Ongoing research

To help more Californians address challenging issues, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources has hired UC Cooperative Extension experts to work in communities stretching from Humboldt and Siskiyou counties in the north, and south to San Diego County.

This past Picnic Day, Master Gardeners were available to answer the community's questions. One question reigned supreme: What is happening to my peach tree? If you are noticing puffed, curled, and discolored leaves on your peach or nectarine tree, the culprit is likely the fungus Peach Leaf Curl.

Water is essential for nurturing vibrant gardens and landscapes. By leveraging water meters, we can effectively monitor water usage, detect leaks, and optimize irrigation practices, ensuring every drop contributes to the sustainability and vitality of our gardens.

We live near a fast food restaurant that doesn't have much landscaping, mostly white rocks and few scrubby plants. But it also has six compact, deciduous, spring-flowering magnolia trees planted in two groups of three that are quite charming.

Gardening...

Keep recent plantings well-watered and mulched. Sudden warming plus drying winds can stress plants. Tasks Use a 3-inch layer of mulch around trees and shrubs to retain moisture, suppress weeds and cool soil temperature.

A colorful perennial has been brightening spring gardens for many weeks. Azaleas are the easy-to-care-for stars of semi-shaded locations. The most common varieties are evergreen azaleas, which are more accurately described as having persistent-leaves.

It's May and spring is busting out all over! After months of gray skies and wet, chilly days, we can rejoice at the sight of each tender shoot, leaf and bud. With the resurgence of life all around us, it may seem as if the state of the natural world may not be so bad after all.

Don't miss the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology seminar by Clement Chow on Monday, May 6. It will open your eyes about fruit flies, rare diseases, and the progress underway.

Silverleaf nightshade, Solanum Elaeagnifolium, is perennial weed that is native to South America, Mexico, American Southwest and Southern States.