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slices of red watermelon on a plate
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Central Sierra: Preserve Watermelon and Eat Summer All Year Long!

July 14, 2025
Preserve It! Summer With Watermelon! by UCCE Master Food Preserver Laurie Lewis Nothing quenches thirst in the heat of the summer as a sweet watermelon can. Who else has childhood memories holding a generous slice in your hands, biting into the fruit as the juice ran down both arms?Watermelon Rinds…
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Adult coyote walking through grass area with prey in its mouth.
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Rodenticides: Further Restrictions in 2025

July 14, 2025
Toxic baits, or rodenticides, used to control rodents around the home and garden can harm nontarget animals, such as pets, birds, coyotes, and other wildlife. To reduce these negative impacts, California has passed several laws to limit what rodenticides can be used, how, and by who. Here’s what you need to…
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Coral Bells blooming. J. Alosi
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Native Plants for Shade

July 7, 2025
On our hot summer days, shady garden areas can offer welcome respite from the heat. One of the challenges of gardening in shade, though, is adding interest through color, because it can be difficult to find plants that bloom in shade. Incorporating native plants in your garden can greatly increase the…
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A close up of a mosquito feeding on a person
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Mosquitoes Test Positive for West Nile Virus Throughout CA

July 7, 2025
By Lauren Fordyce
Mosquito season is in full swing in California, and the deadly West Nile virus is making its way around the state. Health officials have identified the virus in 17 counties and there has been 1 confirmed human death so far this year. West Nile virus is one of several diseases that can be transmitted to…
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Person with a black dog that is standing ontop of a white box
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Dogs Sniff Out Pest Problems

July 2, 2025
By Lindsey Hack
Dogs use their keen sense of smell to help humans every day. Their powerful noses alert us to danger, aid in search and rescue operations, and even have the potential to diagnose diseases. But did you know that some dogs have been trained to sniff out potential invasive pests? Enter—the detector dogs! …
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Discoloration and distortion of peppers from Cucumber Mosaic Virus. Dennis H. Hall, UC IPM Program
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A Virus in the Garden – Part II

July 1, 2025
A virus can reduce a plant’s growth, lower its yield, and result in inferior fruit, vegetables and flowers. Viruses are often very host specific. Recognizing symptoms can help you take appropriate action, where possible, to manage a virus and hopefully prevent its spread. The following are several viruses…
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Dotted paropsine leaf beetle adult and larvae on a leaf. Chris Shogren
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Dotted Paropsine Leaf Beetle Threatens California’s Eucalyptus

June 30, 2025
By Christopher J Shogren
The dotted paropsine leaf beetle (Paropsis atomaria), an invasive pest native to Australia, was first discovered in California in 2022 and is rapidly spreading throughout Southern California targeting eucalyptus trees. Both adult beetles and their larvae feed on eucalyptus leaves, causing significant…
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Tomato leaves with signs of Tobacco Mosaic Virus. Jack Kelly Clark, UC IPM Program
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A Virus in the Garden

June 24, 2025
Most gardeners are aware of plant diseases that can wreak havoc in their gardens. If you grow fruit trees, you may be confronted with curled, reddened peach leaves (peach leaf curl fungus). If you grow apples or pears, your trees may sometimes look like they were scorched with a blow torch (fire blight…
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