The Real Dirt

Flowers blooming

The Real Dirt blog covers regional gardening issues from soil health to planting for pollinators; from fire resistant landscaping to attracting wildlife. Read all about it!

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Lavender rings a bird bath in a formal 18th-century style garden in Cornwall, England. J. Lawrence
The Real Dirt: Article

Herbs in History, Legend and Lore

January 20, 2023
Humans have been fascinated by herbs and their uses for millennia. Some of the earliest written documents contained information about herbal remedies, and the use of herbs for medical treatment was first recorded on papyrus scrolls in ancient Egypt.
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No matter what the season, local nurseries carry a variety of herbs. Debi Durham
The Real Dirt: Article

Herbs as Houseplants

January 13, 2023
Counting the time spent at work and at home, urban dwellers spend 80-90% of their time indoors.
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Stormy tree. Andrea Craig
The Real Dirt: Article

The Dye Creek Preserve is “One Cool Place”

January 6, 2023
This is the second of two articles on projects The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is involved with in our part of the North State. The Nature Conservancy is one of the world's most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations.
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A espaliered fruit trees hedge provides shade while also creating a windbreak, Laura Kling
The Real Dirt: Article

Microclimate

December 23, 2022
While much of California has a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters, there are many distinct microclimatic variations within our state. A microclimate is defined as a local atmospheric zone where the climate differs from the surrounding area.
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