Hatchery Chicks or Rescue Hens? A Santa Cruz Guide
Hatchery chicks or rescue hens? A Santa Cruz County comparison of cost, time to eggs, temperament, and where to find each near you.
Growing Sungold Cherry Tomatoes 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, brace yourself: a single Sungold plant here can bury you in fruit. This is the easy button of Santa Cruz tomatoes.
What Predator Is Getting Into My Coop at Night?
Identify which predator is targeting your coop using the evidence they leave behind. A guide for Santa Cruz County backyard flock keepers.
Growing Cauliflower in Santa Cruz County | Coastal California Guide
How to grow cauliflower in Santa Cruz County. Varieties, blanching tips, preventing buttoning, and why our mild winters give you an edge.
Growing Low-Chill Peaches and Nectarines in the Santa Cruz Banana Belt
The Banana Belt is the best place in Santa Cruz County to try a low-chill peach, but better is not the same as easy. The warm thermal slopes above the fog give you the heat a peach craves to ripen sweet fruit, and the drier, sunnier air eases disease pressure compared with the co
Living with Wildlife: Raccoons, Squirrels & Other Garden Raiders
Practical strategies for coexisting with raccoons, squirrels, birds, rats, and other wildlife in your Santa Cruz County garden while protecting your harvest.
Your January Garden Checklist for Santa Cruz County
Your complete January garden checklist for Santa Cruz County. Bare-root planting, dormant pruning, citrus harvest, and frost protection tips for coastal and mountain gardeners.
What Can I Plant in My Garden in January in Santa Cruz?
January is a surprisingly productive month for Santa Cruz gardens. Here is what to plant, sow, and prepare while the rest of the country waits for spring.
The Complete Guide to Watering Your Garden in Santa Cruz County: A Year-Round, Data-Driven Approach
Master Santa Cruz County's unique watering rhythm with this complete year-round guide. From winter's rain-fed ease to summer's irrigation demands, learn when and how much to water in every season.
Hardware Cloth, Coop Locks, and Night Safety Guide
Complete guide to hardware cloth gauges, raccoon-proof locks, automatic coop doors, and night security for backyard flocks in Santa Cruz County.
Growing Cut Flowers from Seed in Santa Cruz County
Starting cut flowers from seed opens up hundreds of varieties and saves significant money. Here is how to do it successfully in Santa Cruz County.
Reading Seed Packets: What All Those Numbers Mean
Learn to decode seed packet information for Santa Cruz County gardens. Understand days to maturity, planting depth, spacing, and how to adapt generic instructions for our local climate.
When Should I Prune Fruit Trees in Santa Cruz?
Prune stone fruit in late January and pome fruit in February while fully dormant. Apricots are the exception: prune after summer harvest.
Succession Planting Cut Flowers for Continuous Blooms
One planting is never enough for a steady supply of cut flowers. Succession planting keeps blooms coming from spring through fall.
Growing Gboma Eggplant in Santa Cruz County: A Leafy Green You Haven't Tried
Gboma eggplant is grown primarily for its nutritious leaves, not its fruit. This West African vegetable produces abundant greens all summer and handles Santa Cruz County's mild temperatures well.
Why Rosemary Thrives in Santa Cruz (Almost Too Well)
Rosemary may be the most forgiving herb you can grow in Santa Cruz County. This aromatic Mediterranean shrub thrives on neglect, produces year-round harvests, and lives for decades with minimal care. Here's everything you need to know about growing rosemary successfully, including important fire safety considerations for mountain properties.
Growing Heritage Apples in the San Lorenzo Valley
The San Lorenzo Valley is good heritage apple country, with one important rule: get the tree onto a sunny ridge or upper slope. The valley's cool winters bank plenty of the chill apples need, and its classic varieties thrive here. The catch is the shade. Apples want sun, and this
Can I Grow Lettuce and Greens Outdoors All Winter in Santa Cruz?
Santa Cruz winters are ideal for leafy greens. Lettuce, kale, and chard thrive in cool weather and taste sweeter after frost.
Growing Strawflowers in Santa Cruz County: The Everlasting Cut Flower
Strawflowers are the ultimate low-maintenance cut flower. They grow easily in Santa Cruz, look stunning fresh, and dry beautifully for arrangements that last months.
Common Beginner Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)
Every gardener makes mistakes, but some are predictable and avoidable. Learn the ten most common beginner mistakes in Santa Cruz County gardens and how to prevent them before you start.