Garden Troubleshooting

Primary Image
 Field bindweed, a noxious weed in California has distinctive leaves and white flowers. Jeanette Alosi
The Real Dirt: Article

What Makes a Weed a Weed?

April 21, 2025
For many of us, gardening involves a constant battle with weeds. Basically, a weed is nothing more than a plant growing where it is not wanted, the classic example being dandelions in the lawn. But as the old saying goes, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” and there are many “weeds” that are, in…
View Article
Primary Image
Bermuda buttercup infesting a bed of landscaped plants.
Pests in the Urban Landscape: Article

Spring is in the Air, and Oxalis is Everywhere

April 17, 2025
By Lindsey Hack
Bermuda buttercup (Oxalis pes-caprae), also called buttercup oxalis or sourgrass, might be a familiar sight in winter and spring, particularly to those who live in coastal regions or the Sacramento Valley. Some people enjoy seeing this plant’s cheerful yellow flowers pop up in their spring gardens, but for…
View Article
Primary Image
Four men in weedy area. One is holding a measuring container while another sprays liquid into it from a wand attached to a backpack sprayer. A third person holds a clipboard and the furth holds a stopwatch.
UC Weed Science (weed control, management, ecology, and minutia): Article

New Online Course: Calibrating Herbicide Applications for Non-Agricultural Areas

April 14, 2025
By Cheryl A Reynolds
Calibration might sound intimidating, but it’s critical for safe and effective herbicide application. Proper calibration ensures that the correct amount of pesticide is applied to an area while achieving the desired level of pest control. To support land managers and pesticide applicators, the UC Statewide…
View Article
Thrips/TSWV status in Yolo & Colusa: Article

2025 First Report-- April 2

April 2, 2025
By Patricia A Lazicki
General situation, thrips population developmentPlanting is in full swing. Temperatures and precipitation this spring are close to historic norms, and the thrips population predictions are very similar to those we saw last year. We’re currently at the peak of 1st-generation adults; they’ll be laying their…
View Article
Primary Image
Photo Forest and Lake by Katie Musial on Unsplash
ANR Contracts & Grants Updates: Article

2 RFPs - Vertebrate Pest Control Research and Forest Monitoring

March 27, 2025
By Kendra T Rose
Dear Colleagues,1) California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) Integrated Pest Control Branch is now accepting applications for the Vertebrate Pest Control Research Program (VPCRP). This funding opportunity is designed to support innovative research and education projects aimed at…
View Article
Primary Image
Armillaria
UC Marin Master Gardeners: Document

Armillaria

 Armillaria root rot, also known as Oak root fungus, is a disease of many different plants.  There is no known effective cure.  Root rot fungus disease of trees and woody plants. Affects palms, succulents, ferns and other herbaceous plants like begonia, daffodil, dahlia, and geranium.  No…
View Document
Primary Image
Damping Off
UC Marin Master Gardeners: Document

Damping Off

Seedlings sometimes fail to sprout or die soon after. Seeds may rot before germinating, shoots may decay before they emerge, or stems of seedlings may be attacked near the soil line, causing young plants to collapse. These diseases are collectively called “damping off,” likely caused by a number of soil…
View Document
Primary Image
downy mildew
UC Marin Master Gardeners: Document

Downy Mildew

Downy mildews, including Peronospora and Plasmopara spp., are pathogenic water molds (oomycetes) that primarily damage foliage. Hosts include cane berries, roses, various herbaceous ornamentals, and many fruit, grain, and vegetable crops. CategoryFungiSigns/SymptomsDowny mildew causes pale green to…
View Document
Primary Image
Brown, scorched-looking leaves are symptoms of fire blight in trees in the apple and pear family. Photo: Sebastian Stabinger
UC Marin Master Gardeners: Document

Fire Blight

 Fire blight is a common and frequently destructive disease of pome fruit trees and related plants.  The disease can destroy limbs and even entire shrubs or trees. Caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora. Pear (Pyrus species) and quince (Cydonia) are extremely susceptible.  Apple, crabapple …
View Document