Integrated pest management, or IPM, is a process you can use to solve pest problems while minimizing risks to people and the environment. IPM can be used to manage any type of pest, from urban to agricultural to natural areas. If you'd like to learn more about IPM, please come to our FREE class this Saturday, July 24^th.

IPM is an ecosystem-based strategy that focuses on long-term prevention of pests or their damage using a combination of techniques including biological controls, habitat manipulation, modification of cultural practices, and use of resistant varieties. Pesticides are used as a last resort and only to remove the target pest...

The Monarch is well known and celebrated. However, central California has several migrating species and one of them, the Gulf Fritillary, actually moved into California because of horticultural plantings of passion vine. I have seen all but one of these (Common Buckeye) in my own yard north of Salinas. Planting host and nectar plants in your yard will enable you to view these and other beautiful insects. Host plants are those that butterflies will lay eggs on for emerging caterpillar larvae to feed. Nectar plants are the plants that adult butterflies feed upon. Both are important in providing habitat for butterflies.

Gulf Fritillary - Its host plants are passion vine and passion flower. Nectar plants include...

Red kuri squash, also known as uchiki kuri squash or orange Hokkaido squash, is an early maturing winter squash that can be grown in a garden or large container. The flavor is described as smooth, sweet and nutty, far superior to pumpkin or butternut squash.

The site:

Kuri squash likes rich, fertile soil and plenty of water while growing on a raised mound to provide drainage. Each plant needs about 4 square feet to spread out and avoid competing with other plants.

Sowing:

Sow seeds indoors from April to June or direct sow from mid-May to the end of June or as soon as soil temperatures exceed 65 ^oF. Germination takes 10-14 days and seedlings are particularly attractive to snails and slugs...

Springtime means my favorite flower, the simple but abundant and beautiful Eschscholzia californica or California poppy is in full, glorious bloom. Belonging to the papaveraceae family, this flowering plant is native to the US and Mexico and can be found growing from southern Washington down to Baja. Usually considered an annual, there is often a second bloom in autumn. The flower loves open, grassy areas such as the arid grasslands of California's intermontane valleys or seaside meadows. In proper conditions it can be grown as a perennial, developing a deep-rooted, thick orange taproot (which the gophers in my yard find rather tasty).

These easy-going, drought tolerant plants sport soft fern-like blue-green foliage and...