- (Public Value) UCANR: Safeguarding abundant and healthy food for all Californians
With the Super Bowl coming up this weekend, you may be planning delicious snacks to enjoy while watching the game. We, on the other hand, are thinking about how IPM can help home gardeners with some of the fruits and vegetables they grow that might be enjoyed on Super Bowl Sunday.
Having tortilla chips with salsa, guacamole, or 7-layer bean dip? Be sure to check out resources for growing corn, tomato, avocado,
- Author: Elaine Lander

We are fortunate in California that not only can we grow vegetables in summer, but winter gardening is also an opportunity to grow vegetables and spend some time outdoors. Cool-season vegetables include broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, cabbage, cauliflower,

- Author: Belinda J. Messenger-Sikes
- Author: Karey Windbiel-Rojas
- Author: Elaine Lander

Sooty mold is a black fungal growth that looks like a layer of soot covering the leaves of a plant or a sidewalk. The aptly named disease is common in gardens and landscapes, appearing wherever a large infestation of plant-sucking insects are found. Sooty mold grows on honeydew, a sticky substance excreted by plant-sucking insects.
While sooty mold doesn't actually damage plants or other surfaces, a thick growth of the fungus can block light to plant leaves, reducing photosynthesis. This can lead to stunted growth and premature leaf drop.
The key to reducing sooty mold is management of honeydew-producing insects,...
- Author: Elaine Lander

If you are growing tomatoes in your garden, you may not be the only vertebrate going for your hard earned harvest. Are rats feasting away in the garden? We have a couple resources we can share to help you reduce or prevent rat damage to your tomatoes.
Integrated Pest Management for Rats
- Our Pest Notes: Rats has information to help you with identification, biology and IPM options.
- This blog post provides additional information on using snap traps to catch rats and mice.
- If you are managing a school or community garden, you can...