Ongoing research

Ornamental Plant of the Month Japanese Forest Grass Gardens I Have Visited Ruth Bancroft Garden Gardeners Corner Catchweed Bedstraw Recipe of the Month Nigella Lawsons Roast Chicken Garden Guide Safety Notes...

Bugs! Have you started getting them yet? I killed a couple of aphids the other day. The weather situation is perfect for their breeding. What is an aphid? They are little critters that can multiply very quickly and cause damage to your plants.

There is much beauty in the late spring gardens of the central San Joaquin Valley. Tasks Sometimes gardeners need to accept a small amount of pest damage to plants. Instead of trying to kill insects, learn which ones are beneficial and protect them by avoiding the use of synthetic insecticides.

Soil Biodiversity in California Agriculture: Framework and Indicators for Soil Health Assessment Prepared by: California Department of Food and Agriculture Below Ground Biodiversity Advisory Committee Soil health depends on soil biodiversity.

Themed Plant Collections in 8 Glasshouses INCREDIBLE! That was my first thought at seeing the Glasshouse Complex at the Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden. Which boasts 8 glasshouses, each housing captivating themed plant collections.

The place to "bee" on Saturday, April 6 is the UC Davis Bee Haven. That's when the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology will celebrate the 15th anniversary of its bee garden with an open house from 10 a.m. to noon. It's free and family friendly.

Flowers and veggies lingered in my garden this year, encouraged by the mild autumn weather. Then came the holidays, followed by rain. So much for Fall garden tasks and cleanup chores.

Although many of you are already well aware of the upcoming changes to pesticide labels related to the Endangered Species Act, many are not. A quick background can be found in a Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) press release from last year (link here).

General situation, thrips population development Temperatures and precipitation this spring are close to historic norms, and the thrips population predictions remain similar to last update. We're currently at the peak of 1st-generation adults; they'll be laying their eggs over the next few weeks.

In this issue: Jolene Hancock celebrates Annual Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival; Ann Platzer describes the California Tortie butterfly; Jill Hishmeh updates the Training Program; Darrilyn Erickson invites us to the Riverside Community Flower Show and Garden Tour; Grow Lab Plant Sale...