Ongoing research

In this weekly blog, Dr. Annemiek Schilder, Director, UCCE Ventura County and Hansen Agricultural Research and Extension Center, shares her observations about the natural world across the seasons. As she says: "Gently observing your surroundings with curiosity will teach you some amazing things.

This piece appears elsewhere on the UC ANR website and was written by: Lisa Blecker, coordinator for the UC Pesticide Safety Education Program and Office of Pesticide Information and Coordination Whitney Brim-DeForest, UC Cooperative Extension rice advisor in Sutter and Yuba counties.

Most trees in California need supplemental irrigation above and beyond what Mother Nature supplies naturally. Even drought-resistant species need regular watering through their first growing season due to their shallow roots.

Rationale: Reversion, meaning the reddening of part or all of a blackberry fruit after harvest, has become a major problem for blackberry growers across the United States who can lose up to 25% of their total crop to this phenomenon.

Most trees in California need supplemental irrigation above and beyond what Mother Nature supplies naturally. Even drought-resistant species need regular watering through their first growing season due to their shallow roots.

The CalFresh Healthy Living-UC program in the Central Sierra is currently offering the USDA nutrition education curriculum Serving Up MyPlate online to qualified school sites. This curriculum offers three sections for students in Grades 1-6.

I have heard that there may be a shortage of aqua-ammonia (aqua) fertilizer for the start of this year's rice season. This begs the question as to what are the options. In previous studies, we have compared aqua to urea fertilizer.

In an effort to help their community to control the spread of COVID-19, a Silicon Valley brother and sister came up with a plan to support health care personnel. They even created a video to show how they are helping and show how others can too.

While most Californians are staying home to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, California farmers, farmworkers and other agricultural professionals are out in the fields and packing houses working to produce food.

By Susanne von Rosenberg, UC Master Gardener of Napa County It's a wonderful time of year to be in the garden. Flowers are everywhere and cool-season vegetables are still yielding their bounty. There are too many shades of green to count, and the weather is nearly perfect for enjoying the outdoors.