as growing, harvesting, and storing goes, they are treated the same. They are genetically very similar, and belong to the same genus, Cucurbita. They come in a dizzying…

Since we’re approaching fall and the best time to plant many landscape trees, it’s time to talk about staking those trees. Many newly planted trees do not need to be staked. Trees that might benefit include those planted in windy areas or on slopes, trees planted in sandy soil, and top-heavy trees with no…

Note: this is a rerun of an article originally printed in the Contra Costa Times. Q: I have a crape myrtle and every year it is covered in a whitish powder. I have been told it is powdery mildew, but I don't know how to control it.A: Powdery mildew is a plant disease caused by a fungus, Erysiphe…

A favorite summer flower is dahlias – little ones, big ones and even really big ones as is Dahlia imperialis growing from 8 to 12 feet tall.Were your dahlias looking fantastic earlier this summer, full of stunning blooms and healthy leaves but now they are starting to look a little tired? Here is a short…