Advice To Grow By
ACP (Asian citrus psyllid) found in San Joaquin county
Water Conservation Tips

Click here for water conservation tips and tricks and help conserve water!
What's Growing On - SJMG Blog
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Gardens as a metaphor for life
An acquaintance recently told me about a favorite and once thriving shrub that was in serious decline. The problem: over time, branches from a nearby tree had grown and spread so widely that they were shading out the sun-loving plant. The only...
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Master Gardeners – we’re here to help you
Have you ever wondered where to go for advice about landscaping or vegetable gardening? Does a pest problem have you stumped? Do you need guidance on how and when to prune your favorite specimen plant or fruit tree? Master Gardeners are here to...
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Avoid problems with some smaller trees for shade and color.
A friend asked me recently if there are modest sized trees to plant for shade. Her recent experience was removing a Magnolia tree which had cracked up her driveway. The back-hoe operator, who took out the root-ball, said it was the largest he had ever...
Valley Gardener's Journal For Year-Round Blooms

The San Joaquin Master Gardeners are excited about the Valley Gardener's Journal For Year-Round Blooms. This garden journal is now available for purchase and is great for any gardener. For more info click here!
UC Garden Blogs
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Why Bumble Bee Expert Robbin Thorp Would Have Been Proud
Robbin Thorp would have been proud of what happened on Thursday, Jan. 14. When the UC Davis emeritus professor of entomology, a global authority on bumble bees, died June 7, 2019 at age 85, scientists found a way to memorialize him and what he...
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Small-scale growers meet virtually to discuss organic agriculture
Over 150 current and prospective organic growers gleaned practical information shared by UC Agriculture and Natural Resources experts at the “Introduction to Small-Scale Organic Agriculture” workshop held virtually on Dec. 15, 2020. While...
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Highly Successful UC Davis COVID-19 Symposium Is Now Online
If you missed the recent UC Davis COVID-19 Symposium on saliva and sewage tests, plus vaccines, not to worry. It's online on YouTube at https://youtu.be/Paq0ka3NIP0 "We had a total of 1,234 registrants," reported UC Davis Distinguished...
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A Delight to See in January: A Bombus in Benicia
They're out there! Yes, after a l-o-n-g, cold, hard winter, bumble bees are emerging. At least in Solano County. At 11:20 a.m. today (Wednesday, Jan. 13), we spotted a yellow-faced bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, foraging...

Calendar of events
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Garden Notes Master Gardener Newsletter
Garden Notes Blog
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Inspecting Landscape Trees for Hazards
You should inspect healthy and unhealthy trees on a regular basis. Although some tree failures are not predictable and cannot be prevented, many failures can be prevented. Large trees have a greater hazard potential than small trees and should be...
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Free Resources to Study for Another Dry Gardening Year
Since the drought of the late 1970's, the University of California researchers, UCCE San Joaquin Master Gardeners and many others have compiled an arsenal of resources and tools to help the California gardener cope with a Mediterrean climate and all...
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Herb Study - Peppermint
Peppermint (Mentha x piperita) is an aromatic perennial plant of the Lamiaceae family that grows throughout Asia, Europe, and the United States. It is a natural hybrid of Water Mint (Mentha aquatica) and Spearmint (Mentha spicata), grows to a height of...
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Help Desk: Pre-emergent Herbicides for Weed; Safe to use in a home garden?
Weeds are a constant companion for the home gardener, and they can be a significant pest after a wet winter and if the temperatures are right. Where do these weeds mysteriously come from, one may ask? Their seed has been dormant in the soil, waiting for...
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From the Garden
Wintertime can slow work in the garden to a halt. Cool and rainy weather is not conducive to being outside and typically slows the growth of everything except the fescue or rye you have planted in your lawn. It is a good idea to have backup activities to...