By Elaine Kelly Applebaum, Master Gardeners of Placer County The concept of sustainability, once vague and maybe even a little revolutionary, now seems to have permeated our mainstream culture. It speaks to a way of living that meets the needs and goals of people today while ensuring future generations…
Roses bring a stunning beauty to the spring garden, and who can’t resist sniffing those first few blooms? The key to abundant blooms this spring is hard pruning your roses during winter. In Contra Costa County, the best time to hard prune roses is January to February, after the last frost.Why do…
Whether you are a newly budding gardener or a vine-ripened horticulturalist, espalier (pronounced “es-PAL-yer” or “es-pal-YAY”) is an artistic and skill-building method of growing plants that can be incorporated into your home garden. The word "espalier" refers to the technique of training and pruning a…
Don't tumble, fumble or crumble when you see a "bumble."Hold your camera steady. Starting Jan. 1, if you photograph or video a bumble bee in the two-county area of Solano and Yolo, and if you're judged the winner, you will win the sixth annual Robbin Thorp Memorial First-Bumble Bee-of-the-Year…
By Jhalendra P Rijal, Abdelmoneim Z Mohamed, Roger A Duncan
In this issue:Almond Day 2026 and IPM Breakfast MeetingsResilient Ag Practices for Competitive Nut and Fruit Production in CaliforniaOrchard Sanitation in Winter: A Simple Practice That Helps Fight Two Key Pests of NutsOak Root Fungus: Rootstock Considerations in 2025-2026
Do you love kumquats but don’t know what to do with them? How about candying your kumquats? Candied kumquats are a delicious and beautiful treat! Kumquats have a sweet skin and a tart center. In fact, the skin is the sweetest part of the fruit. Unlike other citrus fruit, kumquats have very little…
A wide variety of citrus fruits brighten winter gardens and winter menus this month.TasksControl cool-season weeds before they mature and go to seed.Plants planted last spring and fall may need water if rainfall has been inadequate.Run sprinklers periodically through their cycles to maintain clean lines…
Santa sleighed us.The jolly ol' man parked his reindeer on our roof on Christmas Eve, slipped down the chimney, and what to his wondering eyes should appear--but a very territorial tuxedo cat named Miss Sarah Sylvia Cynthia Stout that hissed at him.Santa eyed the cat and the brass grasshopper ornaments…
