http://ucanr.org/sites/gardenweb/index4.cfm?blogrss=10412&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed California Gardening Blog en-us UC ANR http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/rss/ Mon, 20 May 2013 23:16:42 PST Mon, 20 May 2013 23:16:42 PST UC ANR Please join the Statewide Master Gardener Program and the California Center for Urban Horticulture for a day of Citrus and Avocados. We'll be in Davis on April 13th, in Los Angeles on May 17th and in Riverside on May 18th. Registration is only $20 (includes lunch)! Learn more and register here: http://ccuh.ucdavis.edu/events/citrus/citrus. Workshop includes information about grafting, pruning, varieties, and pest management. See you there!...
]]> Thu, 28 Mar 2013 15:28:38 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9646&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed acrump@ucdavis.edu(Amanda Crump) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9646 Mon, 25 Mar 2013 09:45:34 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9601&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed acrump@ucdavis.edu(Amanda Crump) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9601 Mon, 11 Feb 2013 12:11:59 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9269&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed acrump@ucdavis.edu(Amanda Crump) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=9269 We have just gone through a couple of weeks of over 100F in northern California on top of being inundated by smoke from all of the wildfires in the mountains surrounding the Sacramento Valley. Nonetheless it really is time to think about that fall vegetable garden. We call this the cool season garden because the plants tolerate colder temperatures...not that they need cold temperatures to grow. Getting your cool season vegetables in this time of year ensures that they grow to an adequate size......
]]> Fri, 24 Aug 2012 09:41:49 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=8214&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=8214 This year was a tough year for the peaches and nectarines.  It seemed that even though we sprayed with a copper oil spray and with a registered fungicide at the right time, the PLC was very noticeable on the trees this spring.  Treating now is useless as is pulling off the infected leaves.  Never the less, many peolple do it because it makes them feel better and they don't see the infected leaves anymore.  Chuck Ingels on the other hand is trying to do something about it!  He has been working......
]]> Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:26:43 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=7380&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=7380     Did you ever wonder why we always give and receive red and white flowers for Valentine’s Day?     The language of flowers became popular in the 17th and 18th centuries.  Virtually every flower, even its color, had special significance during this period.  Flowers even formed secret correspondence between men and women with bouquets being chosen carefully to convey sentiment.     The red rose is the symbol of love; a pink rose the symbol of perfect happiness      Daffodils show regard;......
]]> Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:04:03 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=6772&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=6772 Oh, I love this time of year.  The harvest is on for prunes, almonds, walnuts and soon, olives for processing into both table olives and olive oil.  While making olive oil at home is possible, it isn't easy.  But it is easy to cure your own olives at home using one of several great methods.  You may cure them using the traditional lye cured method. They can be salt cured using black ripe olives, which creates a dry olive that is wonderful when rinsed and coated with good olive oil and chopped......
]]> Tue, 13 Sep 2011 10:48:21 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=5749&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=5749 Fri, 14 Jan 2011 10:59:43 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=4063&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=4063 (Text abridged from CDFA Alert) In October 18th, 2010 Ag officials confimred the detection of a red palm weevil (scientific name: Rhynchophorus ferrugineus and native to Southeast Asia) in Orange County.  This is the first time this pest has been found in the US.  The weevil is considered one of the worst pests of palm trees and the trees, once infested usually die.  According to A.J. Kwamura, Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Secretary A.G. Kawamura.  “It......
]]> Mon, 25 Oct 2010 13:40:55 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=3668&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=3668 Lye cured, water cured, pickled, salt cured, kalamata, black olives, green olives...how do you know what to do to make safe home cured olives?  Come find out from the experts!!!  Bill Krueger, UC Olive Expert and chair of the UC Davis Table Olive Symposium will be conducting a workshop on home olive curing and will describe the many methods that you can use at home to create those delicious snacks.  The workshop will be on Saturday, October 9th, 2010 from 9:00 a.m. to noon at the Historic Mills......
