For many gardeners, a big challenge to growing healthy plants is keeping them free of disease, especially blackspot, rust and anthracnose. Caused by fungi, this trio of diseases are typical in wet spring and fall months but can infect gardens during our dry summers given the right conditions. Blackspot produces characteristic round black spots with […]
When homeowners spot a small animal scurrying across the kitchen floor or digging in the yard, they may wonder if they have a problem with voles or mice. Both of these rodents are five to eight inches long and have gray or brown fur; voles are stockier than mice with shorter tails, larger eyes, and
Is it a vole or a mouse? Read More »
Spring is here and so are the weeds! Are you seeing grasses, dandelions, bindweed, and even wild blackberry popping up in your lawn, flower beds, vegetable gardens, or other exposed spaces? Even in teeny spaces between bricks on your patio? What’s a gardener to do with such a bounty of weeds? The most effective method
Get those weeds early! Read More »
It’s National Spinach Day and that crop of delicious greens you’ve been nurturing might disappear overnight. The culprit? Likely snails and slugs; they love to eat plants with tender foliage and fruit. Favorites include seedlings and plants with succulent foliage; they seriously damage many vegetable and flowering plants. These mollusks (related to the octopus!) move
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Saturday, March 13, 2021, 10 – 11 a.m. Did you know that 90% of the bugs we see in our gardens are actually good bugs? Encouraging beneficials is one of the best ways to effectively reduce the number of pests in your garden. Want to learn about the most important beneficials, what they do in
Bring in the Beneficials! Read More »
Hard to think sometimes, that the things we may do or use in our yards can end up harming nature, including our precious water supply. It’s National Groundwater Awareness week, highlighting the importance of preserving and protecting groundwater resources for drinking, bathing, recreation, agriculture, medical uses, and much more. While Marin doesn’t rely on groundwater
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Saturday, February 27, 2021, 10 – 11 a.m. Think before you reach for that weed killer! Want to learn what you can do “now” to ensure fewer weeds all year long? And about organic, eco-friendly techniques for safe and effective weed management? Join us for the second program in our series, “Kick the Chemicals: Caring
How to Manage Weeds Safely and Effectively Read More »
The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is a free, fun, and easy event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of bird populations. Sponsored by the National Audubon Society and Cornell Lab or Ornithology, participants are asked to count birds for as little as 15 minutes (or
Ready, Set, Count Birds! Read More »
Mark your calendars for our upcoming talk series, “Kick the Chemicals! – Caring for your Garden and Beyond.” Each of the three one-hour talks will focus on how you can successfully manage pest and weed problems while using alternatives that are healthier for your family and better for the environment. Co-sponsored with Marin Master Gardeners
Think before you spray. It sounds good, and makes sense relative to using pesticides. But what does it really mean? In a nutshell, it means that when you have a pest problem, understand what you’re trying to manage before you take action. Know what the pest is, determine how much damage you can tolerate from
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