Gardening

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Three small aphid insects on a green leaf. Two of the aphids are dead from parasitization: these appear brown and swollen, and one of them has a hole on its body. The third aphid is alive and green.
Pests in the Urban Landscape: Article

Mummies in Your Garden?!

October 29, 2025
By Lindsey Hack
It’s almost Halloween, so many of us are thinking about jack-o-lanterns, skeletons, and mummies. When you think of a mummy, you probably imagine the scary kind inspired by the ancient Egyptian ritual of preserving the bodies of the dead. When we talk about mummies at UC IPM, we mean something completely…
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Select the largest garlic cloves to plant. J. Alosi
The Real Dirt: Article

Growing Garlic

October 28, 2025
Fall is the best time to plant garlic for a summer harvest.  Both the softneck and hardneck types of garlic can be planted now.  The softneck varieties are found in most grocery stores.  They have a mild flavor and store very well.  Two recommended softneck varieties for our climate are “California Early”…
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[PODCAST] Fall-Planted Bulbs for Spring Bloom

October 28, 2025
By Loren Nelson
This week on In The Garden with UC Master Gardeners, we blend old with new! Last week, Teena Spindler told you about her favorite ways to keep her garden as spectacular now after all of the work over the years. The heavy design part is done and proven. Now, everything that has “naturalized” will come…
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UC Master Gardeners of El Dorado County: Article

Central Sierra: Pruning Effectively for Strong, Beautiful Trees

October 24, 2025
By Robin E Martin
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…
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[PODCAST] Low Effort Flower Gardens

October 21, 2025
By Loren Nelson
This week on In The Garden with UC Master Gardeners, MGs Teena Spindler and Katrina Kirkeby expound on the meaning of lazy gardening! Or, as we call today’s show, Low Effort Flower Gardens. These two ladies often talk about leaving on vacation and coming back to see PRESENTS all over their gardens! …
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Vole. UC IPM Program
The Real Dirt: Article

Small Animal Pests

October 20, 2025
Vertebrate pests can pose a serious threat to the achievement of one’s “dream garden” by wreaking havoc on plants and vegetables literally overnight. They feed or gnaw on the roots of ornamental plants, vines, shrubs and trees, and even plastic water lines. In our area, pocket gophers, moles, voles and…
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UC Master Gardeners of Orange County: Page

Raised Beds - Orange County

Planning a Raised Bed | Materials | Ground Preparation | Structure | Soil | Planting | Care and Maintenance | Fertilizer | Water | Pest and Weed ManagementWhy Choose Raised Beds?Raised bed gardening offers a wide range of benefits that make it a smart, enjoyable, and rewarding choice for gardeners of all…
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Tidytips (Layia platyglossa), a native wildflower. Eve Werner
The Real Dirt: Article

Growing Annual Native Wildflowers

October 15, 2025
Planting annual native wildflower seeds can be a relatively easy and inexpensive way to add native plants to your garden. The best time to plant is from mid-October into November. Water during dry spells between rains for optimal germination. You can extend the bloom season by continuing to sow from December…
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[PODCAST] Composting and Organic Waste in Orange County

October 14, 2025
By Loren Nelson
California is almost ten years into the legislation, planning, and implementation of one of the most significant environmental plans ever developed. SB 1383 was passed in 2016 with the goal of diverting methane-producing organic waste from the landfills. This week on In the Garden with UC Master…
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An orange flower grows in a greenhouse

California nursery industry grapples with plastics, water, nutrients

October 8, 2025
By Caroline D Champlin
Nursery owners and landscapers are anticipating a slew of new environmental regulations to impact business as usual. Scientists from University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources brought these hot topics, and many others, to business owners’ attention at the 2025 California Nursery Conference…
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