]]> Thu, 23 Sep 2010 12:52:56 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=3484&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=3484 The California Center for Urban Horticulture and the California Master Gardener program have partnered with Burchell Nursery to bring you Your Sustainable Backyard: Fruit Trees on Friday August 20th at Burchell Nursery in Oakdale, CA.  We’re very excited to have the workshop hosted at a nursery and hope that you will join us for this exciting learning opportunity.  Our workshop will focus on selecting trees, planning for your home orchard, summer pruning and staking, and troubleshooting pests......
]]> Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:01:09 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=3125&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=3125 Every year, I try to keep my tomatoes up off of the ground by installing a trellis system in advance of the tomatoes needing to be trellised.  My usual system is the "post and twine" system in which 2 inch posts are pounded into the ground using a stake pounder at 10 foot intervals and then wrapping/weaving the twine around the poles at 10 inch vertical intervals.  It works pretty well and I am not unhappy with it.  However, the downside is that the cotton jute that I prefer to use because it......
]]> Thu, 08 Jul 2010 11:24:27 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=3036&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=3036 This was a rough winter for young citrus trees.  Many may have died and most did suffer from frost/freeze damage depending, the degree of which depending upon the duration of low temperatures this winter.  At our house, it was 17 degrees F for at least 4 nights in a row and since we were out of town, there was no one home to either irrigate, put lights under the trees or cover them.  They were on their own and they did suffer. Several of the trees appear to have died but others are still green......
]]> Wed, 19 May 2010 09:31:48 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=2790&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=2790 Local artist Laurelin Gilmore and the Sacramento Bee have teamed up to feature honey bee art and education at the Sacramento Bee on Saturday, May 8!  Amazing honey bee art arrived from very talented and generous local artists.  These pieces will be for sale on Saturday and proceeds will be donated to UC Davis for honey bee research.  Saturday May 8, 20103-8 PMSacramento Bee outdoor courtyard2100 Q St., Sacramento, CA 95816The Department of Entomology will have an observation hive on display,......
]]> Fri, 07 May 2010 11:13:35 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=2724&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=2724 Do you love trees? The UC Davis Arboretum will be hosting a celebration of all things OAK on Oak Discovery Day on Sunday, May 2nd from 1 pm to 4 pm in Shields Oak Grove. After silently growing for almost half a century, the venerable trees in the Arboretum's Shields Oak Grove will debut as the featured attraction of this spring event. With almost 300 mature trees representing over 80 different varieties of oaks from around the world, Shields Oak Grove is a wonderful oak destination. This......
]]> Mon, 26 Apr 2010 13:45:19 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=2646&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=2646 Master Gardener program and the California Center for Urban Horticulture have partnered to put on Your Sustainable Backyard: Roses on Friday April 30th at UC Davis.  We’ve hosted a ‘Rose Day’ event in the past and are very excited about this new workshop as we’ll be very hands on with rose propagation, pruning and pest identification.  We’ll not only be touring the Foundation Plant Services 8 acres of award winning roses, we’ll be working and learning in the field too!  Whether you’re new to......
]]> Wed, 07 Apr 2010 08:13:19 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=2544&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=2544 This tip will help you conserve water in your landscape and it is very easy to do...just inspect your sprinkler system for problems and repair them before the turf irrigation season begins.  Most of our irrigation systems run very early in the morning while we are asleep and problems can go on undetected for months.      Poorly adjusted sprinkler systems also account for significant wasted water.  Sprinkler heads that are broken, leaking, tilted, spraying the wrong direction or clogged will......
]]> Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:28:13 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=2403&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=2403 The California Center for Urban Horticulture and the Master Gardener program have an exciting workshop coming up on Saturday March 6 at the UC Davis campus.  Rosalind Creasy, the ‘Mother of Edible Landscaping’ and prominent author, will be joining us to talk about using fruits and vegetables in your home landscape.  This exciting workshop will cover design, soil, pest management and more!  Your registration of $45 includes morning coffee, and lunch.  Please join us – you’ll leave prepared to......
