Shovel don’t lie

Shovel don’t lie

Nick and Anna-Marie told me they had planted a white sage in their backyard, and the plant’s tag said it was a “compact” version but it had grown over five feet tall and wide. I looked out their back door to see the plant. There it was: A robust white sage with flower...

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Beware of rootstock suckers on avocado trees

Beware of rootstock suckers on avocado trees

If I owned a nursery, each time I sold a fruit tree I would attach a flyer that explained rootstock suckers. Too many innocent fruit trees get overtaken by their rootstock while the gardener doesn't notice . . . until: "Why are my oranges sour?" "Why is my plum tree...

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Advantage of multiple avocado pollenizers

Advantage of multiple avocado pollenizers

An avocado pollenizer is a tree of a different flower type that is used to help another tree make more fruit. For example, a Zutano avocado tree is often planted as a pollenizer among Hass avocado trees on farms because the Zutano is a B flower whereas Hass is an A....

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The grayest May?

The grayest May?

My grandma is sick of the gloom. She's ready to go somewhere to find the sun. She has lived her entire life in the Los Angeles area, and she wondered aloud the other day, "Can you remember a year that was this gloomy for so long?" "Funny you say that because I had...

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The Yard Posts food gardening calendar 2023

The Yard Posts food gardening calendar 2023

The new calendar is ready! See the order page here. What is this calendar? It helps Southern California food gardeners by listing for each month which vegetables to plant, how to care for different kinds of fruit trees, and guidance on watering. It’s based on my...

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Wisest way to harvest GEM avocados

Wisest way to harvest GEM avocados

This spring of 2023, I harvested avocados from a GEM grove multiple times and documented what I observed, in terms of fruit maturity, flowering, fruit drop, harvest timing, and selective harvesting. This first video was shot in late April. In the video, I speculate on...

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Welcome . . .

I'm Greg. My goal is to help you grow food at home, with a focus on vegetables and fruits -- especially avocados -- in Southern California. I write a new "Yard Post" every Friday.

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