‘Tis the Season for Oak Root Fungus to Strike
Alameda Sun, Friday, December 20, 2019 by Marla Koss Alameda’s garden soil may be tops for cultivating and planting in, but it does have a significant drawback: it harbors oak root fungus Armillaria mellea. Do not confuse this with “sudden oak death” Phytopthora ramorum. Armillaria is a serious forest pathogen common throughout California, having evolved...Continue reading→
Ergonomics in the Garden
October 15, 2019, 7:00 – 8:30 pm Rhythmix Cultural Works, 2513 Blanding Avenue, Alameda Did you know your head is as heavy as a bowling ball? (your poor neck!) Or that losing 1 pound means 4 pounds of weight off your knees-a 4 to 1 ratio? Come hear about how ergonomics can make your gardening...Continue reading→
Summer Garden Wrap Up
Pulling Together a 2019 Summer Garden Wrap-Up When we went hunting for input from local gardeners for this article (September 12, 2019, Alameda Sun – see below), not only did our respondents give us good feedback on this year’s successes and disappointments in their yards, they also talked about ingenious hacks to keep such disappointments...Continue reading→
Helping Monarchs in Alameda
Last Thanksgiving, only 28,429 monarchs were counted in their wintering colonies compared to a historic population of about 10 million in the Western Monarch Migration. Today’s monarchs face several challenges, the most intractable being a lack of Milkweed (Asclepias spp.), where females typically lay their eggs, as well as a lack of winter blooming nectar...Continue reading→
Tips on Succession planting and Interplanting
Alameda Sun, Thursday, May 9, 2019 by Margie Siegal Since the growing season in Alameda is 365 days long, it is possible to grow something tasty during every season of the year. Although most Alamedans have small spaces in which to cultivate, practicing succession planting (replacing harvested crops with a new edible) and interplanting (growing...Continue reading→
Compost Essential to Healthy Soil
by Margie Siegal, Alameda Backyard Growers Originally published in the Alameda Sun, April 11, 2019 Many people don’t think too often about the dirt beneath their feet, but the dirt that covers most of the Earth’s dry land makes growing things possible. For those of us who want to have healthy and happy gardens, the...Continue reading→
Tips for Planting a Tree
Taken from http://cagardenweb.ucanr.edu/Landscape_Trees/ Choose a good location Consider soil quality, water quality and availability, drainage, and other conditions before selecting a planting location and the species to grow there. Determine proximity to structures, pavement, overhead lines, and underground utilities that may be damaged by growing roots. Determine how much light and heat occur at that...Continue reading→
Fruit Trees That Do Well in Alameda
While this list is certainly not meant to be all-inclusive, it does offer suggestions by your fellow Alamedans for fruit tree varieties they have found to do well and provide good quality fruit in our island soil and climate. Keep in mind that there are always special factors to consider, including: Think About Location Seasonal...Continue reading→
Plants Resistant or Susceptible to Oak Root Fungus
by Robert D. Raabe Department of Environmental Science and Management University of California, Berkeley Armillaria mellea is a common disease producing fungus found in much of California . It commonly occurs naturally in roots of oaks but does not damage them unless they are weakened by other factors. When oaks are cut down, the fungus...Continue reading→
Creating A Pollinator Garden
Tuesday, February 19, 2019, 7:00 – 8:30 pm Rhythmix Cultural Works, 2513 Blanding, Alameda What do zucchini, almonds and guavas have in common? They all need pollinators. Without pollinators, the world would be a less colorful, less tasty and less well-balanced place: all the more reason to learn how to create a garden that will...Continue reading→