Over the Fence (Alameda County)

Artificial Turf in the Home Yard and Garden Artificial turf has been in use since the mid-1960’s, and has gained in popularity in home landscaping as well as in community and commercial settings. Because of the  drought crises, artificial turf was  promoted as a low-water alternative to…

Fungal diseases plague many different kinds of plants and their gardeners.  Fungal diseases tend to be persistent and can be difficult to manage.  Powdery mildew is one such disease.  It includes multiple fungal species and affects many different types of plants.  Powdery mildew…

IntroductionAfter you've enriched your soil and readied your pots or your beds for the vegetables you want to grow in the early spring, you'll need to decide whether to begin with seeds planted directly into the soil or to transplant already-started plants (“starts”) you get from a nursery or other source…

 Why Winter is the Best Time to Prevent Fruit Tree Diseases.  In the Bay Area’s Mediterranean climate, our cool, wet winters and springs are perfect for many fungal and bacterial diseases of fruit trees. The good news: most of the effective control steps happen during the dormant season, long…

 Container gardens are a way of having a garden when space or growing conditions are limited. Containers allow us to have plants indoors or outdoors in areas where in-ground planting is not practical.  Plants usually would rather be in the ground with access to more soil and water.  It is up…