Common Garden Pests in Santa Cruz County (And How to Beat Them)
Every Santa Cruz County garden has pests. Our mild climate means they're active year-round without hard freezes to knock back populations. This guide covers the most common pests in local vegetable gardens (aphids, slugs, cabbage worms, whiteflies, tomato hornworms, squash bugs, spider mites, and flea beetles), how to identify them, and organic control methods that actually work.
Growing Pumpkins in Santa Cruz County: From Seed to Jack-o-Lantern
Growing your own pumpkins is one of the most satisfying fall garden projects. Here is everything you need to know for Santa Cruz County.
How to Propagate Blackberries and Olallieberries: Complete Guide
Get free blackberry and olallieberry plants through simple propagation techniques. Tip layering is the easiest method. Canes root naturally when tips touch soil. Here's how to do it right.
Growing Bush Beans in the Santa Cruz Coastal Fog Belt
If you garden along the immediate coast, around Santa Cruz, Capitola, the Aptos shoreline, or out toward Davenport, bush beans are a yes with one big asterisk: wait for warm soil. Blue Lake snap beans will reward you here, but only after you stop sowing too early.
How Many Eggs Can I Expect From a Small Flock?
A small backyard flock of 4-6 hens can produce 15-30 eggs per week at peak laying. Learn what affects egg production in Santa Cruz County.
Keeping a Mixed Flock: Chickens, Ducks, and Geese Together
How to keep chickens, ducks, and geese together in one flock with space requirements, feeding strategies, and water management for Santa Cruz gardens.
Growing Pineapple Tomatoes in Santa Cruz County: A Beefsteak Worth the Challenge
Pineapple tomatoes produce massive bicolor fruits with sweet, low-acid flavor. This heirloom beefsteak is worth growing in Santa Cruz County's warmest microclimates for its exceptional eating quality.
Fall Garden Cleanup for Fire Safety
Plan fall garden cleanup in Santa Cruz County around current conditions, accumulated dead material, safe disposal and preparation for winter rain.
Gardening with Kids 101: Growing the Next Generation of Gardeners
Gardening with children is sensory exploration for babies, science class for school-age kids, and a chance to connect as a family. This guide covers age-appropriate activities from infants to teens, the best plants for each stage, and tips for keeping it fun. In Santa Cruz County, our year-round growing season means every season offers something to plant, watch, or harvest together.
Blackberry Growth Stages: What Each Year Looks Like
Blackberries don't produce fruit immediately. Knowing what to expect each year helps you nurture plants toward maximum production. Follow the journey from bare-root to bountiful harvest.
Saving Tomato Seeds: Preserve Your Favorite Varieties
Learn how to save tomato seeds using the fermentation method. Step-by-step guide for home gardeners to preserve heirloom and open-pollinated varieties.
Growing Cucumbers in Santa Cruz County: Crisp Harvests Despite Cool Summers
Cucumbers love heat, but Santa Cruz County's cool summers do not always cooperate. These varieties and techniques produce crisp harvests anyway.
Growing Jalapenos in the Banana Belt
If you garden in the warm sunny pocket above the fog, the hill belts of Santa Cruz, Soquel, and Aptos that the marine layer clears early, jalapenos are genuinely at home. This is one of the better all-round growing zones in the county for a long, productive pepper season.
Growing Eureka Lemons in the Santa Cruz Banana Belt
If you garden in the warm sunny pocket above the fog and you want a real, sharply acidic lemon rather than the milder Meyer, the Banana Belt is the place to get it. This is the county's best citrus ground, and it gives a Eureka or Lisbon lemon the extra heat that the cool coast w
Growing Winter Squash in Santa Cruz County: From Planting to Storage
Winter squash takes patience but rewards you with months of stored food. Here is how to grow, cure, and store it in Santa Cruz County.
Winter Cover Crops in California: What to Sow After Summer Garden Ends
Plant winter cover crops in October or November to protect bare soil, fix nitrogen, and build organic matter. Best species and timing for California gardens.
The Complete Guide to Growing Onions in Santa Cruz County
How to grow onions in Santa Cruz County from seeds, sets, or transplants. Day-length variety selection, planting timing, and proven varieties for Bay Area gardens.
Best Pepper Varieties for Santa Cruz County Microclimates
Not all peppers perform equally across Santa Cruz County's diverse microclimates. This comprehensive guide matches specific pepper varieties to your growing conditions, from fog-tolerant shishitos for coastal gardens to heat-loving habaneros for Watsonville's warm valleys.
Growing Bush Beans in the Santa Cruz Banana Belt
If you garden in the county's warm sunny pocket, the hill belts above the fog around Soquel, Aptos, and the sunnier side of Santa Cruz, bush beans are about as easy and dependable as a vegetable gets. The Banana Belt's steady warmth and mild nights make Blue Lake snap beans a reliable, productive cr
Can Ducks and Chickens Share the Same Coop?
Ducks and chickens can share a coop with some adjustments. Learn about ventilation, nesting, and water management for a mixed flock in Santa Cruz County.