Pest Management

A dense stand of spiny yellow starthistle plants with light green, spindly foliage and bright yellow flowers.

Invasive Species: Nature’s Troublemakers

March 11, 2026
By Lindsey Hack
California is famous for its scenic wilderness and biological diversity. Unfortunately, our state’s unique ecosystems are in danger, and invasive species are among the biggest threats to our environment. Invasive species can cause all kinds of environmental damage, such as harming wildlife, disrupting our…
View Article
The green foliage of a small sycamore tree coated with fluffly, white patches of powdery mildew fungus.

What's That Powdery Stuff on My Plants?

March 5, 2026
By Belinda Messenger-Sikes
Have you seen white powdery-looking patches appearing on the leaves of your roses or sycamore trees? While home gardeners may be familiar with this sign of the plant disease powdery mildew on their veggies, ornamental plants and landscape trees can also be infected. In addition to those powdery spots, the…
View Article
Citrus IPM News: Article

Three Updates from the Citrus IPM Program

March 4, 2026
By Sandipa Gautam
⭐Update 1: ACP HLB Outreach Day is tomorrow, March 5 at LREC Conference Room!Asian Citrus Psyllid and Huanglongbing will be held Lindcove Conference Room on Thursday, March 05, 2026. This is a great opportunity for citrus pest control advisors and growers to learn about the current status of ACP and HLB in…
View Article
lady beetle larvae crawling on a leaf
UC Master Gardeners of Solano County: Page

Ask a Master Gardener

Have a question about your garden? The UC Master Gardeners of Solano County are here to help!Our trained volunteers provide free, research-based advice on all aspects of home gardening, tailored to Solano County’s Mediterranean climate (Zones 9a, 9b, and 10a). We can help you:Identify plant problems, pests,…
View Page
Person wearing gloves pouring liquid from a measuring cup into a spray bottle on cement.

Upcoming Webinars from UC IPM

February 9, 2026
By Yulie Velez
If you missed our first Urban & Community IPM webinar of the year, Pests of Backyard Chickens, don’t fret, we have more for you! Join us every third Thursday of the month from 12:00pm to 1:00pm PT to learn about a wide range of urban pest management topics. This series is free and open to the…
View Article
Several large, brilliant purple flowers scattered over dense, deep green leaves.

When Ornamentals Escape

January 20, 2026
By Cherie Shook
You might be surprised to learn that a few of your favorite ornamental plants are invasive to California and can “escape” your yard causing big problems in the wild. When plants escape landscape and garden boundaries, it is often due to seed distribution or aggressive roots. An invasive plant species can…
View Article
Short mushrooms growing at the edge of a lawn along mowing strip. Caps of mushrooms are whitish to light brown and appear cracked. Caps are flat with edges rolled down slightly.

Rains Bring Lawn Mushrooms

January 9, 2026
By Belinda Messenger-Sikes
Winter rains and damp conditions in many parts of California may have brought a surprise visitor to your lawn: mushrooms! A few mushrooms sprouting in your lawn can be a good sign: it means there's plenty of organic matter in the soil. But if patches of mushrooms are sprinkled across your lawn, something…
View Article
UC Master Gardeners of Placer County: Article

Worms in My Apples: Non-chemical Control of Codling Moths

December 18, 2025
Jacqueline Champa, UC Master Gardeners of Placer County From The Curious Gardener, Fall 2010All summer you looked forward to your first, fresh-picked apple of the season. Picking a beautiful apple off the tree, the only imperfection is a slight red spot on the skin---somewhat like a blossoming…
View Article
Subscribe to