Ongoing research

By Laurie Meyerpeter, Master Gardeners of Placer County Q: I bought a red crape myrtle two years ago and this year when it bloomed the blossoms aren’t red, they’re deep pink. I wanted the red variety that I see planted in my neighborhood. Did I get the wrong variety? Was it mislabeled? Or did I do…

In this Issue:   Individual Animal Identification   Treatment of Calf Scours   UC Research Aids in Older Cow Culling Decision   Milestone, a New Herbicide for Yellow Starthistle   Items to Think About Before Entering into a Pasture of Grazing Lease  …

Article and photo by Ann Wright, UC Master Gardener of Nevada CountyFrom The Curious Gardener, Winter 2019Thinking of a soft jazz melody, the sight of grasses swaying in the breeze offers a sense of peace and calm as the seasons change. As tiny flowers on grass stems glow with late summer and fall color,…

Laurie Meyerpeter, Master Gardeners of Placer CountyFrom The Curious Gardener, Spring 2010Bamboo. “It’s invasive.” “It will go crazy and take over your backyard.” “You’ll never get rid of it.” Bamboo has a reputation as the bad boy of the plant world. How much of this is true?Bamboo is the subject of…

Cindy Caldwell, Master Gardeners of Placer CountyFrom The Curious Gardener, Spring 2008Lilacs (Syringa spp.) are renowned worldwide for their springtime fragrance and beauty. Native to Eastern Europe, they have been a valuable addition to gardens throughout Europe, Asia and America for hundreds of years.They…

In this issue:   Consider Ammoniating Rice Straw for Low Cost Forage   Cattle Deworming Considerations   Don't Forget the Mineral   Patching the Eye of Cattle with Pinkeye Results in Faster Healing   Steps to Plant and Establish Flecha Tall Fescue   …

Lynn Lorenson, Master Gardeners of Nevada CountyFrom the Curious Gardener, Fall 2007Texture and foliage keep a garden interesting through the seasons. Flowers are just moments of gratification.  -Kevin Doyle   Shrubs are the bones of the garden. Shrubs define space, provide shelter and…

Joan Goff, UC Master Gardener of Placer CountyFrom The Curious Gardener, Winter 2020Elderberry is the elder tree of myth and medicine. If you are a Harry Potter fan, you will know that the most powerful wand was made of elder wood! Blue elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea) lives from western Mexico to…

Laurie Meyerpeter, Master Gardeners of Placer CountyFrom The Curious Gardener, Summer 2008Crape myrtles begin blooming in early July, keeps flowering through our blazing summers when everything else is fiery hot, and doesn’t stop until the days begin to cool in early October.“I’m melting, “I’m melting,”…

By Laurie Meyerpeter, Master Gardeners of Placer County Q: I want to plant bamboo, but my spouse is afraid that it will take over. Are there bamboos that are less invasive than others?A: Nitpickers would say that the technical term is not “invasive” but “aggressive”, but the terminology is not…