Ongoing research

With planting season coming up, thinking about appropriate variety selection is key, and one of the first steps towards ensuring a good 2021 crop. Each year the California Rice Research Board funds a statewide variety trial testing program. Here I summarize some of that data.

The nice thing about gardening like baseball is there is always a new season right around the corner. The cry Wait til Next Year can be heard everywhere. And just like baseball, you can always improve your team.

Considerations for choosing the right medium grain rice variety With planting season coming up, thinking about appropriate variety selection is key, and one of the first steps towards ensuring a good 2021 crop.

California's $86 million date industry produces more than half of the nation's dates. Most of the fruit is grown in the arid Coachella Valley.

Californians growing food in cities now have help understanding the food safety laws that apply to them. A free publication containing California-specific information on rules and regulations for urban farmers was recently published by the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Want to learn about "murder hornets?" Entomologists cringe every time someone substitutes the moniker, "murder hornet," for the Asian giant hornet, Vespa mandarinia.

Recently, one of our Master Gardeners wrote an article called Planning and Prepping Your Spring Garden. We hope you found these tips helpful, and would like to offer more help.

by Melody Kendall We have an oddly shaped lot with two fences. One is a normal six-foot tall neighbor-friendly fence. The other is six feet of fencing atop a four-foot retaining wall (that side of our yard is lower than the adjoining lot) creating a ten foot tall barrier fence.

Best Management Practices for Non-Chemical Weed Control This manual provides comprehensive descriptions of 21 commonly used non-chemical weed control techniques and of biological control agents for 18 weed species/species groups that will help you as a practitioner treat weeds more effectively.

By Susanne von Rosenberg, UC Master Gardener of Napa County One of the challenges many gardeners face is how to make shady spots look good. Fortunately, many beautiful, flowering native plants thrive in shade. When you are planning your shade garden, analyze what kind of shade you're dealing with.