Fungus Gnats on Houseplants: How to Control Them Without Sprays
Identify and control fungus gnats and other indoor plant pests without sprays. UC IPM methods: dry the soil, sticky traps, Bti, and prevention.
BT vs. Hand-Picking for Caterpillar Control
BT kills caterpillars that eat treated leaves while hand-picking removes them instantly. Here is when to use each method in your Santa Cruz garden.
Drip Tape vs. Drip Line: Which to Install?
Drip tape suits seasonal annual rows while drip line lasts a decade in permanent beds. Here is how to choose the right drip system for your Santa Cruz garden.
When Can I Transplant Tomato Seedlings Outside in Santa Cruz?
Wait for soil temperatures of 60F and night air above 50F before transplanting tomatoes. That's mid-April to mid-May in most of Santa Cruz County.
Best Cover Crops for Home Gardens in California: What to Plant and When
Discover the best cover crops for California home gardens, from crimson clover to buckwheat. Species guide with sowing times, growth habits, and soil benefits.
Blueberry Growth Stages: From Planting to Ripe Fruit
How a blueberry bush develops year by year in California, from planting and bud break through bloom, fruit set, and harvest.
Fastest Crops to Grow With Kids in California: Quick Wins for Short Attention Spans
The fastest crops to grow with kids in coastal California: radishes, lettuce, bush beans, and sunflowers, with realistic days-to-harvest for short attention spans.
Will Bought Ladybugs Stay in Your Garden? (Nope)
Those bags of ladybugs at the garden center seem like a great idea, but 80-95% fly away within two days. Here is how to attract your own instead.
Growing Roma Tomatoes in the San Lorenzo Valley
If you garden in Felton, Ben Lomond, or Boulder Creek, whether you can grow a Roma depends almost entirely on which part of your property you are standing in. The SLV is a split reality: sunny ridges can do it, shaded redwood canyons cannot.
Drip Irrigation vs. Ollas: Which Saves More Water?
Ollas are the most water-efficient option available, but drip irrigation is more practical for most gardens. Here is how to decide which system fits your Santa Cruz setup.
The Santa Cruz Gardener's Road Trip: Pick Your Direction
Living in Santa Cruz County puts you within about two hours of some of the best gardens, nurseries, and farms in California. Pick a direction first: north over Highway 17, south around the bay, or a day close to home.
Damping-Off: Why Seedlings Collapse at the Soil Line and How to Prevent It
Damping-off makes healthy seedlings topple at the soil line. Learn the causes and how to prevent it with sterile mix, airflow, and careful watering in California.
Growing Flock Treats: Best Garden Crops for Chickens, Ducks & Geese
Grow the best garden crops as healthy treats for chickens, ducks, and geese in coastal California. Seasonal planting plan, nutrition guide, and what to avoid.
Growing Ranunculus in the Santa Cruz Coastal Fog Belt
If you garden in the cool, gray-morning strip right along the coast, from the West Side of Santa Cruz out toward Davenport and along the marine-influenced flats, this is your good news page. The fog belt is genuine flower-farm country, and ranunculus is one of the crops it grows
Deep Watering vs. Light Watering: Which Is Better?
Deep watering produces stronger, more drought-tolerant plants than daily light watering. Here is how to water correctly for Santa Cruz's clay soil and dry summers.
The Best Low-Light Houseplants for California Rooms
Forgiving low-light houseplants for dim California rooms and north windows: snake plant, ZZ, pothos, cast iron plant, and more, with honest pet-safety notes.
Crop Rotation vs. Companion Planting: Which Matters?
Crop rotation has stronger science behind it and prevents soilborne disease more effectively than companion planting. Here is how to use both in your Santa Cruz garden.
Your May Garden Checklist for Santa Cruz County
Your complete May garden checklist for Santa Cruz County. Final warm-season planting, irrigation startup, strawberry harvest, and pest management as the dry season begins.
Blossom End Rot vs. Sunscald on Tomatoes
Blossom end rot is a dark patch on the bottom of tomatoes from inconsistent watering. Sunscald is a bleached patch on the sunny side. Here is how to fix both.
What Is the Best Soil Mix for Raised Beds in California?
The classic one-third topsoil, one-third compost, one-third conditioner mix works for most raised bed vegetables in California gardens.