When leaves turn color and drop to the ground in fall, they’re going dormant. We think of them as going to sleep. But unless the soil is frozen solid—something that doesn’t happen here in western Nevada County—trees and shrubs stay …
To help native bees and other pollinators we can plant flowers for nectar they need for energy and pollen for protein and other nutrients they need for egg laying and feeding their young. But it’s equally important to provide habitat …
Many of the plants we buy from the nursery or garden center have been grown with a pesticide in them. This is to keep the plants free of pests during their growing and in the retail markets, so we can …
“Which flowers can I plant for the bees?” I hear it a lot. You really want to help save the bees. All the pollinators are in decline, and you can help in a significant way with a pollinator garden. You …
Many of us want to plant some flowers that will save the bees. Planting a few good flowers helps a few bees, but we can do so much more to help the bees and other pollinators. Bees aren’t the only …
It happens a lot. We grow and nurture our tomato plants, but sometimes we get no fruit. The flowers appear and after several days they wither and drop off…leaving no tiny tomatoes behind. What causes this? You may be thinking …
Have you been cursing your soil? Have you tried to plant something this past summer but struggled with rock hard soil? I hear many complaints about clay soil. People can’t dig into it. When it’s dry, it can be hard …
There’s a particular fragrance on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada. Like a resinous perfume. Before we moved up here I always noticed it here in particular. It’s how I identified with this place and how I felt it …
You may think that using or keeping native plants in your landscape automatically poses a fire hazard. They don’t. They are not “made to burn” as some have said. Many are drought tolerant and better at holding moisture in their …
Landscapes and gardens are one of the biggest users of household water, up to 30% of it. We’re all trying to keep our plants alive in the heat while reducing water use and mulching is a perfect way help. But …