This garden column provides answers and information on home, garden and landscape problems.

 

Issue	Articles
December 2007 - a	Gardening books Farewell
November 2007 - b	Pitch canker in pine trees Winter fruit tree care
November 2007 - a	Fertilizing Persimmon Trees Iron Chlorosis in Persimmon Trees
October 2007 - c	Grass cycling
October 2007 - b	Juniper twig girdler (jtg)
September 2007 - b	Raised beds
September 2007 - a	Termites in bottlebrush tree Flies in the yard
August 2007 - b	Additional information on brown patches in your lawn Thrips injury on nectarines
August 2007 - a	Willow leaf gall sawfly Black scale
July 2007 - a	Eugenia psyllid Watering your lawn
June 2007 - a	Tree removal Leaf curl in nectarines & peaches
May 2007 - b	Discussion about soil pH
May 2007 - a	Gopher control
April 2007 - b	Codling moth control
April 2007 - a	(a) Freeze-tolerant plants (b) Apricot tree affected by brown rot
March 2007 - b	Nematodes & marigolds Dwarf lemon tree & rootstock problem
March 2007 - a	Sources of organic matter and nutrients for your garden soil
January 2007 - c	Rehabilitation of Freeze-Damaged Plants
January 2007 - b	The coast live oaks in my area are showing increasingly brown leaves. There is no new green leaf formation. Could this be sudden oak death syndrome?
January 2007 - a	There are some areas of my yard that do not drain well. After a rain the water may stand for several days. What can I do to improve the drainage?
December 2006 - b	Dealing with frost injury to plants
December 2006 - a	I have a terrible whitefly problem in my southern exposure backyard . . . This problem has occurred two years in a row now. How do I get rid of this problem once and for all?
November 2006 - b	(1) Armillaria root rot (2) Garden cleanup
November 2006 - a	(1) Rabbit problem in the yard (2) How to incorporate raw organic matter into the soil.
October 2006 - a	(1) Booklice (2) Oleander aphids (3) Cypress canker
September 2006 - b	(1) My fuchsia bush produced beautiful blooms this spring and early summer. Now, however, many twig tips and their leaves are becoming deformed, and the flowers are misshaped or do not even develop. What causes this problem? Can it be cured?
September 2006 - a	(1) A few days ago I was picking some long-awaited tomatoes in my garden. To my dismay, I discovered several green tomatoes that were half-eaten, and many leaves had disappeared with only stubs of leaf stems remaining. I can find no "critter" causing the destruction. Can you help? (2) The leaves on my lantana have developed ugly, gray-brown, circular blotches of dead tissue. What causes this injury? The leaf tissue in the spot is paper thin, and there is often black residue in the spot.
August 2006 - b	(1) The fruit on my tomato plants has developed circular, gray-brown lesions. The lesion is slightly sunken and leathery in appearance. I have also removed a number of dead leaves from the plants. The leaves turned gray and dried up very quickly. What is the problem? (2) The leaves on my roses are developing small windows and some holes. The damage is not severe, but it does damage the beauty of the roses. Can this problem be controlled?
August 2006 - a	(1) Lawns turning yellow (2) The leaves on my roses and bougainvillea are disappearing. Circle-shaped notches appear first in one area, and then the leaf gradually is all gone. I can find no worm or beetle causing the problem. Can you help?
July 2006 - b	(1) I have an apricot tree. This year it had a very small crop, but - even worse - the few fruits present were very small! Can you help?
July 2006 - a	(1) I planted several zucchini squash in my garden. They are growing fine and producing many flowers; however, the fruit gets about 3-4 inches long and then rots at the tip. What is wrong? (2) This "huge" reddish brown beetle flew into my window last night. The buzz was quite loud, and the thud on the window sounded like someone threw a small stone. Is this thing dangerous to me or my cat (who wants to eat it)? (3) I have planted potatoes in my garden. When can I start digging them?
June 2006 - b	(1) I have small black and orange "alligators" crawling over my orange tree. What are they? (2) My lawn has developed a serious infestation of oxalis weed . . .
June 2006 - a	(1) Botrytis fungus and other diseases and insects affecting garden flowers (2) I have an asparagus patch . . .
