Seed Starting for Your Fall and Winter Garden
with David Blood, Master Gardener of Alameda County July 21, 2018, 2 to 3:30 pm Alameda Main Library, 1550 Oak Street, Alameda Yes, summer gardening may be starting to wind down. But in the Bay Area, we can grow food three, or maybe even four, seasons of the year. In the fall, some crops actually...Continue reading→
Powdery Mildew – Bane of Alameda Food Growers
by Linda Carloni, Alameda Backyard Growers Alameda Sun, Thursday, June 14, 2018 Powdery mildew may well win the race for “most common problem in Alameda food gardens.” Here’s what happens. It’s June or July, and the vegetable plants in the garden are getting big. They look lush and green and are starting to produce. But...Continue reading→
Gardening on Balconies or Small Spaces
by Alison Limoges, Alameda Backyard Growers Alameda Sun, Thursday, May 10, 2018 Although the city of Alameda and Bay Farm Island historically had considerable farm land, and still have some large yards, many of us live in multifamily units that, at best, have small patios or balconies. With some thought and planning, these areas can...Continue reading→
Fruit Tree Care
with Birgitt Evans and Marla Koss of Alameda Backyard Growers May 15, 2018, 7 to 8:30 pm Rhythmix Cultural Works, 2513 Blanding Avenue, Alameda Please see their handout on fruit tree care here. Spring is here and now is the time to get ready to reward yourself with fruit tree abundance later this year and...Continue reading→
Fruit Trees 101, Part Three: Spring Tasks
by Marla Koss, Alameda Backyard Growers Board Member Alameda Sun, Thursday, April 12, 2018 As Alameda’s deciduous fruit trees have come out of dormancy, passers-by might be forgiven for having simply enjoyed the beauty of their blossoms, unaware of the dynamic little miracle advancing the tree’s true mission. In super-slow-motion and from the ground up,...Continue reading→
Integrated Pest Management for Spring Pests
with Susan Fritz of the UC Master Gardener Program of Alameda County April 17, 2018, 7 to 8:30 pm Rhythmix Cultural Works, 2513 Blanding Avenue, Alameda Looking forward to enjoying some lovely spring crops soon? Want to prevent those spring insects from enjoying your crops first? Join Alameda County Master Gardener Susan Fritz to learn...Continue reading→
Fruit Trees 101: Part 2, Midwinter Chores
by Marla Koss, Alameda Backyard Growers Published in the Alameda Sun – Thursday, February 8, 2018 Here comes Valentine’s Day, that 24-hour celebration of hearts, flowers and chocolate overkill. But more than a frolic, Valentine’s Day is a handy marker on the Bay Area gardener’s calendar for midwinter chores. For instance, the mnemonic device for...Continue reading→
How to Prune Citrus Trees
When we are our picking fruit in Alameda, we notice that many backyard trees are in need of a good pruning. The ‘rule of thumb’ is that a bird should easily be able to fly through the tree. Citrus trees are, for the most part, quite resilient. You should never prune more than a third...Continue reading→
Fruit Trees 101, Part 1: Which Tree to Plant and Where
by Marla Koss of Alameda Backyard Growers Thursday, January 11, 2018 It’s bareroot fruit tree season! Many fruit trees can be successful in Alameda if planted now, but there are pitfalls when choosing both a suitable tree and the best spot to plant it. In the spirit of Alameda Backyard Growers’ (ABG) 2018 initative “A...Continue reading→
Bees and Beekeeping
with Lori Slicton, Old Schoolhouse Raw Honey February 20, 2018, 7 to 8:30 pm Rhythmix Cultural Works, 2513 Blanding Avenue, Alameda Join us for an introduction to the wonderful world of bees and beekeeping. We’ll learn about the importance of bees and beekeeping and why the urban food farmer might want to add them to her plot. ...Continue reading→