Chiles’ spicy heritage is a lesson in how to flourish By Julio Estrada (This article originally appeared in the June 13 edition of the San Diego Union-Tribune) Some folks call it a short circuit; I prefer to think of it as “associative thinking,” a gloriously nonlinear way of processing the universe where a single spark […]
What is Hydrozoning and How Does it Work? Question: I’ve heard the word “hydrozoning” – what is it and how does it work? Answer: Hydrozoning is key for a healthy garden. Here’s why: Last month in “Dig It!” we provided a guide for assessing the effectiveness of home landscape irrigation in relation to optimizing plant […]
Proper Irrigation Can Solve Many Garden Problems by Valorie Shatynski, UC Master Gardener Our region formally enters the dry season very soon, and many weather variables that impact plants profoundly will begin to increase. The transition to warmer day and nighttime temperatures, lower humidity, dry winds, and a lack of rain are factors gardeners must […]
A look at soil, plant choices, erosion and fire risk By Michael Harrelson (This article was originally published in the March 14, 2026 edition of the San Diego Union-Tribune) From its 70 miles of coastline to the 43 square miles of open desert in Borrego Springs, San Diego County’s topography is widely varied, […]
By Cindy Bruecks On our Master Gardener Hotline, we often get questions about hillside management: “I just took out the ice plant on my slope, and I’m wondering what I should do next? What to plant? See my photo.” It helps to step back and consider what are the issues when planting on a hillside. […]
