Contra Costa

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Article

How to Pick a Peck of Peppers

May 8, 2023
By Help Desk Team
One of the comments we often hear as Master Gardeners is My pepper plants grow but I get only a few small peppers or no peppers at all. After a couple of frustrating years many gardeners stop growing peppers altogether.
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Adult male codling moth
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Managing "Worms" in Your Apples and Pears

April 25, 2023
By Help Desk Team
If you have a history of worms in your apples, pears, or English walnuts, and have felt perplexed as to how to manage this problem, the very first step is to understand what is happening. When one understands that, the management becomes more understandable and approachable.
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Photo of wingless adult aphids and nymph-stage aphids
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Aphids in the Garden

April 10, 2023
By Help Desk Team
Aphids can be a scourge in the garden. There are over 4,000 species of aphids in the world, but fortunately only(!) about 250 species are attracted to the plants we grow in our gardens and landscapes.
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It's Time to Plan Your Summer Tomato Crop

March 6, 2023
By Help Desk Team
It is not unusual to find tomato seedlings for sale in local nurseries and big box stores as early as February or March. Don't make the mistake of rushing to plant them in your garden.
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Indoor Seed Starting

February 20, 2023
By Help Desk Team
A great way to get a head start on your spring and summer vegetable garden! The seeds of many vegetable plants can be planted indoors several weeks before the usual outdoor planting date.
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February is a Good Time to Plant Onions

February 6, 2023
By Help Desk Team
If you've been frustrated when growing onions because the plants produce flower stalks instead of bulbs, it is time to try again. In our Contra Costa County climate, when onions are started in the fall, it is not unusual for them to flower the following spring.
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Winter yellowing on lemon leaves
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Fertilizing Citrus

January 23, 2023
By Help Desk Team
Are you noticing that the leaves on your citrus trees are looking yellow, and wondering if now is the time to fertilize? We have some answers for you. Should You Fertilize Now? First of all, don't be too worried about the yellow leaves.
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Looking for Expert Garden Help?

January 9, 2023
By Help Desk Team
Master Gardeners have many clients whose gardens need work beyond the standard mowing, leaf blowing and hedge trimming, such as a new design, nursing an older garden back to health, improving existing irrigation, or doing heavier chores.
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