August Tips & Events for Santa Clara County |
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“Summer breeze, light fluffy clouds… Mother Nature has a canvas for every season.” ~Terri Guillemets
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Quiz: What’s Wrong with This Tomato Plant? |
There are a lot of tomato pests and diseases out there, and a single picture isn’t always enough to identify a problem. But the bronze look on the leaves and branches in this picture suggests a relatively common problem. Another clue is that the problem starts with the lower leaves and then moves up the plant. Even the stems begin to show a bronze color. Any ideas? See the answer below. |
Photo credit: Julian Zytnik
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Visit Us at McClellan Ranch |
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We love talking to people about gardening. If you love to learn or you have questions, then join us at McClellan Ranch Preserve in Cupertino for a class and/or a tour of our community garden plot. We have the following Saturday events scheduled:
- August 12: Food preservation workshop at 10 am, garden tour at 11:15 am.
- September 9: Starting cool season vegetables demonstration at 10 am, garden tour at 10:45 am.
- October 14: Cover crop and soil testing talk at 10 am, garden tour at 10:45 am.
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Harvest Your Vegetables, All of Them |
What should you do if you notice damaged or overgrown vegetables in your garden? It’s easy to ignore them and only pick the tender, perfect ones. But it’s important to pick off old ones, even if they’re just destined for the compost bin. They still draw energy from the plants, they can attract pests or increase diseases, and for some plants like cucumbers, they can signal the plant to stop producing. So pick your plants clean, and look carefully for any that are hiding. Share extra produce with friends and neighbors rather than leave them on the plant to become old and tough. |
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Photo: Overripe pepper with sunscald, University of Minnesota
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Are you watering your fruit trees enough? Our hot, dry summer is their peak water usage time. Not getting enough water can stress your fruit trees, make them more susceptible to pests and disease, and result in fruit drop and lower quality fruit. A good rule of thumb is to provide 1 gallon of water per week per square foot of the tree canopy. Per UC guidelines: “Do not water established trees near the trunk and lower branches, as this promotes root and crown disease. Water plants when needed around the drip line and beyond. Avoid overhead sprinklers when possible. Try to water deeply and infrequently (every 2 to 3 weeks).”
Photo: Persimmon tree with drip irrigation, Ying Chen
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Extending the Life of Cut Flowers |
There’s nothing like a vase of fresh-cut flowers to transform a room. To extend their freshness, start with a sparkling clean container. Supply food and deter microbial activity by mixing 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and ¼ teaspoon of bleach with one quart of warm water. With a sharp knife or scissors, cut at least ½ inch off the bottom of the stem at an angle to increase the surface for water flow. Make this cut under running tap water to minimize exposure to air. Put the cut stems in a bucket of warm water and then place in a cool location for several hours before arranging. Enjoy!
Photo credit: Allen Buchinski
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If you’ve noticed a lizard darting past you in the garden, consider yourself lucky. These little creatures cause no measurable damage to garden plants, and they eat insects such as beetles, ants, wasps, aphids, and grasshoppers. The most common and quickest lizard in California is the western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis). They are crafty little critters. They can get into your house through openings of just ¼ inch, like gaps beneath doors. If they do get in and you try to catch them, they may lose their tail – which keeps wiggling as a decoy – while they escape and later grow another one. Here’s how to catch and release them back to your garden. And good luck!
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Photo: Adult male western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis), Jack Kelly Clark, UC
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Quiz Answer: Tomato Russet Mite |
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Photo: Tomato russet mite damage, Jack Kelly Clark, UC
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Tomato russet mites are tiny sucking insects that thrive in high temperatures and low humidity, exactly what summers in Santa Clara County provide. They multiply rapidly under those conditions, so we start noticing the problem in mid-summer as the bottom leaves and stems turn bronze then brown, moving upward through the plant. The fruit can be damaged both by the mites and by sunburn as many leaves die, leaving the fruits exposed. Spraying with sulfur can help control the mites. Just remember to apply sulfur when the temperatures are expected to stay below 90°F to avoid possible damage to the plant. |
Photo: Tomato russet mite damage, Jack Kelly Clark, UC
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Our monthly Plant Clinic Online is an opportunity to chat with a Master Gardener via Zoom to diagnose a plant problem. You can also listen and learn while other people ask questions. Please note that starting in August, we are moving to an evening meeting on the second Tuesday of the month (August 8), from 7–8:30 pm. Priority will be given to questions that are emailed in advance; instructions are in the Zoom registration confirmation. Registration required.
DIY Drip irrigation, Thursday, August 24, 6:30–7:30 pm, Mountain View Public Library, 585 Franklin Street, Mountain View
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Check our calendar for the latest schedule of events. Videos of many past presentations are also available.
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University of California Master Gardener volunteers promote sustainable gardening practices and provide research-based horticultural information to home gardeners. Visit our website for more information including:
Have a gardening question? Ask us. We’re here to help!
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