Gardening

By Elaine Applebaum, UC Master Gardener of Placer CountyQ: Last year the Master Gardener Office diagnosed nematodes as the cause of my tomato crop and told me to change the location of my tomato bed next year. Unfortunately, I forgot all about it and planted this year’s tomatoes in the same place. Help…

By Trish Grenfell, UC Master Gardener of Placer CountyQ: My tomatoes this year are flowering but producing no fruit. I have also noticed that the bees seem to be absent also. Is this why I am not getting any fruit? A: There are many reasons for blossom drop but lack of honeybees is not a major…

By Jan Birdsall, UC Master Gardener of Placer CountyFrom The Curious Gardener, Winter 2021                                                              …

By Elaine Applebaum, UC Master Gardeners of Placer CountyQ:  I like the idea of growing my own vegetables, but it seems like a lot of work. Are there some that are easier than others?A: There is a newfound interest in growing one’s own vegetables for economic, health and environmental reasons. Many…

By Trish Grenfell, UC Master Gardener of Placer CountyQ: What is the difference between organic seeds and the old-fashioned regular seeds? A:  Organic seed is harvested from plants that are grown organically. In terms of germination and seedling health, the difference is not drastic between…

By Trish Grenfell, UC Master Gardener of Placer CountyQ: I planted basil this spring and am unsure how many leaves I can remove without killing the plant. Will it regrow after I scalp it?A: Basil is wonderful, not only as a culinary experience, but if you place leafy bouquets in water, the spicy…

By Laurie Meyerpeter, UC Master Gardener of Placer CountyQ: What vegetables can I plant in the fall?A: Many vegetables are best planted in either late summer or early fall for a fall or winter crop. Or the same vegetables can be planted in early spring for a crop that matures before the heat of the…

Trish Alderson, UC Master Gardeners of Placer CountyFrom The Curious Gardener, Summer 2011Chips and Salsa, anyone?? How about salsa on salad or adding salsa to a favorite dish?These are just a few examples of how we might use salsa to enhance what we eat.Salsa is a wonderful accompaniment to many dishes…

By Trish Grenfell, UC Master Gardeners of Placer CountyQ: There are dark spots on the bottoms of most of my tomatoes. What is wrong and what should I do? A:  Blossom-end rot is a disease that strikes tomatoes, peppers, watermelons, among others. It is not caused by a pest but instead by…

Elaine Kelly Applebaum, UC Master Gardener of Placer CountyFrom The Curious Gardener, Spring 2021 Audrey Hepburn once said, “to plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” So perhaps it was to be expected that people around the world would take the opportunity posed by stay-at-home orders last…