Garden Troubleshooting

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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,…
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white flower with lots of yellow stamens called Carpenteria californica
UC Master Gardeners of Solano County: Page

About Us

Welcome to the UC Master Gardener Program of Solano CountySince 1986, trained volunteers have helped Solano County residents grow healthy, thriving gardens using research-based information from the University of California. We are part of University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR),…
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Person wearing gloves pouring liquid from a measuring cup into a spray bottle on cement.
Pests in the Urban Landscape: Article

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…
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American pondweed with emerged inflorescences. Submerged or floating-leaved aquatic plants with roots within the soil sediment.
UC Weed Science (weed control, management, ecology, and minutia): Article

UCCE Sutter-Yuba Advisors to Participate in Weed Management Area Project

January 30, 2026
By Whitney B Brim-Deforest, Troy L Clark
UCCE Sutter–Yuba is pleased to announce the launch of a new collaborative project with the Sutter and Yuba County Agricultural Commissioners’ Offices focused on the identification and management of invasive weed species in the region. As part of this effort, this project will be coordinating ongoing mapping…
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Several large, brilliant purple flowers scattered over dense, deep green leaves.
Pests in the Urban Landscape: Article

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…
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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.
Pests in the Urban Landscape: Article

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…
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Frost damage on citrus leaves. UC Regents
The Real Dirt: Article

Frost Protection for Citrus

January 4, 2026
Freezing temperatures damage plants by causing ice crystals to form in their cells. Frost-damaged vegetation withers and turns a dark brown or black. Ice crystals can also form in citrus fruit, causing juice vesicles inside the fruit to rupture and the fruit to dry out. Although frost-damaged fruit is…
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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…
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