The Stanislaus Sprout

It may seem a bit early to talk about cool season vegetables but for those of us who like to start our own seedlings or maybe squeeze in two crops, July is the time to start preparing. With the right timing, soil preparation, and pest management, you can enjoy abundant harvests of these nutrient-packed…

The California scrub jay aka the western scrub jay (Aphelocoma californica) is a familiar sight in Central Valley gardens. It is one of my favorite birds due to its outsized personality.   Description Members of the same highly intelligent bird group (Corvidae) as crows and ravens, the…

Summer is here, and so is the Stanislaus County Fair! It starts Friday, July 10, and ends on Sunday, July 19, 2026.   Stop by our UC Master Gardener booth inside the Floriculture Building, located just inside the fairgrounds near the Arch Gate off 900 North Broadway in Turlock. Free Seed…

Propagating your own plants is rewarding, fun, and saves you money. While we may not propagate all our plants ourselves (there are some special and amazing ones at the nursery), we can take some of our favorites and make many out of one. There are two types of plant propagation. There is sexual or seed…

Most of us recognize Western honeybees (Apis mellifera) with their familiar yellow stripes foraging on flowers for nectar. But what about all those other yellow striped insects in our gardens? There are other beneficial insects who mimic honeybees with yellow and black bands to warn off potential predators…