Bundled mass serves as an elevated, surprisingly low-maintenance bed BY JOAN MARTIN (This article first appeared in the San Diego Union-Tribune on October 9, 2021) It’s fall. All those straw bales you see around can be more than decorative. If you want to start gardening and are faced with rocky soil, hard pan, clay or you’re […]
Question: My asparagus has grown so much that it is taking over my whole garden. It is tall, green, and bushy. Should I cut it back or just let it take over the whole garden? Answer: Asparagus is a hardy cool-season vegetable that can live 10-15 years or longer. It has attractive tall, fern-like foliage. A […]
Botanical buddies from different species bring array of benefits to your yard, from pest defense to soil improvement By DONNA MCCLAY (This article originally appeared in the San Diego Union-Tribune June 12, 2021) My Sicilian grandmother always planted basil next to her tomatoes. She claimed the basil made the tomatoes taste sweeter. Grandma never spent […]
Question: I saw a large green caterpillar feeding on my green tomato leaves. Could it also be chewing on the fruit? Answer: Yes, the caterpillar on your plant is probably the tomato hornworm. It is a common pest in gardens. Tomato hornworms are well camouflaged among the leaves of their host plants. The body […]
By Joyce Gemmell With attention to a few critical details, anyone can be a successful vegetable gardener. There is nothing more satisfying than putting dinner on the table and proudly sharing, “I grew the zucchini!” (or corn or carrots or green peppers … ). All of the crops we think of as summer vegetables are […]
