Apple Quiz
Can You Identify These Apple Pests, Diseases or Conditions? by Marla Koss, October 26, 2023 Let’s take a quiz! (Answers are listed at the bottom of this quiz.) 1. A tell-tale sign of this serious disease afflicting many rose family trees and plants – including pome fruits – is the “shepherd’s crook.” The Callery Pear... Continue reading→
Succession Planting
by Margie Siegal We had a cold start to the year, and the fava beans were loving it, as were the radishes. The squash and tomatoes were cowering and shivering. By the middle of June, the favas and radishes were finally done, and I was going through my seed packets, figuring out what to plant... Continue reading→
Tips for Autumn and into Winter
by Linda Carloni, Master Gardener and ABG Board Member As the summer vegetables finish, it’s time to think about your garden next season. Many gardeners plant cool season veggies in late summer or early fall and harvest in late fall, winter or even next spring. If you do replace your summer veggies with a fall... Continue reading→
Notes on Pruning Fruit Trees
On August 5, 2023, Marla Koss, one of ABG’s fruit tree pruning experts, demonstrated winter dormant and citrus pruning which also helped Farm2Market in Alameda at the same time. She discussed the best methods for keeping your stone fruit trees in good shape via summer pruning and other tree care tips. The focus in this... Continue reading→
Irrigation Tips from Alameda County Master Gardeners
On July 22, 2023 ABG members and other participants attended a demonstration and talk on irrigation by two Alameda County Master Gardeners, who focused on saving water and still meet the needs of plants! For an information sheet on what was discussed at this demonstration click here. Our speakers provided an explanation of the drip... Continue reading→
Seed Packing Party Aug. 17, 2023
Saturday, August 27 at Noon at an East End Location 2023 is turning out to be another big year for ABG’s Free Seed Libraries. With your help, we packed and have given out close to 10,000 packets of seeds so far this year. As summer comes to an end, we are getting ready to move... Continue reading→
Would You Like to Become A Master Gardener?
The UC Master Gardener Program of Alameda County’s New Volunteer Training Class Will Begin in October 2023 Classes are taught by University advisers, local horticultural educators, and certified Master Gardeners. Topics include horticulture basics, integrated pest management/problem diagnosis, and growing and caring for edible and landscape plants. Gardening experience is helpful but not required. For... Continue reading→
Mid Summer Tips
Gardening in mid-summer frequently means pest management, as the warmer temperatures bring more insects and the summer veggies get maladies. Some tips for the season: While aphids attack some plants in spring, they can be a real problem on cole crops and other veggies in the summer. For help controlling aphids click here. Powdery mildew... Continue reading→
Science Proves Gardening is Good for You!
by Margie Siegal We regular gardeners have experienced that a session out in the garden planting, harvesting, pruning, or even weeding gives us a mood lift, and it sure seems like all that digging and pulling is lots of exercise, and we may be right. There are now scientifically based studies demonstrating the benefits of... Continue reading→
Climate Change and Your Garden Checklist
by Alison Limoges, Master Gardener and ABG Board Member Despite the fact that the Bay Area got ‘atmospheric river’ rains this winter and spring, in our typically Mediterranean climate we can still expect very dry summers, and of course, we know we will have dry winters in future years. California’s pattern of multi-year droughts, punctuated... Continue reading→