The Real Dirt

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The Real Dirt blog covers regional gardening issues from soil health to planting for pollinators; from fire resistant landscaping to attracting wildlife. Read all about it!

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Defensible Space, Zone 1-Home defense zone, Zone 2-Reduced fuel zone from Cal Fire

Firewise – Fire Resistant Landscaping

January 11, 2019
By Brent McGhie, UC Master Gardener of Butte County, January 11, 2019 Fire is a normal part of the natural environment in California, so if you live in the wildland-urban interface (WUI), it's not so much a question of if, but of when your home will be exposed to wildfire.
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Sedges and yarrow in CSUC bioswale by C. Weiner

Plant Suggestions for your Rain Garden

November 30, 2018
By Alicia Springer, UC Master Gardener of Butte County, November 30, 2018 Four weeks ago, in this column we ran an article on rain swales (Slow it, Spread it, Sink it-- Creating a Rain Garden, Nov. 2, 2018).
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Cleveland sage by Cindy Weiner

No Fail Natives

November 16, 2018
By Cindy Weiner, UC Master Gardener of Butte Count, November 16, 2018 One approach to dealing with drought conditions in the garden is to turn to native plants that are well-acclimated to our local environment.
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