Ongoing research

Living in the foothills and forests provides many pleasures beautiful surroundings, ample recreation opportunities, sharing our habitat with the local wildlife but it also presents significant challenges.

Hot Summer Challenges for Tomato Growers Is Now the Time to Start My Summer Garden My Quest for the Perfect Tomato When Will My Tomatoes be Ripe? Building Healthy Soil Why Not Let It Rot?

Pinch chrysanthemums back to 6 inches every month through July. Trim dead flowers but not leaves, from spring bulbs. Mulch cane berries, cut out all old canes and reset new canes in twine. Cultivate and pull weed seedling now to prevent bloom.

Set out traps for earwigs, slugs, and whitefly. Thin pit fruits at or before pit hardening. Thin apples when diameter. Mow grass or cultivate soil around orchard to discourage thrips and plant bugs. Mulch around plants to control weeds and conserve moisture.

Thin apples when diameter. Mow general cleanup for fire protection.. Mulch garden beds to retain moisture and encourage deep roots by deep and infrequent watering. Check sprinklers and drip systems for needed repairs and adjustments.

Irrigation Management: link to UC Specialist Larry Schwankl's irrigation management page.

Master Gardeners of Amador County offer a variety of public education classes throughout the year. Check out our current list of classes by clicking below. 2025 Public Education Classes

Iberian starthistle is a noxious, quarantined weed in California. Solar tents can easily, inexpensively and successfully kill weed seeds and rhizomes, eliminating the need for hauling weeds out of remote areas where the unwanted plants have taken hold, a UC researcher has demonstrated.

a) Where soil is unavailable b) Where soil is available...

UC ANR publications Pest Notes: Soil Solarization for Gardens & Landscapes Soil Solarization: A Nonpesticidal Method for Controlling Diseases, Nematodes, and Weeds Vigilance, sanitation, and spot treatment can help prevent spread of invasive weeds...