Dig In: Garden checklist for week of July 31
Give citrus its last dose of fertilizer, but be sure to water the tree deeply beforehand.This also is a good time to thin some of the fruit to prevent breakage of limbs later. (Photo:...
Tagged: harvest
California State Fair opens Friday in big return
The State Fair Farm showcases California’s top crops. (Photo courtesy California State Fair) It’s back! After a two-year absence due to Covid restrictions, the California State Fair returns Friday for its annual agricultural celebration...
Dig In: Garden checklist for week of June 5
Pick blueberries now before heat — or birds — get to them. (Photo: Debbie Arrington) Did you feel a sprinkle? Or maybe measurable precipitation? June’s first weekend should includ a splash of summer rain...
Agree to disagree on pruning tomatoes
Here’s a Cherokee Carbon hybrid tomato plant, in ground about 4 weeks. At the most I’d trim off that shoot at lower right, but not until the plant is bigger. And maybe not even then....
Pomegranates take some underwater finesse
It took a lot of work to produce this bowl of pomegranate arils from a pomegranate harvest. (Photos: Debbie Arrington) How to get the most out of a pomegranate, from pruning to deseeding Pomegranates...
Help your garden cope with wildfire smoke
Ash and residue from wildfire smoke collects on rose leaves in Sacramento. Rinse it off to help plants cope. (Photo: Debbie Arrington) Rinse off foliage to remove residue; wash veggies and fruit carefully When...
Dig In: Garden checklist for week of Sept. 1
Plant violas now and they’ll brighten the garden the rest of the year. (Photo: Kathy Morrison) September starts new planting season Get out the shovel and trowel: September starts another season in the vegetable...
Dig In: Garden checklist for week of Aug. 25
In hot weather, harvest crops daily. Tomatoes and other vegetables can ripen rapidly. The plants also may need some shade to prevent sunburn. (Photo: Kathy Morrison) Are your plants ready for more triple-digit weather?...
Dig In: Garden checklist for week of Dec. 8
Those are limes on the right, not lemons — they’re ripening and need to be picked soon. The satsuma mandarins on the left should be harvested, too. (Photo: Kathy Morrison) After soggy start, dry...
Why so many oranges this winter?
More than 80 pounds of oranges have been harvested from this small tree. (Photos: Debbie Arrington) Judging by backyard citrus trees, 2021 looks like a heavy year. On tree after tree in garden after...