The Stanislaus Sprout

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Cedar Waxwing, Richard Brown.
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Cheerful Birds in Winter Gardens

January 21, 2025
We are now in the midst of winter with its often foggy and dreary days. Many trees are bare, most insects are dormant, and numerous bird species have flown south, so our gardens can seem gray, bare, and quiet. However, some birds spend winters here, so there are still some bright spots.
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Reading a pesticide label, photo by Natalie Schellman.
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Neonicotinoid Pesticides No Longer Available

January 16, 2025
As of January 1, 2025, pesticides containing neonicotinoids will not be available for sale in retail nurseries and garden centers in the state of California. In addition, this group of pesticides cannot be possessed or used by unlicensed applicators.
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Thinning cut example, Chuck Ingels, Pamela M. Geisel and Maxwell V. Norton
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Pruning Fruit Trees

January 10, 2025
There is still time to prune fruit trees if you haven't done so already. Why is pruning fruit trees so important? Proper pruning improves the look and health of trees and improves the production of fruit. This post will focus on deciduous fruit trees. For information on citrus, see below*.
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