News & Information Outreach

 Gertrude Stein wrote that "A rose is a rose is a rose."In a spin-off, we offer: "A bee is a bee is a bee" and "A fly is a fly is a fly."They are not the same. But they are both pollinators. Books, magazines and newspapers sometimes err in publishing a photo of honey bee that's actually a syrphid…

Haiku by Mike Gunther   Protectors of fieldsAwaiting change of land useYields to dormancy 

 Today, on Veterans' Day, let's salute our kin who served in the military. I pay tribute to the family members who fought in all of our nation's wars since the American Revolution.I particularly pay tribute to my maternal great-grandfather, Samuel Davidson Laughlin,  (1843-1910), a Civil War…

For many of us in the North State, Autumn is our favorite time of year. The heat of summer is past, and deciduous trees put on a spectacular show of deep reds, yellows, and oranges. The intensity of this show, however, is not consistently the same each year. What makes the colors of autumn leaves vary in…

 If you and your family love science--who doesn't?--be sure to participate in the free workshop, “Life Begins in Water: A Workshop on Restoring Healthy Wetland Communities,”  on Saturday, Nov. 15 at Capay Open Space Regional Park, Yolo County.UC Davis entomologist Geoffrey Attardo is leading the…

  If you have a tree showing signs of distress and are concerned about its overall health or safety, whether it be the cornerstone of your landscape or simply an old friend, you will want to know what is happening and how to fix it. This article will explain some options on where to turn.UC Master…

As part of the University of California’s systemwide commitment to equity and inclusion, all UC locations are required to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA by April 2026.

 "Have you ever wondered what pollinators are visiting your garden or what that black-and-yellow striped bug was? In California, we have an incredible diversity of insects, which may be more difficult to tell apart than you realize. At this interactive event, you will learn how to identify bees and…

Blog by Brenda AltmanTrees are pruned for many reasons. Sometimes they are pruned to remove crowding or competing branches, which open up the canopy; other times they are pruned for safety reasons, a branch may be too low, or they might be trimmed for ornamental or aesthetic reasons. I cannot figure out why…

By Cindy Watter, UC Master Gardener of Napa County.  We recently had our first rain of the fall season, followed by a cold morning.  Sure enough, when I walked outside later that day, all my soft-stemmed herbs were dead.  Fare thee well, basil, thyme and stevia.  Even the sage looked…

I have been been granted the opportunity to convince a pretty high level group to continue funding for research work that I am leading on the cold conditioning of strawberry.  The time slot to do so however is ten minutes.  The subject of cold conditioning in strawberry is a complex one, and one…

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has allocated $5 million of the Healthy Soils Block Grant Program to the California Citrus Quality Council (CCQC) in collaboration with California Farm Bureau (CAFB) and Xerces Society. The California Farm Bureau through its 501(c)(3) science and…

 Yesterday we wrote about the UC Davis postdoctoral researchers, doctoral candidates and graduate students who are heading to the Entomological Society of America (ESA) in Portland, Ore. to deliver their presentations.Today let's single out the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology faculty…

Botryosphaeria canker, sometimes called Bot canker, is a common fungal disease that can affect many tree species including ash, eucalyptus, fig, maple, pistachio, and walnut. Plants infected with this disease typically develop cankers (dark sunken lesions in the bark) and can lose branches. The whole…

 When members of the Entomological Society of America gather Nov. 9-12 in Portland, Ore. for their annual meeting, the presenters will include postdoctoral scholars, doctoral candidates and graduate students from the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology.The theme: "Entomology 2025, Bridging…

 Blog article by Michelle DavisSucculents are known for their easy, low-maintenance and drought-tolerance. Many gardeners, like me, plant them in outdoor containers because their own homes’ soil (clay, in my case) isn’t what a succulent needs. Succulents want well-draining soil. Many horticulturists…

It’s two months before 2026! November in the Garden is the topic this week on In The Garden with UC Master Gardeners. MGs Teena Spindler and Katrina Kirkeby once again give you a brand new This Month in the Garden for the month. More to know about Bulbs that adds to your knowledge from last week! Teena…