The Perfect Fruit by Chip Brantley: a book review
Growing up, I liked plums. In the summer, I would jump out of the swimming pool at my grandparents' house to eat a few from their tree. Once I had a yard of my own that came with a plum tree, I was angry when squirrels stole most of them. But I have never planted a...
Avocado adventure box
This box is not for someone who merely wants avocados to mash up as a base for guacamole. No, no, no. This box is for the adventurer. Inside you'll find avocados of different shapes and sizes, you'll find avocados that originated on different continents, and you may...
The accuracy of weather and climate forecasts
As I was thinking about how rainy and cold this winter has been for Southern California (and almost every other corner of California, especially Central California), I recalled that the National Weather Service issues "climate outlooks" at the start of every season,...
Pruning a door into your fruit tree
Recently while pruning fruit trees I have become focused on something new. It’s not size control, it’s not maximizing fruit production. It is creating easy access to the fruit that the tree produces. What is a door? Once a tree reaches a certain girth, it becomes...
Shiranui, Pixie, and Gold Nugget mandarin taste comparison
Mid-March is the perfect time to compare the eating qualities of these three excellent mandarins. For me in San Diego County, their harvest seasons all begin around February, and by now they are approaching the apex of their flavor potential. So let's pick, peel, and...
The Gold Nugget mandarin tree: a profile
“If I only had one citrus tree to live on for my entire life, this is it,” said our guide through the collection of about 1,000 varieties of citrus selected from around the world. That's quite a claim. But, coming from Ottillia “Toots” Bier, we would be wise to...
The Shiranui mandarin tree: a profile
Nothing about the story of Shiranui is straightforward. There is mystery and there is hype. Even my own Shiranui tree (above) is complicated. But let's start with the name. In stores, Shiranui mandarins are sold under the trademarked brand name "Sumo." You may have...
Rain Tank to driplines: a cheap and effective system
We had some visitors last week, and one asked about the rain tank near our garage. "What do you do with the water?" As I showed him how I could open the valve on the tank and water all of my vegetables at once, I recognized that it was an efficient system. It was...
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