Plant Care

By Laurie Meyerpeter, UC Master Gardeners of Placer CountyQ: I am interested in growing food in my garden. Can I plant anything in the winter?A: There are many food plants that you can plant now but there are a few precautions. During the winter months, our clay soils may be too wet to plant after…

Johanne Ryker, UC Master Gardeners of Placer CountyFrom The Curious Gardener, Fall 2011Spring is long gone and done, summer is winding down, and plants like tomatoes and zucchini have kept many of us busy in the garden, so now it’s time to think about fall and planning the fall garden.Many home…

Laurie Meyerpeter, UC Master Gardeners of Placer CountyFrom The Curious Gardener, Fall 2007Fall is the best time to plant most garden plants and trees in mild winter climates. Most trees and shrubs have a significant increase in growth after the first year when compared with spring planted trees and shrubs…

by Liz Rees, UC Master Gardeners of Nevada CountyFrom The Curious Gardener, Winter 2009Every gardening book, magazine or guru states how important it is to read, understand and carefully follow the directions provided on the back of the seed packet.According to the experts, the back of the seed packet…

By Robyn Emme, UC Master Gardeners of Placer CountyFrom The Curious Gardener, Winter 2007Our thoughts are turning from enjoying those lazy winter weekends when gardening is just not happening to maybe summoning up the inspiration to start planning what we will do differently this year and what new plants we…

By Elaine Applebaum, UC Master Gardeners of Placer County Q: Catalogs and some nurseries list “zones” in their description of plants. What are they talking about?A:  Athletes strive to be “in the zone” and Caltrans asks us to “Slow for the Cone Zone,” but gardeners need to know their USDA or…

How about bringing a new plant home to cheer up these dark winter days?  For the avid gardener, houseplants can be an excellent source of greenery and even flowers when the outside garden has gone gray and dormant in the doldrums of mid-winter.  The Moth Orchid, ZZ Plant, Christmas Cactus, Snake Plant,…

The Basics of Pruning Pruning isn’t just about keeping plants tidy, it’s about enhancing the health, structure, and appearance of your landscape. With the right tools and a little know-how, you can promote stronger growth, reduce disease, and even increase flowering in your trees and shrubs.Pruning…

California’s urban forests deserve nothing less than “Fancy” trees. Jessie Godfrey, UC ANR Environmental Horticulture and Water Resource Management Advisor, is elevating the work of “Team Fancy,” a group of nursery professionals advocating for state-specific tree quality standards. These standards aim to…