Plant Selection

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the selection of plants at the nursery? Or bought a plant that looked great at the nursery, but did poorly (or died) in your yard? Spring is here and it’s tempting to rush out and buy new plants for the garden.  But don’t be too hasty!  Choosing the right plant for a…

Laurie Meyerpeter, UC Master Gardener of Placer CountyFrom The Curious Gardener, Winter 2010Winter is my favorite season of the year. To me, it’s not barren and cold. It’s filled with expectancy and hope. Tree branches are bare of leaves but the buds are fat with life. The hills are green with winter…

Article and photos By Carol Koenig, UC Master Gardener of Placer CountyFrom The Curious Gardener, Summer 2022 Drought tolerant plants have been an important part of landscaping for hundreds of years. Some of the earliest examples could be found in fifth and sixth century Persian gardens as well as…

By Elaine Applebaum, UC Master Gardeners of Placer County Q: Catalogs and some nurseries list “zones” in their description of plants. What are they talking about?A:  Athletes strive to be “in the zone” and Caltrans asks us to “Slow for the Cone Zone,” but gardeners need to know their USDA or…

How about bringing a new plant home to cheer up these dark winter days?  For the avid gardener, houseplants can be an excellent source of greenery and even flowers when the outside garden has gone gray and dormant in the doldrums of mid-winter.  The Moth Orchid, ZZ Plant, Christmas Cactus, Snake Plant,…

California’s urban forests deserve nothing less than “Fancy” trees. Jessie Godfrey, UC ANR Environmental Horticulture and Water Resource Management Advisor, is elevating the work of “Team Fancy,” a group of nursery professionals advocating for state-specific tree quality standards. These standards aim to…

 California native plants can add beauty to your garden, reduce your water use and support the native wildlife.  All good!  This blog discusses why native plants are important, the communities in which they naturally grow and how that knowledge can guide your plant selection.  Why…

The abundance from summer vegetable gardens is extended through the winter and beyond by methods of canning, freezing and drying. But you can also give your summer vegetables a longer life span by saving their seeds. It's important to know that the seed from a hybrid plant will not produce a plant exactly…