Fresno Gardening Green

Choices for potting soil mixes have really expanded the last few years.

Whether the pest you face is plant or animal, remember safety first. Read labels thoroughly before opening containers that hold garden chemicals. Tasks Check drip and sprinkler systems clean filters, check emitters, fix leaks and re?set timers. Watch for Western grapeleaf skeletonizer.

A surprising number of plants commonly found in Fresno County gardens and homes are toxic to dogs and cats, according to Fresno County Master Gardener Karen Basso.

When plants grow where we don't want them to grow, we consider them weeds. Tasks When using herbicides for weed control, spray on a calm day and protect plants by shielding them with a large piece of cardboard.

Calandrinia (aka Cistanthe) spectabilis (Rock Purslane) Calandrinia, recently renamed Cistanthe for its Cistus-like flowers, is native to Chile and a real stand out in our hot dry summers. Gray green succulent foliage forms a clump 12 to 18 inches tall and up to 3 feet wide.