The Real Dirt Blog
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Understanding Fertilizers and Amendments
What do those numbers on bags and boxes of fertilizer and soil amendments really mean? And what is the difference between a fertilizer and an amendment? Whether a material is considered an...
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Drought Triage: Keeping Plants Alive When Water is Scarce
While you might not be able to save them all, you can take precautions in your garden that will save the plants it makes sense to save, define your gardening priorities, and plan for continuing...
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Replanting Paradise
It may not seem like it to those just traveling though, but Paradise is not only rebuilding, it's replanting. Homeowners, as well as people who have not yet broken ground, are tending their...
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Wildtending Walk #3: Seed Collection and Keystone Species
April's Wildtending Walk at Verbena Fields marked the third of this year-long monthly series. Each month, we discover changes that have taken place and learn the stages of a plant's growth (e.g....
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Vegetable Gardening During Drought
As we enter another summer of drought, conserving water is essential. Luckily, there are a number of ways you can significantly reduce water use in your vegetable garden. Before planting a...
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Ladybugs are Good for Your Garden
At this time of the year, aphids can be a serious problem in the garden. But salvation can arrive in the form of ladybugs. Ladybugs are actually beetles, not bugs. And while they are...
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Recognizing and Dealing with Plum Leaf Curl
Plum leaf curl is a malady indicated by tightly curled and deformed leaves which are usually near the ends of new plum shoots in the spring. Unlike leaf curl in peaches and nectarines, which is...
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Adaptation: A local nursery weathers changes wrought by fire in the foothills
This is a story of adaptation, by both plants and their people. It's set in the fire-prone foothills of eastern Butte County, where in 1994 David and Cathy Walther purchased a home on 1.5 acres. The...
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Learning from Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK): Verbena Fields Wildtending Walk #2
Almost thirty participants strolled through Verbena Fields on March 30 for the second of a year-long series of Wildtending Walks. This month's leaders, Raphael DiGenova and Janeva Sorenson, shared...
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Watch out for the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug
As our weather warms, be on the lookout for the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB). It's important to be able to recognize this voracious pest in order to prevent its spread. There are a large number...
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Drip Irrigation
With a second year of below-normal rainfall, California is sliding into another drought cycle. Here in the North Valley, total rainfall for the current Water Year (October 2020 through March...
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Bumble Bees in the Garden
One of the amusements a garden can provide is watching the birds, bees, butterflies and other critters drawn to it. Most of us have seen honeybees flying from flower to flower, sipping nectar or...
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Children in the Garden
There are many benefits in sharing a love for gardening with a child. Gardening is an enjoyable and healthy way to connect with children, whether they're your own, a friend's, or a neighbor's. ...
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Plant Walks at Verbena Fields Focus on Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Wildtending
Do you want to learn more about incorporating native plants in your garden? Are you curious about the healing properties of native plants? Ever wondered how Native Americans managed wild spaces?...
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Garden Tools
People new to gardening often ask what tools are needed to maintain their gardens. It's easy to become overwhelmed by the scope and variety of garden tools available in stores, online, and in garden...
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Maintaining Your Garden Tools
Spring is just around the corner, and it's time to make sure your garden tools are in peak condition. Good maintenance not only prolongs the life and usefulness of garden tools; it also...
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Rebuilding Paradise Community Gardens
One of the many tragedies of the Camp Fire was the destruction of the Norton Buffalo Hall, which not only provided a meeting place and concert venue for the community and beyond, but was also the...
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Seeding our Survival: The Butte County Local Food Network
Our survival begins, and ends, with seeds. Making sure there is sufficient diversity and supply of viable seeds, people to grow them, and a supply of the nourishing food they produce is a core...
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Landscaping Under Trees
Northstate residents prize large trees for their beauty and the shade they provide. There are other environmental benefits to mature trees as well. They encourage biodiversity, offset...
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Summer-Blooming Bulbs
Most bulbs, including most native plant bulbs, are planted in the fall, but February is an ideal time to plant several summer-blooming bulbs. Summer-blooming “bulbs” that...
Visit the Real Dirt archive for additional articles.
Got Gardening Questions?
Volunteers for our Hotline are working via email to respond to your gardening questions. All responses to your questions will be conducted via email.
Email Us at mgbutte@ucanr.edu (preferred).
Call: 530-538-7201 (leave a message)
Help Us Help You
You never can tell what's at the root of the problem. Below are some questions we may ask when you call:
- Name of plant
- Age of plant
- Soil type (loam, sandy, clay)
- Current watering methods (drip, sprinkler, hand)
- Frequency of watering
- Sun exposure
- Evidence of insects or other damage – check on both sides of leaves
- Recent changes that may effect the plant (watering, fertilizing)
Samples and photos related to your question are strongly encouraged. Drop them by the office any time, or email them to:
mgbutte@ucanr.edu