Gardening Basics

Have you ever wondered why you can't seem to grow beefsteak tomatoes in your Alameda City garden even though your friend in Livermore gets huge and wonderfully tasty ones? A big part of the answer relates to the different microclimates of each city. The University of California Agriculture and Natural…

If you’ve been gardening in Alameda County for a while, you’ve probably noticed “new normals”: more warm nights, more heat spikes, and winter weather that can feel less reliably cold. Those shifts matter in a region where so many of our favorite fruits, vegetables, and ornamentals are tuned to narrow…

IntroductionAfter you've enriched your soil and readied your pots or your beds for the vegetables you want to grow in the early spring, you'll need to decide whether to begin with seeds planted directly into the soil or to transplant already-started plants (“starts”) you get from a nursery or other source…

Now that we are into the “quiet time” of our gardens, it might be just the right time to take a slow walk through our gardens to see what is working and what isn’t, and to dream of what would renew the magic of gardening.A garden is everchanging, and is a work in progress.Fall and winter can be a good time…

As the long, sunny days of summer fade, fall and winter bring a quieter but equally important season in the Bay Area garden. While plants rest, gardeners prepare for the next growing cycle. This checklist helps new and experienced gardeners keep their gardens thriving through the cooler months — especially…

Got questions on summer gardening?  Want to know more about the selection and care of trees? Wondering about your soil’s health? We’ve got you covered. Explore Our Gardening Resource Collections to Help Your Garden Thrive.We have information organized by big topics such as seasonal gardening,…