Ongoing research

A late-summer test on a farm near Soledad, CA, looked at eight biological product programs for romaine lettuce compared to a standard method used by growers, with normal irrigation and nutrients in the Salinas Valley. The marketable stand was the same in all treatments, and the amounts of fresh and dry…

The Child and Adult Care Program, or CACFP, is a federally funded program that subsidizes nutritious meals in child care settings. It has been shown to improve diet quality and reduce food insecurity among children in participating child care. However, CACFP participation among family child care home…

UC ANR programs help urban farmers diversify income through agritourism, education and community engagement initiatives in Southern California

Emerging Precision Agriculture Tool Improves Grazing Systems  For the past four years, UC researchers have been examining the usefulness of virtual fence (VF) technology on a multitude of landscapes across the Sierra Nevada. Virtual fencing is an emerging precision agriculture tool capable of improving…

Spring in Stanislaus County is a season of renewal and growth. The Central Valley’s mild spring temperatures, lengthening days, and fertile soils make it one of the best times of year to establish vegetables, herbs, flowers, and fruit trees. But a productive garden doesn’t start when you put seeds in the…

I love walking on garden paths with friends. Together we enjoy the scent of the flowers, the buzz of the bees, and the chirps and chatter from the many birds. As I meander along, I reach down and pluck a colorful bloom – then pop it in my mouth, chewing contently as I walk. Gasp! My friends look horrified,…

 Horticulture is rich with language — words that help us describe plants, landscapes, and the natural world with precision and sometimes a bit of poetry. Many horticultural terms have deep historical roots, evolving over centuries alongside our understanding of plants and gardens. Learning these terms…

 Once the winter chores of pruning, cleaning up debris, mulching, and the like have been completed, it’s the perfect time to reevaluate your flower garden. Perennials have been pruned back or gone dormant, fewer plants are blooming, and there are empty spaces that were previously occupied by luxurious…

A thriving garden begins below the surface. In San Joaquin County, most home gardeners contend with challenging soil conditions. Local soils tend to be either poor-draining, dense clay or light, sandy soil that drains rapidly and retains few nutrients. The situation is compounded in newer subdivisions, where…

Blog by Lauren MenaYou’ve just bought a tree at a nursery, brought it to its new location and are ready to plant. Maybe you’re fairly new to planting trees and are pleased to see that the tree came with a free stake. You figure the nursery must know what they’re doing, so you go ahead and plant it, with the…