Over the Fence (Alameda County)

Fungal diseases plague many different kinds of plants and their gardeners.  Fungal diseases tend to be persistent and can be difficult to manage.  Powdery mildew is one such disease.  It includes multiple fungal species and affects many different types of plants.  Powdery mildew…

IntroductionAfter you've enriched your soil and readied your pots or your beds for the vegetables you want to grow in the early spring, you'll need to decide whether to begin with seeds planted directly into the soil or to transplant already-started plants (“starts”) you get from a nursery or other source…

 Why Winter is the Best Time to Prevent Fruit Tree Diseases.  In the Bay Area’s Mediterranean climate, our cool, wet winters and springs are perfect for many fungal and bacterial diseases of fruit trees. The good news: most of the effective control steps happen during the dormant season, long…

 Container gardens are a way of having a garden when space or growing conditions are limited. Containers allow us to have plants indoors or outdoors in areas where in-ground planting is not practical.  Plants usually would rather be in the ground with access to more soil and water.  It is up…

 Gardens are meant for plants, right? So why encourage birds to join us there? The most obvious reason is that many of us love birds.  They are beautiful to look at, and we delight in hearing them sing. Birds bring a whole extra dimension to the enjoyment of nature in your outdoor place. But even…