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Garden Notes Blog
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Going Native – A History
There are lots of reasons to include native plants in your garden. But do you know when the native plant movement began in California and why the use of native plants is so important? Theodore Payne (1872-1963) is generally considered the father...
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Transforming Your Landscape: A Journey of Inspiration, Challenges, and Success - Part Two
Watching the transformation of my front landscape over the past six months has been nothing short of exhilarating. Despite the challenges of an exceptionally hot summer, the plants have thrived, slowly acclimating to their new environment. This success...
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The UC Master Gardener - and the Public - as IPM Ambassadors
An effective UC Master Gardener volunteer should see themselves first as a gardener, then a student, as well as a teacher, a storyteller, and finally, a defender of our shared California waterways and clean air. It may not be obvious, but we all live in...
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Horticultural Terms — Epizoochory: Another Form of Seed Dispersal
Horticultural Terms — Epizoochory: Another Form of Seed Dispersal In the Summer 2024 edition of this blog, I highlighted the “eliasome,” a fleshy appendage on some seeds that allows ants to transport them into their nests to feed their...
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Herb Study – Caraway
Herb Study – Caraway Over the years, my wife and I have converted our home's yard from 1100 ft2 of lawn to a native, edible, and herbal wonderland. We continue to add unique and fragrant herbs that enhance the overall beauty and bounty of our...
UC Garden Blogs
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Bohart Museum Gift Shop: What's Not to Like About a Bug?
What's not to like about a bug? And there are more of them to like than you think! About a million described species of insects inhabit our planet. That's about 80 percent of the world's species, scientists say. "Most authorities agree that...
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To limit bird flu spread, keep wild birds away from poultry, livestock
Waterfowl Alert Network data help assess risk of avian influenza H5N1 Every winter, millions of migratory birds fly south to warmer locales, passing over California Central Valley dairies and poultry farms. Many of these wild waterfowl are carrying...
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Can You Spare a Leg?
If you collect insect specimens, can you spare a leg? It's for science. UC Berkeley doctoral alumnus Brad Balukjian, CEO and Intern, Islephile LLC, Concord, and research associate, California Academy of Sciences, recently...
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Bugs in Your Holiday Cookies!?
In a recent TikTok video, a woman's holiday baking spree came to a halt when she discovered bugs in her flour. While initially alarmed, the woman was also intrigued. What are they? Where did they come from? How did they get into the container? There are...