The most common mistake when watering a new avocado tree
The most common mistake that I see made, and that I have made myself, when watering a new avocado tree is . . . well, let me show you: https://youtu.be/Tjl_4AlrxLw As an example, if your newly planted avocado tree needs, say, six gallons of water per week, then it...
The lifecycle of broccoli
“It’s cool that when we eat carrots we eat roots, and when we eat broccoli we eat flowers,” my son said. That gave me the idea to do a post showing the lifecycle of broccoli, from seed to flower and beyond. It starts with the seeds. Broccoli seeds are dark tiny balls....
A Year of Tours through Jacques’ Food Garden
In 2025, I visited my friend Jacques about once a month to walk through his eclectic garden of edible plants and taste whatever was ripe. Our goal in filming these tours was to generally show the diversity of what can be grown in Southern California and specifically...
“Growing Organic Avocados at Home:” a workshop on March 7 with John Schoustra and me at Apricot Lane Farms
I invite you to join me and John Schoustra at Apricot Lane Farms on March 7 for a workshop on "Growing Organic Avocados at Home." What's the workshop about? John and I will cover: Choosing the right varieties for your location and space Planting properly Irrigating:...
Why I’m not worried about HLB, Citrus Greening disease
At the end of the day, I’m not worried about the Citrus Greening disease, also called HLB or Huanglongbing, because it fails the eyeball test. Where are all the dying trees? I don’t see them. What is this HLB/Citrus Greening disease? It’s a condition where, I’m told,...
Supporting The Yard Posts
My goal with The Yard Posts is to help others grow food at home, with a focus on vegetables and fruits -- especially avocados -- in Southern California. How do I do this? I write short articles – “posts” – each Friday, and I augment each post with photos and sometimes...
Avocado pollination seminar, February 10
The California Avocado Society will be putting on a seminar about pollination of avocados on February 10 in Oxnard, Ventura County. It is from 9 AM to 11 AM and can be attended in person or via Zoom. Inaki Hormaza is one of the world's top experts on avocado...
2026 Scion Exchanges (of the California Rare Fruit Growers)
Winter is the season for the California Rare Fruit Growers “scion exchanges,” where growers cut small branches (scions) off their backyard trees and gather together to share. In addition to sharing scions, CRFG members often demonstrate grafting methods at these...










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