]]> Tue, 02 Feb 2010 11:04:15 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=2248&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=2248 Ideas about sustainable gardening practices have really become part of the mainstream in many ways.  It is common to see people composting green waste and mulching their gardens.  There are more efficient irrigation systems that respond to weather demands and most people have installed automatic irrigation controllers.  Even though we are doing these things, there is so much more we can be doing.  We can be keeping more of our green waste on site.  We could be using less fertilizer and even......
]]> Mon, 11 Jan 2010 08:42:19 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=2159&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=2159 I am of an age that when I was a child we got to burn our fall leaves in the gutter outside our house.  I remember the pungent and sweetly smoky smell of the burning leaves.  I am only occasionally blessed with a passing whiff of that smell and when I do smell it, all of those childhood memories come flooding back.  However, it is generally now unacceptable to burn leaves because of air quality restrictions.  That is really okay because there are so many good things you can do with all those......
]]> Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:24:46 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=2018&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=2018 WORKSHOP REGISTRATION CLOSED--SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!Winter is a great time to prune many of your evergreen trees and shrubs.  You can use the clippings and create beautiful holiday wreaths and swags to decorate your home for the holidays.  Join me in this hands-on holiday traditional workshop. Participants will learn how to prune evergreens properly and then take those evergreens and make them into beautiful wreaths or swags to take home.  Cost is $40.00 per person and includes all supplies for a......
]]> Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:37:28 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1983&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1983  Cheryl Wilen, IPM Specialist in Weed management provides tips on using weed block fabric to effectively manage annual weeds as well as how to manage small infestations of nutsedge can be viewed on a U-Tube Video.  Each video is about 2 minutes.  To view go to:  http://www.youtube.com/Ucanr#p/a/u/0/Cv2QO7fus20http://www.youtube.com/Ucanr#p/a/u/1/3I4BR5Q8mT0...
]]> Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:03:52 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1927&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1927 You take a few days off from the garden and all of a sudden it becomes a battle ground between you and the various insect pests that invade....I noted that there were numerous holes in my once perfect broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage plants.  I also saw a number of velvety green worms camouflaged within the foliage with the only telltale sign of them being there were the holes in the leaves and an abundance of frass (insect excrement) they leave behind.  These are relatively easy pests to......
]]> Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:09:22 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1900&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1900 Spring is when most people get energized to plant trees in their garden but fall is a much better time if you live in a temperate climate.  There is less stress on the trees because of lower temperatures, reduced transpiration and a higher moisture availablity.  The roots have a chance to grow out into the native soils during the winter before the onslaught of high summer heat.  Also, if you are choosing trees for their fall color, they should begin to show some color now depending upon the......
]]> Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:42:37 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1876&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1876 As a Master Gardeners and Advisors, we receive a lot of samples of plant problems. Some problems are easy to identify but others can be perplexing and often confounded by inadequate information.  I recently received a sample of Bradford pear leaves (Pyrus calleryana) with very interesting symptoms.  At first, I thought that the plant may have been picking up something that was toxic to it because it appeared that the leaf was showing dieback progressively from the middle of the leave out to the......
]]> Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:58:03 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1826&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1826 Is it really fall?  It is going to be 101F today but yet, the nights are cooling off and that makes all the difference in the fall garden.  I went to a nursery to purchase some transplants and they said..."we don't have them in yet because it is still too hot".  I wanted to say nonsense!  It is almost too late for planting broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and the other cole crops for much of California.  The reality is, if you wait until it really cools off, your plants will just sit there for......
]]> Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:40:48 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1787&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1787 Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:57:05 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1755&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1755 If you want to learn more about growing olives and curing them safely at home, join our Home Olive Curing Workshop on Saturday, September 26th, 9-12 at the historic Mills Orchard near Hamilton City, CA (located about 1-1/2 hours north of Sacramento).  UC Olive Expert Bill Krueger and myself, will discuss olive culture, varieties and share our knowledge about olive curing with hands-on demonstrations.  Cost is $35.00 and includes olive tasting, refreshments and recipes and this publication.  To......
