Ongoing research

Vertebrate pests can pose a serious threat to the achievement of one’s “dream garden” by wreaking havoc on plants and vegetables literally overnight. They feed or gnaw on the roots of ornamental plants, vines, shrubs and trees, and even plastic water lines. In our area, pocket gophers, moles, voles and…

 UC Davis Distinguished Emeritus Professor Robbin Thorp, an avid bumble bee conservationist, monitored Franklin's bumble bee, F Bombus franklini, for 21 years, until his death in 2019.The bee occupies only a narrow range of southern Oregon and northern California. Its range, a 13,300-square-mile area…

Iron (Fe) is an essential micronutrient necessary for plant growth, but when present at high concentrations in agricultural water it can damage irrigation infrastructure, increase system maintenance, and inhibit plant productivity. In California’s North Bay Area, iron commonly enters irrigation water through…

Article by Mike Kluk - I recently passed one of those yearly milestones that has left me looking down the road of my seventy-fourth year. I’m hoping to remain active, healthy, and happy next year and for many more. As we age, many of us begin to realize that living better is equally important with…

 Article by Diana Herrera - Winter months can be a challenging time for wildlife as their food sources become scarcer, and they seek shelter from the elements. There are lots of things we can do – or not do - in our gardens to support our local wildlife which play important ecological roles in the…