What's Growing On - San Joaquin UC Master Gardeners

Winter is a time when a lot of the color of the outdoor world has faded away. The leaves have fallen and gray skies are becoming more frequent. Winter is also a time of happiness and cheer; a time that you spend with your loved ones.

The rainy season can be a mixed blessing. If your home garden landscape is well designed to maximize rainwater storage, then rain is a blessing. If your landscape is poorly designed, or has too much impervious surfaces, then rain can be a curse.

An acquaintance recently told me about a favorite and once thriving shrub that was in serious decline. The problem: over time, branches from a nearby tree had grown and spread so widely that they were shading out the sun-loving plant.

Have you ever wondered where to go for advice about landscaping or vegetable gardening? Does a pest problem have you stumped? Do you need guidance on how and when to prune your favorite specimen plant or fruit tree?

A friend asked me recently if there are modest sized trees to plant for shade. Her recent experience was removing a Magnolia tree which had cracked up her driveway. The back-hoe operator, who took out the root-ball, said it was the largest he had ever removed.