May 2006 - a	(1)I have a seven-year-old Haas avocado which I bought at a nursery. It has yet to bear a crop of fruit. What is wrong with my tree? (2)Response to mole control article.
April 2006 - a	Trapping recipe for coddling moth
March 2006 - b	Mole control
March 2006 - a	Milkweed bugs & boxelder bugs Brown rot control for fruit trees
February 2006 - c	Ground squirrels
February 2006 - b	Root knot nematodes in fig tree root system
February 2006 - a	Fruit cracking in citrus
January 2006 - b	Apricot varieties for culture along the Central Coast Wound paint - should I use it? Slimy black substance in the yard
January 2006 - a	Leaf curl in peach & nectarine trees
December 2005 - b	Powdery mildew of oaks
December 2005 - a	Whitefly infestation on hibiscus bushes
November 2005 - b	"Shelf fungus" on oak trees "Drugstore" beetles in the house
November 2005 - a	Avocado fruit drop Yellowing & dropping of citrus leaves
October 2005 - b	Living with oak trees
October 2005 - a	Duckweed control in the pond
September 2005 - b	Two-horned oak gall wasp Pine scale
September 2005 - a	Several disorders causing tomato vine decline
August 2005 - c	Whitefly infestation
August 2005 - b	Landscaping around oaks
August 2005 - a	Powdery mildew on pumpkins Moss & algae growth in shaded areas
July 2005 - b	Grapes and powdery mildew Pollination of zucchini squash Tomatoes and nitrogen deficiency
July 2005 - a	Jacaranda trees on the Central Coast Climbing roses producing suckers
June 2005 - b	Buying, mixing and applying plant protection products Lilies and cats
June 2005 - a	Earwigs
May 2005 - b	Bee swarm in your backyard Bats around the house
May 2005 - a	Lichens Staked vs. unstaked trees
April 2005 - b	Powdery mildew on apple trees Rose rust
April 2005 - a	Codling moth worm control
March 2005 - d	Brown garden snail Termites
March 2005 - c	Pollination Railroad ties for raised beds
March 2005 - b	Chilling hours
March 2005 - a	Composting
February 2005	Blood orange variety for the Santa Maria area How much light does a fruit tree need? No cure for rose viruses
January 2005 - b	Queen palm decline Avocado damage
January 2005 - a	Avocado tree grown from seed Grafting
December 2004 - b	Cool season vegetables
December 2004 - a	Pruning avocado trees
November 2004 - b	Skunks
November 2004 - a	Gulf Fritillary butterfly
October 2004 - b	Mushroom season Fruit rats
October 2004 - a	Landscape, lawn and garden fertilization
September 2004	Iron chlorosis Cucumber beetles
August 2004 - b	Dry patches in lawns Rose slugs and leafcutter bees
August 2004 - a	Corkscrew willow propagation Yellow jackets
July 2004	Zucchini squash pollination Spittlebug
June 2004	West Nile Virus Walnut blister mites
May 2004 - b	Niger seed Dogwood problem
May 2004 - a	Rose viruses Springtails
April 2004 - b	Red welts caused by playing on the lawn Invasive, noxious weed pests
April 2004 - a	Top 10 Pesticide Blunders at Home
March 2004 - c	Gray and white mold fungi Snail and slug management and control
March 2004 - b	Attracting and feeding hummingbirds
March 2004 - a	Lecanium scale Roof rats
February 2004 - b	Earthworms Avocado varieties
February 2004 - a	Pear conditioning
January 2004	Strawberries
December 2003 - b	Pruning roses and fruit trees Deer-resistant landscape
December 2003 - a	Mice in the house
November 2003 - b	Diazinon use in California Deer-resistant/tolerant plants
November 2003 - a	Citricola scale
October 2003 - c	Spider webs and wrought iron fences Mealybugs
October 2003 - b	Terrestrial flatworm
October 2003 - a	Striped-tail scorpion
September 2003 - b	Glassy-winged sharpshooter "Hungry" bougainvillea
September 2003 - a	Distorted lemons Aphid infestation on citrus tree
August 2003 - b	Chard infected by powdery mildew Fig rust
August 2003 - a	Whiteflies on tomato plants Irregular pine scale
July 2003 - b	Avocado problems Cucumber Mosaic Virus on squash
July 2003 - a	Skin cracking, split pits, and skin russetting of nectarines
June 2003 - b	Powdery mildew in oaks Pest control for the home gardener
June 2003 - a	Leafspotting Defoliated rose bushes
May 2003 - b	Tomatoes - a warm season crop Black widow spiders
May 2003 - a	Grasshoppers Hydrangea and virus infection
April 2003 - b	Crabgrass
April 2003 - a	Are petroleum residues harmful to plants or animals?
