Forests

After years of drought, we welcome rain in California. But we also recognize that rain can help spread a number of plant diseases. Rain and wind can splash bacteria and fungi from infected leaves, branches, and blossoms to uninfected parts of the tree.

Pocket gophers can cause significant damage to valuable turf, girdle trees, and chew irrigation lines. Their mounds can create tripping hazards and lead to erosion concerns when found on slopes.

Spring is just around the corner and many types of fruit trees are starting to develop their leaves. If you are growing peaches or nectarines and are now seeing symptoms of peach leaf curl on new leaves, unfortunately it's too late to manage the disease.

Choosing fruit trees for your Alameda County garden? Use this checklist to find the best varieties and set yourself up for a fruitful harvest.

Create wildlife habitats in your Alameda County garden with tips on supporting birds, bees, and other beneficial creatures around your home landscape.

Springtime planting is almost here but don't rush to plant seeds until the soil has warmed up! Planting seeds too soon, when the soil is cold and wet, risks losing them to damping-off, a disease caused by fungi and oomycetes in the soil.

Learn how to prevent and treat peach leaf curl with expert advice from the Master Gardeners of Alameda County. Keep your peach trees healthy and productive!

Healthy Soils Week (Dec. 4-8) is a week-long initiative by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to highlight the importance of soil health throughout California. Healthy soils can improve crop yields, sequester carbon, reduce erosion, and increase biodiversity.

Peach leaf curl is a fungal disease that only affects peach and nectarine trees. The fungus causes distorted, reddened leaves to appear on the tree in the spring.

Most people don't think about rats or mice until they become pests in or around the home. But with experts predicting that these pests will be particularly bad this upcoming winter, you might want to spend some more time rodent-proofing your home and other buildings.