Plant Care

By Trish Grenfell, UC Master Gardener of Placer CountyFrom The Curious Gardener, Summer 2022Originally published in Auburn Journal, July 17, 2021  What is wrong with my tomato? Here are some things to look at: 1. Blossom drop: When daily temperatures are greater than 90 degrees and nights…

By Johanne Ryker, UC Master Gardener of Placer CountyQ: How much and how often should I be watering my vegetable garden?A:  Gardens in our area normally require some irrigation, especially in summer. Irrigation that is inadequate will cause a significant reduction in productivity. However, water…

Laurie Meyerpeter, UC Master Gardeners of Placer CountyFrom The Curious Gardener, Fall 2010Fall has long been considered to be the BEST time to plant because it allows the plant to become well established before the heat of the following summer. It’s the best time to plant most native plants. It’s the…

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,…