The Real Dirt

If you are noticing droopy, dried-out flower clusters on your pears, Asian pears, quince, apples or crabapples, fire blight may be the cause. Fire blight is caused by a bacterium and is a common and frequently destructive disease that shows up in April and May.

The devastating Camp Fire of 2018, along with the numerous fires North State residents have experienced since then, have led many of us to focus on creating a defensible fire-resistant landscape around our homes.

It's springtime, and many of us are adding new plants to our gardens. That means it is also a good time to review the principles of creating defensible space around our homes.

Our rainy spring weather has been great for our gardens but may also have encouraged some unwelcome garden visitors, including snails and slugs. Snails and slugs are similar in structure and biology, but snails have a characteristic spiral shell while slugs lack a shell.

It's that time of the year again Ant Season! We often experience ants in our homes when weather conditions change. They are typically looking for food, water, warmth, and/or protection from extreme weather conditions.