UCCE Master Gardeners of Alameda County

Have a gardening question? Master Gardeners can help! Just email our Help Desk: [email protected].

𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗴: 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗩𝗲𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻 – 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗪𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗩𝗲𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀 🥦🥕

When the temperature starts to dip from the high 90s, and you are still picking ripe tomatoes and zucchini nearly every day, fall and winter gardens don’t immediately come to mind. Although it may not feel like it, this is the time to be thinking ahead and planning for the next seasons. Read on - https://acmg.ucanr.edu/?blogpost=60536&blogasset=139346

🌱 After Labor Day, Are Any of Your Plants Wearing White?🌱

While the old fashion rule about not wearing white after Labor Day may be outdated, you might care more about the white stuff showing up on your plants this time of year. Several white-colored pests and diseases could be causing trouble in your garden.

Here’s what to look out for:

- Scales: These pests vary, but common ones include Cochineal scales on cacti (like prickly pears), Cottony cushion scale on woody ornamentals (like citrus and pittosporum), and Euonymus scale on plants like Japanese Euonymus.

- Mealybugs: These whiteish-gray, wax-covered insects can infest a variety of plants, often hiding in protected areas.

- Powdery Mildew: Look for white powdery spots on the tops of leaves, especially in shady areas when temps are between 60-80°F. It affects fruits, vegetables, and landscape plants. The photo here is of powdery mildew on cucumber leaves.

- Whiteflies: These tiny insects have white, waxy wings and feed in large colonies on the undersides of leaves.

- Hackberry Wooly Aphids: These pests appear as white, fuzzy masses on hackberry plants, particularly at shoot terminals and leaves.

- Spittlebugs: Although the adults are brown, they produce a white, foamy excrement that looks like spit on plants.

- Mushrooms: White fungi may pop up in your lawn or mulched beds. While puffballs are mostly a nuisance, fungi on trees can cause wood decay.

For more help diagnosing a plant problem or identifying a pest, check out the UC IPM Plant Problem Diagnostic Tool (https://ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/plant-problem-diagnostic-tool/) or contact our Alameda County UC Master Gardener help desk ([email protected]). This post content is taken from a blog post written by Lauren Fordyce, Urban and Community IPM Educator.

🌿Garden Update: Late Summer Tips!🌿

As you continue harvesting your summer crops, don't forget to feed that compost pile (unless your crops are diseased). 🌱 Once the summer plants are cleared, it's a great time to plant cover crops (also known as green manure or compost crops). Learn more about cover crops here: https://acmg.ucanr.edu/?blogpost=57888&blogasset=139346.

Keep planting cool-season plants and start onions from seeds if you're west of the East Bay Hills. 🧅 For a deep dive into growing onions, visit our Onions 101 guide https://ucanr.edu/sites/MG_Alameda/files/52157.pdf.

It’s also the perfect moment to set out cool-season annuals like pansies, primrose, and stock. 🌸 If you're in a hotter area, wait until next month to plant.

🌿 Visit Us at Alameda County Farmer's Markets! 🌿

From spring to early fall, you can find us at several farmer's markets across Alameda County. Our Master Gardeners are there, eager to answer your gardening questions and provide expert advice. But hurry—our farmer's market season is almost over! 🌻

Check out our calendar for market locations and details. We’d love to see you there! Click here for more: https://acmg.ucanr.edu/ask-a-master-gardener/ask-a-master-gardener-farmers-markets/.

Feel free to bring along any plant specimens or pest problems you’re facing. Our Master Gardeners are on-site, ready to diagnose and offer on-the-spot solutions. It’s the perfect opportunity to share our love for horticulture and help your garden thrive. 🌱

🍅 Preserve Your Summer Harvest with Home Canning! 🥒

When your summer garden is bursting with produce, it can be tough to use or share it all before it spoils. If you want to enjoy home-grown green beans in January or create unique, homemade gifts, home canning is the perfect solution!

Before you start, make sure to purchase a good canning book or consult reliable resources like the National Center for Home Food Preservation (http://nchfp.uga.edu or see the link in our bio). Following proper canning protocols is crucial for safety.

