Wildlife and Pest Management for Santa Cruz County Gardens
Deer, gophers, slugs, and insect pests in Santa Cruz County gardens: what actually works, what to skip, and how to keep beneficial wildlife on your side.
Summer Cover Crops for California Gardens: Buckwheat, Cowpeas & More
Grow summer cover crops to build soil between harvests. Buckwheat, cowpeas, and sorghum-sudan grass thrive in California heat and keep beds productive.
Gardening with Kids in California: A Practical Guide for Every Age
Age-by-age projects, fast crops, themed gardens, and plant safety for gardening with kids on the California coast. Tested in Santa Cruz County gardens.
Keeping a Flock in the San Lorenzo Valley
Backyard poultry in the San Lorenzo Valley: mud, redwood shade, mountain predators, and power outages. Hyper-local advice for Boulder Creek to Felton.
Sugar Snap Peas vs. Snow Peas: Coastal CA Guide
Sugar snap peas are more forgiving, more versatile, and just as productive as snow peas in coastal California. Here is how to choose the right pea for your garden.
Garden Question of the Week: Short Answers for Santa Cruz Gardeners
Real questions from Santa Cruz County gardeners, answered in a few minutes each. Tomatoes, fog, clay soil, fruit trees, and pests.
The Kratky Method: Pump-Free Hydroponics for Beginners
Grow lettuce and herbs in water with no pump using the passive Kratky method. A beginner setup, nutrient basics, and realistic limits for California homes.
Water-Wise Gardening in Santa Cruz County
Practical water-wise gardening for Santa Cruz County: how much to water by season, drip and olla irrigation, natives, succulents, and lawn alternatives.
Standard or Bantam Chickens for a Small Backyard?
Standard or bantam chickens for a small Santa Cruz County lot? Compare eggs, space, temperament, predator risk, and mixed flocks.
Narrowleaf Milkweed: Plant the Right Monarch Host
Grow narrowleaf milkweed in Santa Cruz County to help monarchs. Why to plant this CA native, not tropical milkweed, plus sun, water, seed, and care tips.
DIY Predator-Proof Coop and Run Plans for a Small Santa Cruz Lot
Buildable predator-proof coop and run plans for a small Santa Cruz lot. Hardware cloth, buried aprons, raccoon-proof locks, covered runs, and retrofits.
Seasonal Planting: What to Plant Each Month in Santa Cruz County
Month-by-month planting guides and garden checklists for Santa Cruz County and the Central Coast, plus cool-season crops, cover crops, and fruit trees.
This vs. That: Head-to-Head Garden Comparisons for Coastal California
Side-by-side comparisons of the choices California gardeners get stuck on, from raised beds and drip lines to tomato varieties.
Avocado Problems in California | Yellow Leaves, Root Rot, No Fruit
Troubleshoot avocado tree problems in California. Root rot, yellow leaves, no fruit, pests, and salt burn with UC-recommended solutions.
Avian Flu and Your Santa Cruz County Backyard Flock
A calm, practical guide to bird flu (HPAI H5N1) for Santa Cruz County backyard keepers: biosecurity, warning signs, and how to report.
Succession Planting vs. All-at-Once: Which Yields More?
Succession planting produces more usable food by spreading harvests over months instead of weeks. Here is how to combine both strategies in your Santa Cruz garden.
The Real Cost to Start Beekeeping in California: A First-Year Budget
A realistic first-year beekeeping budget for California: hive, bees, gear, tools, extraction, plus ongoing mite treatment and feed costs. No sugarcoating.
Garden Myth Buster: Common Gardening Advice, Tested for California
We check popular gardening advice against UC research and what actually works in coastal California soil, fog, and dry summers.
Peach Tree Growth Stages: From Bloom to Harvest
The peach tree's season from chill and bloom through fruit set, pit hardening, and the final swell to a ripe summer harvest.
Indoor Gardening in California: What Actually Grows Indoors
An honest California guide to indoor gardening: what really grows indoors, the light reality in coastal fog, and how to set realistic expectations.