Under the Solano Sun

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Recently, on very warm day, three of my Master Gardener (MG) friends and I drove to Grass Valley to see the UC Master Gardeners of Nevada County Demonstration Garden. I have many fond memories of working in this garden as I began my Mg training and volunteer work in 2005 in Nevada County.

The daily zucchini harvest is underway at the Avant Garden share plot with weekly donations to local Benicia agencies reaching almost 300 lbs.! And, the summer is just beginning.

In Benicia, the home of Avant Community Garden on First Street, the windiest part of the year lasts 5.2 months from April 2 through September 9, according to Weather Spark (www.weatherspark.com.) The windiest month is June and as I write this, the average wind speed today is 19.

Have you noticed the amount of poison oak lately? One of the bike trails in Vacaville that I often walk with my dogs is surrounded by it. Poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum) exists throughout a good part of the state minus the desert.