What You’ll Need:
- A boiling-water canner (a large pot with a rack)
- Canning jars (mason jars) in the appropriate sizes
- Two-piece closures (screw band and lid)
- Optional: A pressure canner for low-acid foods

Remember, foods are classified as high- or low-acid, which determines the heat processing method. High-acid foods like fruits, tomatoes, and pickles can be processed in a boiling-water canner. Low-acid foods like vegetables (other than tomatoes) and meats require a pressure canner.

Always follow modern, up-to-date recipes to ensure safety and prevent foodborne illnesses like botulism. Canning is typically done in late summer and fall, but you can can year-round with cool-season crops or purchased produce.

Home canning is a fun, economical way to preserve your harvest, and those gleaming jars in the pantry will be a source of pride all year long! 🌻

🌱 What to Do With Your Harvest 🌱

With the surge in interest in growing food, many gardeners are now harvesting more than they can eat. If you find yourself with an abundance of produce, here are some options to consider:

- Share or Trade: Share your bounty with friends and neighbors or trade it for something you didn't grow.
- Donate: Consider donating to a local food pantry.
- Preserve for Winter: With a little planning, you can enjoy your harvest for months to come.

Easy Storage Ideas:
- Cool, Dry Storage: Keep apples, pumpkins, winter squash, garlic, or potatoes in a cool, dry place. Check often for spoiled fruit.
- Drying: Herbs can be dried by hanging in a cool, dry, dark place. Fruits like apples, tomatoes, and zucchini can be dried in a dehydrator, oven, or sun (just cover to keep out insects). Store dried fruits in bags in a dark, dry place or freezer.
- Freezing: Most fruits and veggies can be frozen. Blanch corn, beans, or tomatoes before freezing. For wet fruits like strawberries, freeze on a cookie sheet first.

Canning: You can also make and can jams, pickles, salsas, and more. Though it may seem intimidating, canning is easier than you think with the right tools and a little research. Visit the USDA’s National Center for Home Food Preservation for detailed guides, and watch for our post tomorrow with more informaiton about canning.

Preserving your harvest can be just as rewarding as eating it fresh. Enjoy the fruits of your labor all year round! 🥕🍅🥒

🌱 What's Growing at the Pleasanton Educational Garden?🌻

Even with our 3/4-acre open field still in the planning stages and without a water hookup, there's life sprouting in our garden-to-be! 🌼 This month, our dedicated volunteers found native curlycup gumweed (Grindelia squarrosa) buzzing with pollinators, a couple of Jerusalem artichokes (aka wild sunflowers), and hundreds of palm seedlings emerging from the mulch. We kept the sunflowers and removed the palms to make way for future growth.

Curious passersby stopped to chat, excited to hear that a garden is coming soon. One Girl Scout mom is even interested in adopting a garden bed for their troop! 🌿 We can't wait to see this space bloom. Thanks to one of our Pleasanton Master Gardeners who provided this update and photos! Learn more here: https://acmg.ucanr.edu/Demonstration_Gardens/EdGarden_Pleasanton/.

🐾 Dogs in the garden can be a challenge! From worn paths to dug-up plants, our furry friends don't always share our gardening goals. But with a little creativity, you can strike the perfect balance between your garden and your pup. Enhance their favorite paths with mulch or pavers, use large rocks to deter napping on plants, and consider elevated dog beds or a shallow pool to keep them cool and content. Embrace the natural flow of your dog’s behavior while keeping your garden beautiful! 🌿

To learn more from our friends in Butte County, click here: https://ucanr.edu/sites/bcmg/Blog/index.cfm?blogpost=14295&blogasset=58737.

🐕

🌞 Timing matters when watering California native trees! During drought years, some may need summer water, but be cautious—overwatering can be harmful. Oak root fungus (Armillaria mellea) thrives in warm, moist soils, especially in native oaks. Frequent summer watering can trigger this fungus, leading to serious infections. Water wisely to protect your trees from disease.

