Gardening

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A freshly made bed with white sheets and striped pillows.

Don’t Let the Bed Bugs Bite This Summer!

June 24, 2024
By Lauren Fordyce
As vacation season begins, people will be traveling much more in the coming months. Whether you'll be staying at a hotel, hostel, motel, rental home, or summer camp, you should always be on the lookout for bed bugs.
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Soil in bags for testing.
Over the Fence (Alameda County): Article

Getting the Dirt on Soil Testing

June 18, 2024
By Jim Farr
Get the dirt on soil testing for Alameda County gardens. Learn pH levels, nutrient analysis, sampling methods & how to interpret results effectively.
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A grey brown rat on the ground with its hands by its mouth feeding on something.
Pests in the Urban Landscape: Article

Updated Rat Management Resources

June 18, 2024
By Lauren Fordyce
Rats can contaminate our food, damage structures, and spread diseases. To help residents and urban pest professionals safely and effectively manage rats, UC IPM has updated the Pest Notes: Rats publication.
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A light brown grasshopper sitting in the middle of a bright yellow flower.
Pests in the Urban Landscape: Article

Grasshopper Mania!

June 12, 2024
By Lauren Fordyce
Are grasshoppers taking over your garden? Within the last week, we've received several reports of large populations of these pests covering people's plants, especially in Northern California. Grasshoppers are a sporadic garden pest.
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Pest prevention tips for June.

June Pest Prevention Tips

June 11, 2024
By Lauren Fordyce
Summer is here and so are the pests! Keep an eye out for the following pests and take these steps to prevent problems in the garden or landscape this June. To see more tips specific to your region, visit the Seasonal Landscape IPM Checklist on the UC IPM website.
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A brown insect on a green leaf.

Invasive Pest Spotlight: Glassy-winged Sharpshooter

June 6, 2024
By Lauren Fordyce
The glassy-winged sharpshooter is a large leafhopper that can transmit several important, often fatal, plant diseases in California. This includes Pierce's disease of grape, alfalfa dwarf, almond leaf scorch, and mulberry leaf scorch.
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A hand holding a dark green aquatic plant.

Invasive Pest Spotlight: Hydrilla

June 5, 2024
By Lauren Fordyce
Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) is an invasive, aquatic weed that can be found in many slow-moving fresh water bodies in California. The plant forms large mats that can crowd out native plants, restrict water flow, and interfere with boating and fishing.
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Types of sprinklers you may find in your garden, pipe tape and a riser
Over the Fence (Alameda County): Article

Warm Season Irrigation Checklist

June 5, 2024
By Erin Wright, Diane Allen
Essential warm season irrigation checklist for Alameda County gardens. Test sprinklers, drip systems & timers to keep plants thriving all summer.
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Black and white striped mosquito on human skin

Invasive Pest Spotlight: Aedes Mosquitoes

June 4, 2024
By Lauren Fordyce
Aedes mosquitoes can transmit some of the most debilitating and deadly mosquito-borne pathogens to humans, such as Zika virus, dengue virus, chikungunya virus, and yellow fever virus. One Aedes species is also capable of transmitting heartworm to dogs.
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