]]> Wed, 09 Sep 2009 11:40:04 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1727&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1727 Composting Is Good for Your Garden and the Environment (ANR Publication 8367), has now been published online and is available at no charge at the ANR CS Web site at http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/8367.pdf To view the catalog listing for this title, go to this URL: http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/InOrder/Shop/ItemDetails.asp?ItemNo=8367. Let us know if you have any trouble viewing, downloading, or printing the publication.Some key tips about composting this time of year include: Keep......
]]> Wed, 09 Sep 2009 11:24:39 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1726&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1726 This is my first post on this blog and it is about gardening in its most PRACTICAL and useful sense.  So often I see articles about gardening that are really beautiful and lyrical but geez...how real are they?  The thing they don't tell you is that that container that was so lush and full of flowers in the picture only lasted for about 3 months or that just before the photo every piece of leaf litter was meticulously picked up and the lawn photo was airbrushed.  My goal with this weekly blog is......
]]> Wed, 02 Sep 2009 13:27:20 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1699&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1699 Periwinkle or Vinca major is a ground cover that has been popularly planted in many areas of California.  It has also become a major pest in many coastal and valley riparian areas where it has naturalized and now out competes many of the native flora.  It is also a major pest in my garden and I am looking for great alternatives to take its place.  The good news is that there is a web link on the California Gardening website to a group called PlantRight.  (http://plantright.org)  They have......
]]> Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:28:55 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1689&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1689 I live along an historic boulevard of beautiful Canary Island Date Palms,  Phoenix canarensis.  They are really majestic but they do drop a lot of fronds during much of the year.  Anytime there is a breeze, one can expect to see the large fronds or flower clusters littering the ground around the base of the trees and  the street.  The dropping fronds are not really a huge issue in our area because the road is quite rural, and infrequently traveled.   However, there are many plantings that are......
]]> Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:47:14 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1670&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1670 Apricots and cherries can have a fairly short lifespan in many climate zones in California due to a disease called Eutypa.  This disease is able to invade through pruning wounds especially during the wet winter months.  This disease causes limbs or twigs to wilt and die suddenly in late spring or summer with the leaves still attached.  The bark may appear dark with an amber colored gumming on the branches.  To combate that the disease and reduce the potential for Eutypa to infect trees, you......
]]> Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:20:22 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1637&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1637 Spotted spurge is one of those weeds that seem to defy our best efforts to control it.  It is a low growing plant that develops into a dense mat that can overgrow turf and compete with ornamental ground covers and annuals.  It can be characterized by its dark green tiny leaves, which often have a red spot about mid way down the center leaf vein.  The stem, when broken, exudes a milky latex juice. The plant has a central taproot system that is capable of extending more than 2 feet into the soil.......
]]> Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:29:30 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1613&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1613 This time of year, it is not uncommon to see the valley oak trees (Quercus lobata) with their leaves yellowed and splotchy with numerous small seed like balls on the underside.  These are called Jumping oak galls and they are made by a small Cynipid wasp larva (Neuropterus saltatorius) that is developing inside the gall.  Don’t worry-the wasp doesn’t sting humans.  In fact, you would be lucky to actually see the critter.  While the galls do cause some defoliation, they are not particularly......
]]> Mon, 03 Aug 2009 11:41:19 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1575&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1575  The lawn, from a distance, looks lush and green.  When walking across it, however, the exploding seed pods of the densely growing oxalis spread seeds across my boots and across my lawn.  In one year the newly planted cool season turfgrass has become an oxalis or creeping wood sorrel lawn.  Creeping woodsorrel is a major weed in turf, ornamental plantings, gardens, and nurseries. Uninfested landscapes can become contaminated if infested container stock is used in plantings. As seed pods mature......
]]> Tue, 28 Jul 2009 15:24:47 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1565&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1565 I have been growing the most wonderful variety of cantaloupes called “Athena” in my vegetable garden.  This variety is to die for….sweet, firm, and longer lasting than the Tuscan varieties.  The vines were vigorous, productive and gorgeous until the aphids moved in and started curling the leaves and excreting honeydew, making everything a sticky mess.  I am partly to blame because I watched the small aphid population just explode to a huge problem.  I knew I should have done something early on......