💧 Discover common issues and how to address them with expert advice from UC IPM's detailed guide on environmental disorders. Dive into the resources today! Click here: https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/ENVIRON/waterpestprob.html or view the link in our bio. Photo of Armillaria mellea. Photo credit: Dave Powell, USDA Forest Service, (retired), Bugwood.org

🚫 Avoid watering too close to the base of your trees and shrubs! Water dripping or pooling near the trunk can lead to root and crown diseases. Soggy soil around the root collar promotes fungal growth, spreading diseases like anthracnose, brown rot, and leaf spots. To keep your plants healthy, water away from the trunk and avoid splashing the foliage.
💧 Discover common issues and how to address them with expert advice from UC IPM's detailed guide on environmental disorders. Dive into the resources today! Click here: https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/ENVIRON/waterpestprob.html or view the link in our bio. Photo of overwatering, a pool of water at the base of a tree. Photo credit: UC Statewide IPM Project, ©2000 Regents, University of California.

🌧️ Over-irrigation can be just as harmful as underwatering! Excess moisture can lead to root rot, preventing plants from taking up water. To avoid this, improve soil drainage with compost, adjust your irrigation schedule, and ensure water doesn’t pool around your plants. If you notice flooding after heavy rains, take steps to drain the area. Keep your plants healthy by managing moisture levels carefully!
💧 Discover common issues and how to address them with expert advice from UC IPM's detailed guide on environmental disorders. Dive into the resources today! Click here: https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/ENVIRON/waterpestprob.html or view the link in our bio. Photo of reddish brown Phytophthora crown rot canker. Photo credit: Jack Kelly Clark

🌱 Is your plant showing signs of water deficit? Drooping, yellowing, or wilting leaves could be a sign. Prolonged drought stress can lead to serious damage like branch dieback or even bark cracking. To prevent this, deep water your trees and shrubs by slowly trickle-watering for 2 hours, ensuring the water reaches deep into the roots. Even if your trees have survived without summer water in the past, they might need a deep soak during prolonged hot weather.

💧 Discover common issues and how to address them with expert advice from UC IPM's detailed guide on environmental disorders. Dive into the resources today! Click here: https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/ENVIRON/waterpestprob.html or view the link in our bio. Photo of wilted parrot plant, impatiens niaminiamensis. Photo credit: J. Quan

“𝙄𝙢𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙗𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙞𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙥𝙤𝙤𝙧 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙫𝙖𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙝𝙧𝙪𝙗𝙨.”

NEW BLOG: 🔥🔥 The excessive heat days this year may have caused us to look at our landscape trees and shrubs, and see that some are not looking so good. Keeping them happy lies in the quality of water management. Learn more about watering in the first in our blog series on landscape trees and shrubs "Watering Landscape Trees and Shrubs: The Good and the Bad "

https://acmg.ucanr.edu/?blogpost=60451&blogasset=139346

University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UCANR) connects UC researchers and educators statewide, focusing on agriculture, natural resources, and human development.

The UC Master Gardener Program, part of UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE), provides research-based information to enhance residential horticulture, urban pest management, and resource conservation. They offer a free Help Desk staffed by experienced Master Gardener volunteers, who offer year-round advice on sustainable gardening, landscaping, edible gardening, and pest management. Contact them via email at [email protected], where you can include photos and details about your gardening issue. Visit https://acmg.ucanr.edu/ask-a-master-gardener/ to fill out a Help Desk diagnosis form online. Or you may click on the link in our bio.

Reach out anytime with your gardening questions!

Photo credit: M. Fairbee
Photos include: Master Gardener Monica Schmid working at the Help Desk office, typing at her desk, the outside of the Help Desk office and the Help Desk brochure.

Eryngium planum is a garden surprise. It was planted from a cutting last February and is now blooming with wonderful spikey blue cone-like flowers surrounded by a green crown on a stalk and lovely deep green leaves. Also called sea holly, it requires full sun and water only if dry after being established. A both an annual and a perennial California native, it is classified as an herb. It’s also a flavoring condiment. Part official the Apiaceae family. Thanks to one of our Oakland Master Gardeners for sharing this information and photo!

🌱🍅 Common Tomato Plant Issues & How to Address Them 🍅🌱

Failure to Thrive
- Symptoms: Loss of vigor, small leaves and fruit, wilting despite moist soil, overall leaf yellowing.
- Possible Cause: Root-knot nematodes. Confirm by checking roots for galls.
- Management: Use nematode-free plants, plant resistant varieties (look for "N" on tags), avoid moving infested plants, and consider soil solarization.

