Protecting vegetables and fruit trees from rabbits
With hope, I planted 24 seedlings of broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and brussels sprouts on an October day. By mid-November only two hadn’t been eaten down to the ground by rabbits. This was my first fall in a new house and gardening in a new location, and I hadn’t...
Controlling aphids on broccoli and cauliflower: an experiment with the kids
I’d long heard of people using dish soap mixed with water to spray on broccoli and cauliflower in order to control aphids. I was curious to test that out. In early January, I had a row of plants and I had three kids that might enjoy helping me experiment. Control...
Mayo / Covocado avocado: a profile
A six-minute video about the Mayo or Covocado avocado variety: https://youtu.be/85EB7APAolU More avocado variety profiles HERE All of my Yard Posts listed HERE
Sowing vegetable seeds in the ground in Southern California: Three keys to success
I remember well the first time I sowed vegetable seeds. They were green beans. I stood there holding the packet, looking at the garden dirt wondering, “Do I really just bury them and they’ll grow?” Though I've done much sowing since then, I still mess it up from time...
What to do with fruit tree prunings?
Last weekend, I visited my mom and returned home with the bed of my truck filled with fruit tree prunings. What to do with this stuff? Over the years, I’ve done four things with it. Most likely, one of these four ways of dealing with fruit tree prunings will suit your...
Zutano avocado: a profile
This is my six-minute video profile of the fruit of the avocado variety called Zutano. https://youtu.be/2zoxyOz0uc4 All of my avocado profiles are HERE All of my Yard Posts are HERE
The Bearss lime tree: a profile
My wife came home with some limes from the grocery store one day nine years ago and I said, “We shouldn’t be buying those. I can grow those.” That’s how I ended up planting our Bearss lime tree back in 2012. In this profile, I’ll tell you a bit more about my own tree...
Keeping a corner wild
“We think we heard footsteps.” “And a coyote!” My kids had run back to the house from the wild corner of the yard. It’s at the top of the hill, out of sight, and just jungly enough such that a six-year-old, a five-year-old, and a three-year-old can get spooked. Our...
Welcome . . .
I’m Greg. My goal is to help others grow some food at home, with a focus on vegetables and fruits — especially avocados — in Southern California. I write a new “Yard Post” every Friday.
Avocado Calendar 2021
Gardening Calendar 2021
List of Yard Posts
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