The Stanislaus Sprout

In Part I, we discussed why mosquitoes bite, and which mosquito species can spread West Nile and Zika virus. Now, let's talk about what mosquitoes need to reproduce, how to prevent them from breeding around your home, and best methods to protect yourself and your family while outdoors.

You've probably read a lot lately in the news about West Nile virus and Zika virus. In mid-June, the first human case of West Nile virus in Stanislaus County was diagnosed. This past week, mosquitoes that can carry the Zika virus were found in our county.

Over the past few months, gardeners have asked the UCCE Master Gardeners for help with their grapes.

Soil solarization is a simple technique that you can use in your home garden to reduce or eliminate many soil-inhabiting pests. Solarization works by heating up the soil in the presence of moisture to temperatures that are high enough to kill many fungi, nematodes, weeds and weed seeds.

University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Stanislaus County started a brand-new Master Gardener Program in January of 2019. Our first class of twenty-three volunteers just graduated and are out in the community making a difference.