HOrT COCO: UC Master Gardener Program-Contra Costa-Blog
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The Invasion of the Voles
Take it from me, you really do not want voles (also called meadow mice) moving into your garden. They are larger than a house mouse or deer mouse but do not quite reach the size of an adult gopher...
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Blossom End Rot
This post is a rerun from 2023. Have you noticed tomatoes that have round, water-soaked spots on the bottom? Blossom end rot (BER) is a frustrating problem that can be quite common in vegetable...
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Earwigs in Art, Literature, and Your Garden
Earwigs are one of the most common pests in our gardens. There is a lot to learn about them besides knowing how to prevent the damage they cause. Fun facts about earwigs: Their name probably...
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Learn More about Gardening
Are you a gardener with questions? Are you a beginning gardener just getting started? Do you want to know more about how to troubleshoot problems in your garden? Some of the topics addressed in our...
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What To Do About White Grubs in Your Vegetable Beds
It's Spring, and many gardeners are turning with anticipation to their vegetable gardening beds and thinking about summertime harvesting and feasting. If you're one of them, you may find an...
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Home Landscaping for Fire Safety
Living with the threat of wildfire is an unfortunate fact of life for Californians. While we cannot control wildfire, we can help minimize its destruction by practicing fire safe strategies which...
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Composting for the Home Gardener
We have all heard of this magical stuff called compost. But what is it? Where does it come from? Why is it so important for our gardens? The reason compost is so important is because it enriches our...
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You Can't Choose a Bad Tomato
The 2024 Great Tomato Plant Sale is just around the corner, from April 13 to April 27, in three locations this year: Walnut Creek, Antioch and Richmond. This year's sale will feature 67 varieties...
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How Many Earthworms are Enough?
Perhaps you've seen them. You're digging into the soil to plant something and as you dig you run across a few earthworms. Most of us have heard from childhood that worms are good for the soil. You...
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Yellowjackets
Were you bothered by yellowjackets last summer? Now is the time to get traps baited and placed outdoors. Overwintering western yellowjacket queens have been dormant all winter and are emerging now...