by Linda Carloni, Master Gardener and ABG Board Member
The winter rains brought us much needed water, leading to increased water availability for agriculture and cities, a bounteous wildflower bloom, and a start to recharging our depleted groundwater. It also brought us a very severe peach leaf curl season. Peach leaf curl, caused by a fungal disease, makes the leaves of peach and nectarine trees blister, curl and generally look terrible. It’s all over Alameda County this spring. Do not panic; your tree will not die from this. But read this article for great information on what to do and NOT do next.
If you haven’t already, it’s time to thin your fruit trees. Thinning is frequently done a bit earlier, but we’ve had a cold spring. While it’s hard to see all that teeny baby fruit in the compost, it improves the remaining fruit, can reduce pest problems and keep your branches from breaking. Here’s why. And here are great photos that show how.
Fresh herbs are growing bountifully now. So you have some homegrown herbal goodness when it’s not so nice outside, you can preserve spring’s surplus by freezing, freezing in oil, drying or making herb salt. Click here for how.
Pests. As we turn the corner to summer, temperatures should warm, bringing new pests! Checking your plants frequently is the best way to manage them; pests are a lot easier to manage before an infestation is established. Some help: Aphids in Alameda ; UCIPM Aphid Pest Note; Codling Moth in Apples and Pears; Tomato Maladies (for a little later in the summer).
Happy Gardening!