Nutrition & Health

The Summer 2020 issue of the Retail Nursery and Garden Center IPM Newsletter is now available online.

The monarch butterfly egg is oh-so-very-tiny but what an incredible work of nature! The intricate egg is about the size of a pinhead, 0.9mm wide and 1.2mm high. It's creamy yellow with narrow longitudinal ridges.

Congratulations on being a proud, new poultry parent! Like many other folks, you've likely found yourself with the time to take on this new parenting role due to the ongoing pandemic and desire to raise and grow your own food.

I like to use fresh green onions when I can, but if I am making a recipe and do not want to run to the market for green onions, dehydrated onions work great in a lot of dishes.

Summer weather is still going strong, and so are tomato and other veggie plants. Believe it or not, it's already time to start planning your fall vegetable garden! In fact, some vegetables need to be started from seed very soon.

With technology, the traditional brain break in the classroom has gone digital! Over 650 teachers participated in the Brain Breaks in the Virtual World session at the Alvord Unified Distance Learning Virtual Summit on August 3, 2020.

It's good to see Washington State University Extension's newly published, updated fact sheet on the Asian giant hornet, Vespa mandarinia. You can view or download it here for free.

The last weeks of summer are here and many are maximizing time outdoors, whether in yards, parks, or natural areas. As you enjoy the sunshine and perhaps a picnic, it is possible you may encounter different types of stinging insects such as bees and wasps.

Monarchs, bless their little hearts, souls and wings, deposited 16 eggs on our milkweed plants in July.

Summer in the Central Valley is hot, hot, hot. As I try to stay cool during this relentless heat my thoughts turn to fall, one of my favorite times of year.