Contra Costa

Whether you fall into the camp of a little goes a long way or too much is never enough, I hope to convince you that growing garlic is worthy of your time and some space in the garden. Let's look at this amazing and ancient plant.

Note: This was originally published in the Contra Costa Times Conquer weeds by understanding their life cycles As a gardener in Contra Costa County, you know from observation that weeds have an immense capacity to produce seeds. In fact, the high reproductive output of weeds is astounding.

Note: This was originally published in the Contra Costa Times. Q: I know that acorns are the seeds of oak trees, but how do I plant them? A: Oaks are an important part of the California landscape.

It's getting close to the end of our summer gardening season. Now is the time to start thinking about next summer's garden.

Spider mites are very common pests found on many of our landscape and vegetable garden plants. They are tiny and difficult to see but once you learn about them, you might start seeing evidence of infestation on a wide variety of plants.

This time of year, as the heat increases and things start to get dusty, you might see a number of webs on your plants. Uh oh.

It's summertime! Our gardens are in full swing, tomatoes are beginning to ripen, berries are mostly done, and everything is lush and green. But beware, your plants can sunburn just like you.

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 or rat.

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 gardens, as it can affect tomatoes, peppers, and squash. You might notice it after a few very hot days.

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.