Test PB Collection: FTE

Gardening nourishes our body, mind, and soul, and makes us healthy and happy. Watching tiny seeds are growing into the edible plants is both therapeutic and rewarding. However, gardening is not the cultural norm, and many of us do not have basic gardening knowledge and skills.

Wandering around a mulched orchard is always an adventure. In the early days of commercial mulching of citrus orchards, it wasn't uncommon to come across golf balls, discarded wallets, and all kinds of things you would not want in your orchard.

Growing up as a child the vegetable I dreaded being put on my plate and expected to eat were Brussels sprouts. That dreaded experience always started when I came into the house from playing outside. Opening the door to step inside, I was immediately smacked in the face with that smell.

COVID-19 is having a tremendous impact on social, environmental, and economic conditions throughout the state of California and across the globe. Collectively we have endured a series of losses, from financial security to the lives of loved ones.

by Mel Kendall Last fall my husband and I decided to remove our in-ground pool. With the pool now gone our power bill has dropped exponentially. On the expected but not fully realized side is the resulting void.

In the last week, we have highlighted some invasive species that damage and threaten California's natural resources. If you missed any of our posts, click on the species listed below.

Brooms are shrubs which were originally planted in California as ornamentals and for erosion control, but are now considered to be invasive weeds since they are highly competitive. They crowd out native plants and form impenetrable barriers to wildlife.

Nutria are found near rivers, streams, lakes, ponds and wetlands. Their burrowing and feeding on vegetation can cause damage. In addition, they can carry pathogens and parasites.

Small beetles are causing big problems in Southern California. Two closely related species, the polyphagous shot hole borer and the Kuroshio shot hole borer (collectively referred to as invasive shot hole borers), have been attacking more than 60 species of trees.

On May 27, 2020, Travis Bean, UC Cooperative Extension specialist and an incredible, amazing and accomplished man passed away suddenly at the age of 43. Travis was born in Lincoln, Neb., on Feb. 11, 1977, and raised in Yuma, Ariz.