UC Master Gardeners of Riverside County

Desert Events & Updates

September 2023

Storm Clean Up

After hurricane Hilary, my husband and I were cleaning up loads of debris in our yard. I kept following the awful smells, dumping all the standing water I could find. I was alarmed at how many spots I found. We checked all my plants, pulled all drip trays out and let the plants drain. Checked all pots with or without plants, dumped debris out of empty pots. For planted pots I used a chop stick to clear drains through the bottom. I emptied storage containers for supplies and tools that I through were safe from getting wet, we're not used to water blowing in. The leaf drop all over the yard was cleaned up by my husband then we looked at the plant stands and there was even more debris. We're then moved all plant stands and raked up a major amount of leaves underneath. After all the clean up was done, the next storm came and now we get to do it all over again. The joys of being a gardener.

Please read the Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control information on mosquitoes. They can go from egg to full adult in less than a week. Mosquitoes really like me, click on the link to the district web site and learn what sprays to use for you and your families. There's all kinds of information available to keep our valley as clean and bite-free as we can.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT NATIVE VALLEY MOSQUITOES 

The desert may seem an unlikely place for mosquitoes. However, more than a dozen species thrive in the Coachella Valley. Mosquitoes breed in aquatic environments where the water is still. Mosquito breeding habitats include marshes around the Salton Sea to birdbaths, ponds, neglected pools, water runoff in storm drains, and backyard containers. Female mosquitoes require blood from vertebrates such as birds, people, pets, and livestock to produce eggs, and can transmit viruses such as West Nile (WNV) and St. Louis encephalitis (SLEV) while biting. Most people will not get sick but those that do can develop very serious illnesses. MOSQUITO ENVIRONMENT AND BEHAVIOR By knowing a mosquito's life stages, you can help prevent them around your home. Egg Stage: Mosquitoes lay eggs singly or in clusters on the surface of water. They hatch into larvae within 2 to 3 days. Others lay eggs on damp soil and hatch after the next flooding. Larval Stage: Larvae live in water and feed on microorganisms and organic matter. This stage lasts 3 to 14 days. Pupal Stage: It takes 2 to 3 days for a pupa to transform into an adult mosquito. It does not feed during this stage. Adult Stage: The newly emerged adult rests on the water surface until its wings are dried. 

From the Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District·43-420 Trader Place, Indio, CA 92201 (760) 342-8287 · www.cvmvcd.org 

Permaculture at RCRCD will present an introduction to Permaculture Design plus orient you to what we have planned for the year. Learn More

UC Master Gardeners are available and hope to see you at these Certified Farmers Markets:

PALM SPRINGS 

Saturdays, Aug 12 & 26 - 8am - 1:00 pm

Palm Springs Pavilion - 401 S Pavilion Way, Palm Springs, CA, 92264

Riverside Downtown

Saturday, Aug 5, from 8:00 am to 1:30 pm, Main Street between 5th & 6th

Advice to Grow by…Ask Us!

Have a Gardening Question...Ask our UC Master Gardener of Riverside County Helpline!

Please include as much detail as possible along with any relevant photos that illustrate your problem/question.

This service is free of charge and is provided year-round by UC Master Gardener of Riverside County Volunteers.

Email your question(s) to:

Desert Area: anrmgindio@ucanr.edu

West County: anrmgriverside@ucanr.edu 

Visit RCRCD, Riverside-Corona Research Conservation District, at 4500 Glenwood Drive, Riverside, for free Rainwater Harvesting Workshop on Sat, Sept 2, 2023, from 10 - 11:30am.