Gardening

Freezing temperatures damage plants by causing ice crystals to form in their cells. Frost-damaged vegetation withers and turns a dark brown or black. Ice crystals can also form in citrus fruit, causing juice vesicles inside the fruit to rupture and the fruit to dry out. Although frost-damaged fruit is…

The topic this week on In the Garden with UC Master Gardeners is Bird-Friendly Gardens.  In studio live, we’ll have Melissa Rapp, a current UC Master Gardener AND Executive Committee President at the Sea and Sage Audubon Society. We have a past recording of a show from 2018 featuring the wonderful…

by Ann Wright, UC Master Gardeners of Nevada CountyFrom The Curious Gardener, Fall 2021 Halloween is coming, and it’s more than just a day to go about in funny, sometimes frightening costumes, eating snack-sized candy bars, and, of course, carving pumpkins! Halloween is also a good day to appreciate…

By Kevin Marini, UC Master Gardener of Placer County and UC Defensible Space EducatorFrom The Curious Gardener, Spring 2024  There was a point last year when I started to appreciate the length of time that had gone by since a big fire had occurred. Most of the time, paranoia takes over daily during…

There are several advantages to planting bare-root trees: they are usually less expensive, easier for gardeners to transport, and they will grow their roots entirely into native soil (rather than having to transition from potting mix into dissimilar native soil). Also, the ideal time to plant bare-root…

By Kevin Marini, UC Community Education Specialist: Natural ResourcesFrom The Curious Gardener, Spring 2023 In this day and age, it can be challenging to find common ground on a myriad of social and environmental issues that confront us in our modern societies. It has become a societal norm to hold a…

 By Laurie Meyerpeter, UC Master Gardeners of Placer CountyQ: I have a black bamboo that is too large for the pot. How and when should I divide it? A: Black bamboo is a running bamboo so it is wise to grow it in a container or use a bamboo barrier product if grown in the garden. Mature running…

By Nicole Harrison, UC Master Gardeners of Placer CountyFrom The Curious Gardener, Fall 2021 Arboriculture is a broad industry and there are different types of Arborists with different qualifications. The term ‘Arborist’ is broad. Most industries have a term like this that has a broad meaning. Think…

By Trish Grenfell, UC Master Gardeners of Placer CountyQ: I am considering buying a live Christmas tree so that we can plant it in our yard after the holidays. Any helpful hints? A: Purchasing a living tree and successfully establishing it in the landscape can make holiday memories live on as…

A beautiful way to add color to your garden in winter and early spring is to plant hellebores. These perennials grow low to the ground in clumps usually no more than one- and one-half feet high, with distinctive leathery, dark-green leaves. Their flowers, about two inches across, appear in clusters that…