]]> Mon, 20 Jul 2009 10:27:31 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1525&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1525 Summer is an important time not only for fruit harvest but also for insuring a good crop in subsequent years. For example, typical summer fertilizing calls for: Summer Growing Season Fertilize young trees monthly. Use 0.5 lb. urea or 25 lb. manure/tree/appl. Mature trees need 50% more. Water fertilizer in. If drip irrigated, do not exceed 1 oz. urea/emitter/mo. Drip irrigate daily or sprinkler irrigate about every 3 weeks. Maintain a weed free area around the base of the......
]]> Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:15:56 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1504&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1504 We’ve got an exciting program coming up on August 14 at the Wolfskill Experimental Orchard. Spend the day with us learning about creating and maintaining sustainable home orchards of any size. We’ll be tasting fruit, offering a hands-on demonstrations, touring Wolfskill and much more! Your registration of $45 includes lunch, fruit tastings and a pomegranate plant. Please join us – you’ll leave prepared to start your own backyard fruit production! You can pay by......
]]> Mon, 13 Jul 2009 09:00:05 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1495&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1495 Vegetables grown in most California soils often require some fertilizer for best growth. Nitrogen is the most important nutrient and can be applied using either organic forms such as manures or compost or inorganic forms (chemical fertilizers) to supply needed nutrients. Learn More..........
]]> Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:14:35 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1469&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed pgeisel@ucanr.edu(Pamela Geisel) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1469 Mowing your lawn entails much more than just mowing on a weekly basis or whenever the lawn appears too long. For a healthy turf, you must pay special attention to: Learn more . . ....
]]> Mon, 29 Jun 2009 08:40:05 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1442&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed dcseaver@ucdavis.edu(Donna Seaver) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1442 To get the most from your vegetables, harvest them when they are at the best stage for eating and store them under conditions that will keep them as close to garden-fresh as possible. Learn more . . ....
]]> Mon, 22 Jun 2009 08:50:15 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1422&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed dcseaver@ucdavis.edu(Donna Seaver) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1422 Most all gardens in California will require some irrigation especially in summer. Irrigation that is inadequate will cause a significant reduction in productivity. However, water can be very expensive so creating an irrigation system that will adjust to the rooting depth of various plants is important. Learn more .......
]]> Mon, 15 Jun 2009 10:37:23 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1393&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed dcseaver@ucdavis.edu(Donna Seaver) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1393 Vegetables grown in most California soils often require some fertilizer for best growth. Nitrogen is the most important nutrient and can be applied using either organic forms such as manures or compost or inorganic forms (chemical fertilizers) to supply needed nutrients. Learn more........
]]> Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:01:08 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1387&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed dcseaver@ucdavis.edu(Donna Seaver) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1387 California has a unique vegetable growing climate and we can grow many different types of vegetable crops throughout the year. Crops are classified as warm season or cool season crops. It is important that you plant at the right time of year for each crop for optimum yield. . . . . . Learn more...
]]> Mon, 01 Jun 2009 08:54:51 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1340&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed dcseaver@ucdavis.edu(Donna Seaver) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1340 Strong structural support is needed to support the vines and crop; this can be a trellis, an arbor, or a fence. Many gardeners grow grapes on an arbor to provide both shade and fruit. A trellis provides the easiest method . . . Learn more...
]]> Thu, 30 Apr 2009 10:53:05 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1243&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed dcseaver@ucdavis.edu(Donna Seaver) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1243 Starting your vegetables indoors early can give your garden a jumpstart on spring. It also reduces the cost of seedling transplants in that a packet of seeds cost about the same as 1, 4-inch tomato plant. It also allows you to grow seedlings of varieties that may be difficult to find in the nursery as transplants. To start you will need . . . . . Learn more...
]]> Fri, 24 Apr 2009 12:01:21 PST http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1226&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed dcseaver@ucdavis.edu(Donna Seaver) http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1226