By Leah Taylor The South American Palm Weevil (SAPW)(Rhynchophorus palmarum) continues to pester the Golden State and is posing a significant threat to California’s iconic palm tree population. Native to tropical regions of South and Central America, the SAPW has a particular affinity for palm species including the majestic Canary Islands date palm and edible […]
The Importance of Insects in Our Gardens By Valorie Shatynski November 2023 Most of us enjoy the sight of a butterfly flitting and lilting from blossom to blossom in our garden, but what about those less glamorous insects and other garden critters? Why should we not only tolerate spiders, pill bugs, aphids, bees or […]
At any life stage, ladybugs are a garden’s friend BY SUSAN PRANSKY (This article originally appeared in the San Diego Union-Tribune October 14, 2023) If you saw an insect that vaguely resembled a tiny alligator on one of your plants, would you think that perhaps you should remove it, squish it or run for the spray? […]
Nonnative plants rob native species of water, nutrients, space to grow BY LINDA JONES (This article originally appeared in the San Diego Union-Tribune on August 13, 2022) Have you noticed dead Canary Island palms (Phoenix canariensis)? Hills covered with bright yellow flowers in spring or with dried nonnative grasses in summer? Maybe you’ve seen waterways […]
Mary James A landscape icon in San Diego and throughout Southern California, the ubiquitous oleander (Nerium oleander), is falling victim to an incurable disease. Native to the Mediterranean region, these versatile shrubs with slender leaves and azalea-like flowers are often planted a carefree screen, defining property lines, and providing privacy or, as one gardener admitted, “separating […]