March 2003	Poison oak
February 2003 - b	Algae in the landscape Ticks
February 2003 - a	Flower abortion on olive trees Broadleaved weeds in lawns
January 2003 - b	Scale insects
January 2003 - a	Moss
December 2002 - b	"Upland soils" on the Central Coast
December 2002 - a	Lawn mushrooms Omnivorous leafroller
November 2002	Root knot nematodes
October 2002 - c	Carpet beetle Fruit tree varieties for the Central Coast
October 2002 - b	Argentine ant
October 2002 - a	Gummosis on plum tree More information on Africanized honey bees
September 2002 - b	Tobacco budworm Norfolk Island pine scale
September 2002 - a	Grapes and powdery mildew Africanized honey bees
August 2002 - b	Purslane Baking soda and powdery mildew fungus
August 2002 - a	Pear psyllid Wood ashes Spittlebug
July 2002	Citrus pests Persea mites on avocados Plant stress
June 2002 - b	Cabbage loopers Whiteflies
June 2002 - a	Black vine weevil Oak leaf blister
May 2002 - b	Daylilies Black fly
May 2002 - a	California oak worm
April 2002 - b	Gopher control
April 2002 - a	Rust fungus in lawns Roses and aphids
March 2002 - b	Shriveled walnut meat Mulch under trees and shrubs
March 2002 - a	When to plant your garden in the Santa Maria area Growing a pineapple plant from a pineapple top
February 2002	Millipeds Snails and slugs "Hardening" of plants
January 2002	Tree and shrub planting
December 2001	Little black ant control
November 2001 - c	Brown rot
November 2001 - b	Lawn grass and trees Extending the tomato season Tree pruning
November 2001 - a	Edible and non-edible fruit
October 2001 - b	Yellow jackets Codling moth and walnut husk fly
October 2001 - a	Cottony cushion scale
September 2001 - b	Rabbit control Mole control
September 2001 - a	Whiteflies on hibiscus Virus infection on pumpkins
August 2001	Seed germination and dead seedlings
July 2001 - b	Rats
July 2001 - a	Swallowtail butterfly Tomato russet mites Leafcutter bees
June 2001 - b	Iron chlorosis
June 2001 - a	How to protect your flower beds from feeding injury
May 2001 - b	Lawn fertilization and watering
May 2001 - a	Ground squirrels Rose slug
April 2001 - b	California red scale Rose rust
April 2001 - a	Proper mowing heights for California turfgrass Eucalyptus wood chips Railroad ties as garden borders and for making raised beds
March 2001	Arsenic powder Spiders
February 2001	Grey mold White or brown spots on leaves
January 2001	Repotting cymbidiums
December 2000 - b	Clothes moth Avocado harvest dates
December 2000 - a	Christmas trees Honeydew and sucking insects
November 2000	Fungus gnats Scale insects
October 2000	Leaf scorch on maple trees Olive knot on oleander
September 2000	Oak galls Red gum lerp psyllid
August 2000	Lacewing Chinese wax scale Powdery mildew on coastal live oak
July 2000 - b	Take care of your skin!
July 2000 - a	Aphids Invasive exotic pest - Scotch broom
June 2000 - b	Italian cypress hedge Seedlings and garden insects
June 2000 - a	Whiteflies
May 2000 - b	Oak tree defoliation Oak bark beetle
May 2000 - a	Fireblight Asparagus harvest
April 2000	Spraying of fruit trees Codling moth trap
March 2000	Tree removal Growing vegetables in planter boxes
February 2000 - b	Information sheets for garden problems
February 2000 - a	Insect damage on oranges Time to spray
January 2000 - b	More on potato bugs Fruit splitting
January 2000 - a	Potato bugs Earwigs