Ongoing research

Now that spring is here, the garden centers are adverting, potting soil, garden soil, and other bagged soils on sale. But be aware that not all packaged soils are the same.

Hello all, Please find the attached document to provide the previous weeks estimated water use report in terms of evapotranspiration for almonds, peaches, walnuts, established vineyard, alfalfa, and pasture in Stanislaus County.

Thanks to the recent hot weather (already surpassing 90 degrees several days in a row), we are starting to see the lush green hills near Fresno transition into gold.

Reflections on Water People and Trees Coastal California is a hard environment to decide when to irrigate. Fog and rain vary from season to season and day to day. Depending on the proximity to the coast and elevation, average rainfall in Ventura is about 18 inches.

A 'Shout Out' to all our new University of California Cooperative Extension Master Food Preserver graduates of San Bernardino County who celebrated with their peers last week. A good time was had by all.

"We kept our languages hidden," says a host from Central California's Radio Indgena 94.1, "but no longer." The shows appeal to farmers of indigenous origin. Josefino Alvarado, a California farm worker, describes his typical morning picking blueberries at a Ventura County farm.

Advice for the Home Gardener from the Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County Client's Request: I'm trying to grow Mimulus in ground and in pots the last several years and not having any success. Would you please provide me guidance. Thank You.

Topping a tree is the process of giving a tree a virtual crewcut by making one or more horizontal cuts across the top of the tree (see photos below) to shorten it. Why is topping trees harmful? Topping trees results in unstable, unsafe, and unattractive trees.

By Iris Craig, U. C. Master Gardener of Napa County The rose bushes in Napa Valley are now full of leaves and tiny buds, preparing to bloom. By May, garden roses will be in full flower.

Sometimes what seems so obvious from the isolated heights of the ivory tower is not so obvious for those working in the field. In a query which is far from the first time, I had a question submitted over the weekend over whether worms emerging from strawberry fruit were LBAM.