The Savvy Sage

When I buy a rose, I consider several things: color, growth habit, location requirements. These are all important aspects to ponder to ensure a thriving plant and a visually appealing garden. But something else I consider, which has nothing to do with gardening success, is the name.

As a child rambling in the garden, I was delighted to find a lady bug. I would extend my hand in the bug's path and gently scoop it up.

The first year I grew tomatoes at a community garden (elsewhere in California), lots of critters munched my fruit before I could pick it. I had a garden neighbor who grew rat habitat (an unmanaged berry thicket), and I did several things that mostly stopped any predation (except by humans!). One.

This past Picnic Day, Master Gardeners were available to answer the community's questions. One question reigned supreme: What is happening to my peach tree? If you are noticing puffed, curled, and discolored leaves on your peach or nectarine tree, the culprit is likely the fungus Peach Leaf Curl.

My mother, in all her wisdom, once sent me a wooden garden stake that said, I tried but it died, when I take somewhat drastic measures to try to save something in the garden, I always bear that in mind.