Under the Solano Sun

golden yellow sunflower highlighted in a field of sunflowers against the blue sky

Seasonal observations by UC Master Gardeners of Solano County

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photos by Karen Norton
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Companion Planting Alyssum with Lettuce

March 14, 2023
After attending a container gardening workshop, I discovered an article based on the findings by Agriculturalist Research Service, horticulturist, Eric Brennan that organic lettuce growers like to use alyssum in their fields of lettuce to help control aphids.
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photos by Heather Hamilton
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The Majestic Olive Tree

March 13, 2023
The Olea europeaea is a member of the Oleaceae family known as the common olive. It is a slow growing evergreen tree or shrub with a reflective soft gray foliage and is known for its beautiful gnarly trunk, also known for it is drupes which yield oil and marketed as table or pickled olives.
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Viceroy on the Butterfly Bush by Benimoto is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
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Continuation of the Bicycling with Butterflies

March 10, 2023
PLEASE NOTE-part one was posted on 2/23/23. You might have missed it! Back in Kansas from Mexico, Sara Dykman author of Bicycling with Butterflies, stops at her parents' home to get ready to continue her journey following the Monarchs.
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photos by Tina Saravia
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I'm a New Grafter

March 9, 2023
My friend Ann invited me to the go with her to the scion exchange in Santa Rosa. The annual event was put together by the Redwood Chapter of the California Rare Fruit Growers (CRFG). I've heard about this event for many years but this was the first time I've attended.
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Roman-era lemon pips from a votive deposit in the Carcer Tullianum by diffendale is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
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Archaeobotany

March 8, 2023
One of the responsibilities of being a UCCE Master Gardener is to obtain 12 units of Continuing Education each year. Some of this is accomplished on our own by researching answers to gardening questions the public brings us.
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