Fruits And Vegetables

As our gardens finish providing us colorful flowers and tasty food, it's time to decide what to do with the other valuable commodity they're providing us: seeds for future years!  Let's start with the easiest way to save and re-sow seeds: let nature take control!  By leaving flowers to fully…

Overall child diet quality in the U.S. is low compared to national recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. A recent study suggests more availability of fruits and vegetables and less availability of sugar-sweetened beverages in children's homes is associated with better dietary intakes…

Results of 2025 UC Cooperative Extension field trials to evaluate tolerance of lettuce varieties to Fusarium wilt in Monterey and Santa Barbara counties.

Preserve Today, Relish Tomorrow. Many of our local u-pick blueberry farms are open between late-May and mid-July. We all know blueberries are pretty expensive, but, oh, so worth the effort and expense. Here is a recipe that gets the most out of your harvest basket: Blueberry Bonanza is two recipes in…

June bugs are among the most familiar insects of early summer. Although people commonly call them “bugs,” they are actually scarab beetles in the genus Phyllophaga. These beetles are usually brown, oval-shaped, and active at night, often flying clumsily around porch lights. Their larvae, known as white grubs…

Eaten raw as a young leafy green, or sautéed as a mature stem & leaf, Chard is an easy-to-grow vegetable that is among the most versatile. It’s also known as Swiss Chard (though the plant originated in the Mediterranean.)  Growing in the rainbow-colors available adds a visual pop to any vegetable …

Lettuce is a very popular vegetable, and can be grown spring through fall in the Tahoe Basin.  Lettuces come in a wide variety of reds and greens and can add a beautiful element to an edible garden.  Many varieties can be harvested on an as-needed basis, making for a very convenient source of fresh…

About Carrots, Parsnips and RadishesCarrots are native to Eurasia, with the typical orange variety coming from east Asia.  Parsnips are native to the eastern Mediterranean and north to the Caucus Mountains. Beets also are from the Mediterranean region usually along the sandy coast.  Lastly radishes…