News to Grow By

Editorial Notes

The Great Tomato Plant Sale Starts with a Single Seed!

by Liz Rottger

Well, actually, with more than 35,000 seeds! That’s how many plants the UC Master Gardeners of Contra Costa are propagating for their Great Tomato Plant Sale that will be held in 3 county areas (Walnut Creek, Antioch, and Richmond) this year. We will propagate 70+ varieties of hybrid and heirloom tomatoes, 35+ varieties of peppers, and 60+ varieties of other types of summer veggies, including eggplants, zucchini, pumpkins, winter squash, beans, and cucumbers. We offer several varieties rarely found in Contra Costa, all selected because they do well in our county’s many micro-climates. Detailed descriptions can be found on our website.

How to Choose the Best Tomato for your Garden

produced by our UCMGCC Communications Team

You are in for a real treat! Our Communications Team has produced a few short videos on choosing and successfully growing tomatoes in Contra Costa County.

Watch the video on Heirloom vs. Hybrid Tomatoes
Watch the video on Determinate vs. Indeterminate Tomatoes

In case growing tomatoes is not your thing, no problem; there are plenty of other tasks you can do in the garden during this beautiful spring time: Garden Tasks this Season.

Interested in more of our recorded sessions? Click here to connect to our YouTube channel!

Growing Cucumbers and Squash in Containers for Small Spaces Gardening

by David George

One of the most popular veggie families besides tomatoes at our annual Great Tomato Plant Sale are the Cucurbits, which include cucumbers, squash, and pumpkins. Growing cucurbits, whether in-ground or in a container, is a breeze and very rewarding.

Our Veggies need our Pollinators

by Laurinda Ochoa

It’s about that time of year! We purchased healthy tomato plants and other vegetables at the UC Master Gardeners of Contra Costa County Great Tomato Plant Sale. We waited until the weather and the soil temperature were just right, and found the perfect planting location with the recommended hours of sunlight. We even amended the soil, when needed, and aren’t planting the tomatoes in the same soil they grew in last year.

We’ve been carefully watering, and now we have sturdy plants with healthy new growth and fully formed flowers.

Yay!!! The plants are beautiful! But where is the fruit?

Using Nature to Control Pests

by Robin Mitchell

All creatures have a role to perform in the delicate dance of nature.

Spring is such a wonderful time of the year, and it is a good time to look for beneficial insects as the plants and flowers begin to emerge and bloom. These beneficial insects can help control unwanted pest insects, so that other methods, such as chemicals, are not needed.

Home Landscaping for Fire Safety

Part 1 of an ongoing series by Pam Schroeder

Living with the threat of wildfire is, unfortunately, a fact of life for Californians. While we cannot control wildfire, we can help minimize its destruction by practicing fire safe strategies which reduce the vulnerability of your home and property to wildfire.

We plan to continue covering this topic in future issues with more detailed information on this very important landscaping strategy. Why?... Because it is a course of action that allows you to proactively make a positive difference in the event of a wildfire.

Part 1 is for our readers new to this subject or who would like a little refresher on creating a fire-resistant property. So, let's first dig into the Elements of Landscaping for Fire Safety.

A Simple Strategy for a Firewise Garden

Living in Wildfire Country by Marilyn Saarni

Sometimes figuring out how to create—and manage!—a firewise garden is overwhelming. Here is a simple strategy for you to try. Use spring ephemerals.

What are ephemerals? Plants that sprout leaves and flowers in the California coastal winter and spring, and then fade away by the time the hot and windy weather arrives and wildfire risk increases.

How to Become a UC Master Gardener of Contra Costa County Volunteer!

by Bonnie Dwyer

Here are some experiences shared by our extraordinary group of UC Master Gardeners of Contra Costa County: Making NEW friends, Meeting INTERESTING people, Hearing about FASCINATING topics, Learning REWARDING lessons, Having DELIGHTFUL encounters, dealing with CHALLENGING questions, Giving FULFILLING service!

Invasive Oriental Fruit Fly Quarantine in Our Area

by Paige Shewmaker

On behalf of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, I am providing you with some informational resources for residents regarding an invasive fruit fly quarantine in your area.

The Oriental fruit fly has been found in parts of Contra Costa County, including the Brentwood area. This invasive pest infests and can ruin over 300 types of crops, ultimately making them unfit for human consumption. A quarantine has been established in the area to help eliminate the pest.

Spring 2024