HOrT COCO-UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa

It is not unusual to find tomato seedlings for sale in local nurseries and big box stores as early as February or March. Don't make the mistake of rushing to plant them in your garden. In our County it is much too early to put tomato seedlings in the garden, but it is the perfect time to make plans for a…

  Many of us have planted winter cover crops in our gardens to enrich the soil. Fava beans, winter peas, vetch, and other legumes can do a great job of adding nitrogen to our soils. With a symbiotic relationship with special microorganisms, legumes can take nitrogen in our air and put it into…

On January 1 of this year a new law went into effect in California, greatly limiting the use of a pesticide class known as neonicotinoids. Originally developed in the 1980's, these pesticides became the most widely used class of insecticides in the world.

Companion planting and intercropping are two planting methods that include growing a variety of plants in close proximity. When we grow different types of vegetables, herbs, and flowers together, they can work together to create a healthier and more productive garden.

Whether today's temperature is low enough might seem like a funny question to ask, but if you are growing fruit trees or berries, it's important to wonder if it's cold enough. Sufficient cold temperatures can mean the difference between an abundant fruit crop or little-to-no flowers or fruit.