Under the Solano Sun

golden yellow sunflower highlighted in a field of sunflowers against the blue sky

Seasonal observations by UC Master Gardeners of Solano County

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Clay, What is it Good For...

September 2, 2021
Was listening to music the other day the song War what is it good forabsolutely nothingcame on and it made me think of clay what is it good for. Living in Fairfield you can probably guess the type of soil I have, CLAY. So if you have clay soil like I do, things aren't all bad.
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photos by Erin Mahaney
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Surprise Succulent Blooms

September 1, 2021
Succulents have a reputation for being tough plants that need little care or water. Even so, it was a delightful surprise recently to find some long-abandoned cuttings blooming. Earlier this spring, I repotted a plant that had grown from a cutting given to me by my mother.
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photos by Tina Paris
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Project Produce

August 31, 2021
This is the time of the year when all the fruits of our gardening labors come blossoming into wonderful produce. At first, we're so elated to see the first few zucchinis, peaches, or tomatoes appear and feel like such successful gardeners.
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photo by Brenda Altman
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Avoid Tree Planting Errors

August 25, 2021
Planting a tree seems like a no-brainer. Purchase a tree from your big box store or local nursery. Find out how much sun and water it needs and find a good place to plant it. Next, dig an appropriate size hole, ease the tree out of the pot, and plop it in the hole. Add water and watch it grow.
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Male Carpenter Bee
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Humble to be a Bumble

August 23, 2021
I was aghast when my neighbor walked up to me and asked, "how do I get rid of the bumble bees around my house? They might be carpenter bees and I have to get rid of them." So, it got me thinking, maybe I should do a blog about carpenter bees and bumblebees.
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