Failure to Fruit in Summer
- Causes: Too much nitrogen, insufficient light, cool nights (below 55°F), consistent high heat (above 90°F), or not enough warmth (optimal is 80-90°F).
- Solution: Choose heat-resistant or early-maturing varieties like Heatmaster, Solar Fire, Summer Set, and Phoenix.

Major Sudden Damage
- Symptoms: Significant holes in ripe tomatoes, fruit removed from plants.
- Possible Culprits: Birds, mammals (rabbits, squirrels, rats), or hornworms.
- Management: Protect plants with barriers or use deterrents.

Stay vigilant to keep your tomato plants healthy and productive! 🌞👩‍🌾 Bookmark this page for future reference. Check out our recent Blog Post on Managing Summer Tomatoes, which is packed with tips and resources: https://acmg.ucanr.edu/?blogpost=60223&blogasset=139346. 🍃

Photo 1 credit: Nematodes, Jack Kelly Clark, UC Statewide IPM Project, 2000 Regents, University of CA
Photo 2 credit: Bird Damage to tomato, CC license reference.DebRoby CCPDM1.0

🌿🍅 Tomato Fruit Damage Causes & Management Tips 🍅🌿

Blossom End Rot
- Damage: This causes brown, sunken spots at the blossom end of the fruit, often due to water and calcium imbalances.
- Management: Ensure consistent watering and avoid high soil salt content. Incorporate plenty of compost to help retain moisture and avoid over-fertilizing.

Hornworms
- Damage: Hornworms are notorious for eating ripening tomatoes and leaves, leaving behind large black or dark green droppings. They're large green caterpillars with a small horn on their rear end, but surprisingly hard to spot.
- Management: Remove hornworms by hand, snip with shears, or use natural predators like crows or chickens. Organic pesticides like Bt and spinosad are effective when caterpillars are small.

Sunscald
- Damage: Excess sun exposure can cause tomatoes to tan and toughen on one side.
- Management: Maintain adequate foliage to shade the fruit, avoid excessive pruning, and provide afternoon shade if necessary.

Fruit Cracking / Catfacing
- Damage: Cracks can appear in various patterns due to environmental stress.
- Management: Choose climate-adapted varieties, keep soil moisture consistent, mulch heavily to regulate temperature, and maintain good leaf cover.

Keep an eye on your tomato plants to catch these issues early and enjoy a bountiful harvest! 🌱🌞 Bookmark this page for future reference. Check out our recent Blog Post on Managing Summer Tomatoes, which is packed with tips and resources: https://acmg.ucanr.edu/?blogpost=60223&blogasset=139346. 🍃

Photo 1 credit: HBlossom End Rot, UC Statewide IPM Project, 2000 Regents, University of CA
Photo 2 credit: Hornworm,P. Babbittm ACMG
Photo 3 credit: Catfacing, Mary Ann Hansen, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Bugwood.org
Photo 4 credit: SUnscald, Howard F. Schwartz, Colorado State University, Begwood.org

🌿🍅 Dealing with Uncommon Tomato Leaf Issues? Here's What to Watch For! 🍅🌿

Aphids: These tiny insects can cause curling, yellowing, and distortion of leaves. They also leave behind a sticky residue that can attract black mold. To manage aphids, try hosing down the leaves and encouraging beneficial insects in your garden.

Viruses: Look out for mottling in yellow, white, or light green shades, which can also lead to leaf distortion. To***co mosaic virus is a common culprit.

Flea Beetles: These pests leave tiny pits or small holes in leaves. Seedlings are particularly vulnerable, so consider covering young plants to prevent damage.

🧑‍🌾 Proper care is essential for a healthy garden! 🌞 Bookmark this page for future reference. Check out our recent Blog Post on Managing Summer Tomatoes, which is packed with tips and resources: https://acmg.ucanr.edu/?blogpost=60223&blogasset=139346. 🍃

Photo 1 credit: Aphids, Brian Kunkel, University of Delaware, Bugwood.org
Photo 2 credit: Mosaic Virus, UC Statewide IPM Project, 2001 Regents, University of CA
Photo 3 credit: Flea Beetles, UC Statewide IPM Project, 2000 Regents, University of CA

