Ongoing research

After the frightening "summer is here too early; no, wait, it's going to freeze tonight" weather we had in March, April was lovely with its perfect spring blend of warm days, cool nights, moderate humidity, and a spattering of rain and snow. I hope this continues right through May, with a gradual warming…

Chapter 1.2 of the Vegetable Gardening Handbook for BeginnersEasy to maintain without stepping on loose soil reserved for plant rootsKeeps amended soil separate from pathways and unamended soilPest control is easier - snails, gophers and two-legged crittersCrop rotation is easierOwnership of bed is defined…

Vegetable Gardening - Handbook for BeginnersChapter 1.1. Growing vegetables in your home or garden is good for you, your neighborhood, and for helping to reduce your carbon footprint. Growing vegetables at home can be done in a single pot on your patio or on a larger scale depending upon the space and…

Now that spring is arriving in Tulare and Kings Counties, perhaps you've noticed (or will soon) a shrub or tree not looking as vigorous, with a sticky substance on discolored leaves and dirty-looking areas on the leaves. Honeydew is the sticky, clear substance produced as excretion of excess sugar by a leaf…

Native and adapted Tahoe Friendly plants require less water, fertilizer and pesticides and can include a diversity of options for your home landscape. They will however require irrigation while getting established. It is a good idea to group plants by their sunlight and moisture requirements. All plants on…

California red scale is a key pest of citrus in the SJV. Its life cycle starts as crawlers produced by overwintering females from the past season. Crawlers move and find a suitable place to start feeding. Once they have settled, they do not move. Current degree-day accumulation since the March 1 biofix (base…