Test PB Collection: FTE

George Becker, Pexels Unhealthy soil causes poor plant performance. Correct soil deficiencies in your garden before you plant.

A colorful California hillside in summer. Photo: Connie Lefkowitz Marin's topography is part of our natural beauty. The views are gorgeous, but there are special considerations pertaining to erosion, water, and plant selection.

Redwood trees need moisture from rain and fog. Photo: Public Domain Coast redwood trees (Sequoia sempervirens) only grow on the Pacific coast from Big Sur to southern Oregon, where their need for mass quantities of water is met from winter rain and summer fog.

Coast live oak trees (Quercus agrifolia) like wet winters and dry summers. L. Stiles There are 20 oak trees native to California. These stately trees create iconic landscapes, live up to 400 years, and provide tremendous benefits. Oaks are good investments -- for homeowners and the environment.

Tools from top left: trowel, bypass hand pruner, gloves, pruning saw, hori hori knife Photo: Fay Mark > Hand Pruners > Fruit Saw > Pruning Saw > Gardening Knife > Trowel > Shovel > Spade > Hand Rake > Rake > Gloves > Irrigation > Wheelbarrow, Cart, Bag/Tub HAND PRUNERS Bypass pruner Look for: Harde...

Below are tools that are more specialized than the basic essentials, but are very useful for more specific gardening tasks.

Sharpen your pruners with a file regularly. Photo: L Stiles Good tools need regular care to keep them working properly and safely. Cleaning your tools is also important to prevent the spread of disease-causing pathogens.

When it comes to creating defensible space, the significance of proper plant and landscape maintenance cannot be overemphasized. Poorly maintained landscapes can easily become fire hazards regardless of which plants are grown.

> How they work > Where pesticides come from > What's in them > Toxicity levels > Types of pesticide formulations Many people associate pesticides only with synthetic chemicals, but a pesticide is any material used to control, prevent, kill, suppress, or repel pests.

> Reading pesticide labels > Before you start > Using & storing garden chemicals > Keeping pesticides out of our waterways > Disposing of pesticides & fertilizers If a pesticide is needed, select one that is: Effective against your pest Poses the least risks to human health and the environment Co...