Test PB Collection: FTE

 California is often called the “Golden State” because of its Gold Rush history, the golden California poppy (our state flower) which can cover the foothills and valleys in the spring months, and the golden-brown colors the state’s wild grasses become during the summer months. Many people are not aware…

Seems like every time I go to the nursery, there are new things to buy – and I’m not talking about the plants. This is especially true when it comes to soil amendments. Some of these packaged materials are helpful. Worm castings are packed with millions of beneficial microbes. Leaf mold boosts nutrients…

Note: This article was previously published in 2018. We are rerunning it because we are noticing this happening in many gardens right now.Client's Request: Why no tomatoes? Starting to get lots of flowers but almost NO tomatoes? Plants look very healthy. I live in central Contra Costa County.MGCC Help Desk…

A Quick Guide for Local 4-H Leaders in Inyo and Mono CountiesAs a 4-H leader you probably will need a place to meet. Local 4-H staff can help with this process! We recommend you start here. Read on.4-H has access to meeting rooms and locations throughout Inyo and Mono counties. Some of these rooms are…

Please find the attached document to provide the previous week’s estimated water use report in terms of evapotranspiration for almonds, peaches, walnuts, established vineyard, alfalfa, and pasture in Stanislaus County. This report may be used as a guide in your irrigation schedule for the…

Blog by Tina Saravia The last 3 afternoons, I’ve been sitting in a spot in the front garden between the tree collard and the pomegranate (Punica granatum), giving me enough shade so I can hang out with Adeli and Maggie May, our two happy chickens, digging for bugs, a.k.a. pest control. While I watch…

When seeking to make forests more fire resilient, removing fuels from the landscape is a tough task to make cost-effective. Thinning and limbing trees during fuels reduction treatments will sometimes produce marketable timber, but more often will produce small-diameter wood pieces that have traditionally…

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug showed up in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties about 12 years ago. It had been roaming around LA and Orange Counties before that.  There was a small outbreak on avocados at the time, but it was mainly seen on a lot of other plant species, like tomatoes.  We have not seen…

 As you’re enjoying the tomatoes from your garden, have you noticed some with brown areas on the bottom end? Blossom end rot is caused by a lack of calcium in the plant, most likely due to irregular watering (it’s not caused by a disease). To control the problem, maintain even moisture in your soil,…