The Backyard Gardener

A Gardening Blog for the East Side

The climate of the Eastern Sierra is very different from most of California and so gardening here is different, too!

In this blog we examine some of the quirks of gardening on the East Side, and cover horticultural issues that are important locally. Note that if you're visiting our site from the outside our little corner of California, you may find this information may not apply to your area.

Articles are written by local UC Master Gardener volunteers or UC Cooperative Extension experts.

We also have a website!

The Inyo-Mono Master Gardeners also have a website with local gardening and soil information. Visit it to learn more about our program and gardening.

We are part of UC Cooperative Extension in Inyo and Mono counties.

A summer garden with a row of seedlings germinating underneath a shade cloth supported by a segment of field fencing.

A Gamble on a Fall Garden

August 21, 2026

By Alison Collin, UC Master Gardener Volunteer

Can a fall vegetable garden thrive when summer temperatures are still soaring above 100°F? With shade cloth, careful watering, and a little ingenuity, one gardener puts peas, lettuce, beets, and other cool-season crops to the test.

View Article

Ratatouille simmering in a pot stainless steel pot

Ratatouille Sans Homegrown Tomatoes

August 17, 2026

By Vivian Patterson, UC Master Gardener Volunteer

Vivian Patterson has updated her ratatouille recipe for years like this when tomatoes just don't cooperate. This is a great way to put your garden harvest to use!

View Article

A pumpkin vine showing wilting symptoms even while being well-watered.

When Your Garden Gets Too Hot

July 24, 2026

By Dustin W Blakey

Eastern Sierra summers are usually hot, but temperatures over 100°F can place vegetable gardens and fruit trees under serious stress, especially given our intense sunlight. Plants lose water quickly, and their roots may not be able to replace it fast enough. Growth slows, leaves wilt or scorch, flowers drop,…

View Article

A freezer bag full of small, frozen onions.

Freezing Tiny Onions

July 21, 2026

By Vivian Patterson, UC Master Gardener Volunteer

Small onions from the garden can be preserved by freezing.

View Article

A June Pest Update in Alison's Garden

June 12, 2026

By Alison Collin, UC Master Gardener Volunteer

This year has certainly put a damper on the joy and health benefits of gardening. One challenge after another has appeared in my usually productive garden.Voles Move InEarlier in the year, I noticed a mound of earth in one of the borders and assumed it was the result of ground squirrel activity. I set out…

View Article