HOrT COCO-UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa

  The long-awaited summer harvest time is approaching, and our mouths are watering in anticipation of those first juicy tomatoes and sweet, crisp cucumbers. But it is not always obvious when some fruits and vegetables are at their peak and ready to pick. Here are some tips for knowing when to…

We just passed the Summer Solstice, and with the longest day comes warmer weather. As things heat up, here are some tips for supporting your plants during the summer heat waves, while saving water.Mulch, mulch, mulch. Whether you use bark, shredded leaves, or wood chips, a thick layer of mulch will help the…

Sometimes we get questions about leaning trees. People want to know if a tree that is leaning can be straightened out, and how. This is what we’ve learned.The first question to consider is why is the tree leaning? For most young trees, with trunks smaller than 4” in diameter, the leaning can be traced back…

It’s been said that a weed is any plant that grows by itself in a place where people do not want it to grow. That probably covers a lot of plants in many of our yards. To be able to control weeds effectively, it helps to know what kind of weed it is. Fortunately, the University of California has good…

If you’re like me, in early summer you are looking with satisfaction and excitement at the new leaves and beautifully fragrant flowers on your lemon tree. And then, just as you start to have visions of the juicy lemons to come, problems start to appear. Two common problems, leaf miners and fruit drop, may…