🍅Dealing with Tomato Leaf Curl? Here's What You Need to Know!🍅

Damage: Tomato leaves curling upward? It could be caused by a variety of factors. Here's how to identify and manage the issue:
1. Cool, Wet Spring: Leaves may become firm, leathery, and curl upward. This usually resolves on its own as the weather warms up.
2. Hot Afternoons: If the soil is damp but the weather is hot, tomatoes may struggle to take in enough water. Leaves should uncurl by evening.
3. Dry Conditions: If the soil is dry and it's hot outside, it's time to water your tomatoes to prevent further stress.
4. Check for Pests: Inspect rolled leaves for insects or caterpillars that might be causing the problem.
5. Monitor for Overwatering: Overwatering can lead to root rot and also cause leaf curl. Be mindful of watering practices.
6. Watch for Diseases: Early signs of diseases like verticillium wilt can include leaf curl. Continue monitoring your plants for other symptoms.

🧑‍🌾 Stay vigilant and keep your garden thriving! Share your experiences and tips in the comments! 🌱 Bookmark this page for future reference. Check out our recent Blog Post on Managing Summer Tomatoes, which is packed with tips and resources: https://acmg.ucanr.edu/?blogpost=60223&blogasset=139346. 🍃

Photo credit: Leaf rolling, Belinda Messenger-Sikes, UC IPM

🚨🍅 Tomato Troubles: Dealing with Wilts 🍅🚨

🌿 Verticillium & Fusarium Wilts 🌿
- Damage: Yellowing leaves, wilting shoots, plant death. Fusarium affects tomatoes; Verticillium affects various garden plants.
- Prevention:
- No cure for infected plants. Remove debris and use resistant plant varieties.
- Look for "V" (Verticillium), "F" (Fusarium), and "N" (nematodes) resistance on labels.
- In warm climates, consider soil solarization for long-term control.

🧑‍🌾 Proper care is essential for a healthy garden! 🌞 Bookmark this page for future reference. Check out our recent Blog Post on Managing Summer Tomatoes, which is packed with tips and resources: https://acmg.ucanr.edu/?blogpost=60223&blogasset=139346. 🍃

Photo credits: Fusarium wilt and Verticillium wilt, UC Statewide IPM Project, 2001 Regents, University of CA, Jack Kelly Clark

🚨🍅 Tomato Troubles: Dealing with Whiteflies 🍅🚨

🌿 Whiteflies 🌿
- Damage: Piercing and sucking sap from leaves, causing yellowing and leaf drop. Excrete honeydew, leading to dark sooty mold.
- Prevention:
- Encourage natural insect enemies by avoiding broad-spectrum insecticides.
- Manage ants to protect beneficial insects.
- Use reflective mulch and hose down plants for small infestations.

🧑‍🌾 Proper care is essential for a healthy garden! 🌞 Bookmark this page for future reference. Check out our recent Blog Post on Managing Summer Tomatoes, which is packed with tips and resources: https://acmg.ucanr.edu/?blogpost=60223&blogasset=139346. 🍃

Photo credit: Adult whiteflies, Clemson University - USDA Cooperative Extension Slide Series, Bugwood.org

🌿 Join Us Tomorrow for one of our FREE Gardening Classes!

In Livermore, we'll discuss how to handle garden pests like raccoons, deer, skunks, feral pigs, dogs, cats, and turkeys. Learn effective ways to protect your vegetables, ornamental plants, and shrubs. 🐾 And in Hayward, we will explain the do's and don'ts of gardening using examples from the community garden. You'll see some amazing vegetable gardens! 🌱

Topics may change based on speaker availability and attendees' interest. All talks are in-person and outdoors. Please note, events may be canceled in case of rain or severe weather.

See you there! 🌱✨ Swipe through to learn more about these classes. Also see the education + resources link in our bio for more details and our full calendar of upcoming events.

🛑🍅 Tomato Problems: Leaf Issues and Solutions 🍅🛑

🌿 Late Blight 🌿
- Damage: Water-soaked spots, curled, yellowing, or dead leaves.
- Prevention: Avoid overhead irrigation, use copper fungicides, promote air circulation, and carefully dispose of infected plant debris.

🌿 Early Blight 🌿
- Damage: Black/brown spots with concentric rings on older leaves.
- Prevention: Avoid overhead watering, water soil directly, cut off damaged leaves while maintaining canopy.

