Test PB Collection: FTE

Learn easy plant propagation techniques in this guide —perfect for home gardeners looking to grow more for less.

UC Davis Ag Econ Department has put together a set of crop loss calculators in Excel. They are generic, but also specific to lemon and avocado. If you have had damage from the recent fire, take a look at them.

Note: This was originally published in the Contra Costa Times. Q: I have a lot of mistletoe in my street tree, which is some sort of ash, I think.

It's Friday Fly Day and what an appropriate day to honor a syrphid fly. This syrphid, caught in flight, was seeking nectar from a Gaura, a genus of flowering plants in the family Onagraceae, native to North America.

When perusing online seed shops this winter for plants to add to the garden, consider buying some aromatic native specimens to boost the restorative capacity of nature in your own backyard.

I have recently been slowly reading The Japanese Art of Living, An Invitation to Celebrate Every Day, by Natalie Leon (Watkins Publishing, 2024). The Japanese have 72 micro seasons and pay much closer attention to nature.

My cold season garden is planted with plenty of broccoli and cauliflower. Last week I noticed holes chewed in the leaves. I looked underneath and sure enough, I have cabbage loopers.

The very fact that avocados can be grown in hard to get to places means that the trees are also in areas that are subject to wildfire damage. Recently several hundred acres of avocado burned in the Fillmore/Santa Paula foothills. The fire was fanned by high winds and low humidity.

The holidays are nearly here, and we still have space left in our Nature's Wreath Workshop! After the colorful autumn leaves fall, the landscape can seem bare due to plants dying back or going dormant. Despite that, much splendor can still be found in nature this time of year.

A devoted gardener would rather give or receive tools, plants, or a unique garden treasure than gold, diamonds or pearls. Tasks Monitor ground moisture, especially in beds and under eaves and patios. Store unused fertilizers and pesticides in a dry place.