Plant Care

Division benefits plants and allows you to share with others. Photo: Courtesy UC Regents Use division techniques for plants with runners, bulbs, tubers, or rhizomes. These plants produce multiple stems above the ground. You cannot use division techniques for plants with a single stem.

Reduce irrigation times as day length shortens and plant growth slows. Photo: Courtesy UC Regents Maintenance and prevention Reduce irrigation times as day length shortens and plant growth slows.

> Before you start pruning > Understand new wood & old wood > When to prune > Make a pruning plan > What to prune and remove > How much to remove #1.

When to plant: January to March Harvest window: June to October, depending on variety Fertilization: Nitrogen in spring and fall, additional applications based on tree age, health, and soil quality Dormant Pruning (January to February) to encourage vigor; Summer pruning (post-harvest) to control vigor.

Today there are more choices than ever when it comes to lawn and lawn alternatives. If you like the look and feel of a conventional lawn, there are even some lower-water choices available.

Deer tend to avoid plants that are smelly, wooly, prickly, or poisonous. Photo: Marie Narlock It's possible to have a lovely unfenced garden even if there are deer in your neighborhood.

Belgian endive can be successfully grown in Santa Clara County as a cool weather green. The plants need to be started in the summer. In late fall, they are harvested, trimmed, and transplanted into damp sand where they are kept cool and dark. Six plants will yield weekly salad greens from December through…

The most effective irrigation systems are designed, installed, and maintained to distribute water as uniformly as possible and only when and where water is needed. That means applying water where roots can use it.

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Gary Barnes, Pexels Propagation through cuttings is the process of using a piece of an existing plant and encouraging it to grow into a new plant. Stems, leaves, and roots can all be used for cuttings. This is a good method for woody and herbaceous plants.