HOrT COCO-UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa

When I first started growing tomatoes, I was reluctant and nervous about pruning my tomato plants for fear I would be doing it incorrectly. After 9 years of growing, I have learned that it is one of the best practices to include in your plant care.

Have you noticed burnt-looking blossoms and twigs on your apple, pear, or quince trees? This is likely caused by a bacterial infection, appropriately named fire blight.

One of the comments we often hear as Master Gardeners is My pepper plants grow but I get only a few small peppers or no peppers at all. After a couple of frustrating years many gardeners stop growing peppers altogether.

If you have a history of worms in your apples, pears, or English walnuts, and have felt perplexed as to how to manage this problem, the very first step is to understand what is happening. When one understands that, the management becomes more understandable and approachable.

Aphids can be a scourge in the garden. There are over 4,000 species of aphids in the world, but fortunately only(!) about 250 species are attracted to the plants we grow in our gardens and landscapes.