🌿 Powdery Mildew🌿
- Damage: Yellow blotches turning brown; sometimes fuzzy patches.
- Prevention: Plant in full sun, use sulfur-based pesticides for severe infestations.

🧑‍🌾 Proper care is essential for a healthy garden! 🌞 Bookmark this page for future reference. Check out our recent Blog Post on Managing Summer Tomatoes, which is packed with tips and resources: https://acmg.ucanr.edu/?blogpost=60223&blogasset=139346. 🍃

Photo credits: Early Blight: Nancy Gregory, University of Delaware, Bugwood.org; Late Blight: Gerald Holmes, Strawberry Center, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Bugwood.org, Powdery Mildew: UC Statewide IPM Project, 2000 Regents, University of CA.

𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗴: 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀 🐛
Summer Tomatoes! We have reached that time in the growing season when all sorts of problems crop up. Tomato Hornworms (UGH!), whiteflies, blossom end rot, and of course all sorts of creatures that want to eat the delicious fruit. Learn about managing tomato problems common in Alameda County right now.

https://acmg.ucanr.edu/?blogpost=60223&blogasset=139346

Have a gardening question? Master Gardeners can help! Just email our Help Desk, using the link in our bio! FB: Or click here to fill out our form: https://surveys.ucanr.edu/survey.cfm?surveynumber=16371

🍅 It's National Farmer's Market Week! 🧺

🥬 Did you know that Alameda County UC Master Gardener gardener program volunteers are often found behind an information table at your local farmers market?

🍑 It’s true! In fact, during the Spring and Summer months, you can find them at several locations including Alameda, Berkeley, Dublin, Oakland, Pleasanton, and San Leandro.

🌶️ Get “Advice To Grow By…” in Alameda on the 3rd Saturday morning of the month between 9 am and 1 pm at our informational resource table.

📍 And find us at the other Farmers Markets locations:

Berkeley – Last Thursday of the month, 3-7pm
Dublin – Second & fourth Thursdays, 4-7pm
Fremont – Second Tuesday morning, 9am – 1pm
Oakland, Grand Lake - Second & fourth Saturdays, 9am -1pm
Oakland, Temescal – Every other Sunday, 9am – 1pm
Pleasanton – Every Saturday (Spring & Summer), 9am – noon
San Leandro – First & third Saturdays, 9am – 12:30pm

Click on this link for all the Farmers Market details: https://acmg.ucanr.edu/ask-a-master-gardener/ask-a-master-gardener-farmers-markets/ Photos here were shared by one of our Master Gardeners at the Alameda Farmer’s Market on July 20th with Max Fairbee and Alison Limoges.

🌿 Join Us NEXT Saturday, August 10th for FREE Gardening Classes!

In Livermore, we'll discuss how to handle garden pests like raccoons, deer, skunks, feral pigs, dogs, cats, and turkeys. Learn effective ways to protect your vegetables, ornamental plants, and shrubs. 🐾 And in Hayward, we will explain the do's and don'ts of gardening using examples from the community garden. You'll see some amazing vegetable gardens! 🌱

Topics may change based on speaker availability and attendees' interest. All talks are in-person and outdoors. Please note, events may be canceled in case of rain or severe weather.

See you there! 🌱✨ Swipe through to learn more about these classes. Click here to see our full calendar of events: https://acmg.ucanr.edu/events/

🍉 Watermelon Harvesting & Storage Tips for National Watermelon Day!

Ready to enjoy some juicy watermelons? Here's how to test for ripeness and ensure the best harvest:

🔍 Test for Ripeness:
- Rap the side of the fruit with your knuckles.
- Light or metallic sound = still green.
- Dull sound = ripe.
- Best done in the early morning.

🍉 Signs of Maturity:
- Ground spot turns yellow.
- Tendrils closest to the fruit darken and dry up.
- Surface becomes rough.

🔪 Harvesting Tips:
- Use a sharp knife to cut melons off the vine.
- Harvest as soon as they reach maturity to avoid splits and decay.
- Handle carefully to prevent damage.

🌡️ Storage Tips:
- Store in the fridge for a few weeks.
- Avoid long storage to maintain color and crispness.
- Slightly immature melons may improve in flavor over time.

Happy harvesting! 🍉🌞