Your fruit tree is grafted — Why? And so what?

Your fruit tree is grafted — Why? And so what?

We buy a fruit tree -- a Pinkerton avocado, a Cara Cara navel orange, a Flavor King pluot -- and we think the tag tells us what we're getting, but it tells only half the story. Almost every fruit tree you buy has been grafted. In other words, almost every fruit tree...

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Growing avocados in Southern California

Growing avocados in Southern California

Avocados are California. They are our heritage fruit. My great great grandfather grew a huge seedling avocado tree at his house near Los Angeles. When my mother was a child, she climbed in her neighbor's Fuerte avocado tree. I have planted avocado trees over the...

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California-grown mangos

California-grown mangos

We don't normally shop at Whole Foods Market, but once each year I make a visit in order to buy these California-grown mangos. Last year, I bought some in October; this year I decided I'd stop by in September just to check and . . . I bought these three. Should I...

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The Home Orchard: a book review

The Home Orchard: a book review

Chuck Ingels is one of the main authors and technical editors of The Home Orchard, the best book available on growing deciduous fruit and nut trees for home gardeners in California, and at last week’s Master Gardener conference in Long Beach I attended a presentation...

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Which is the heirloom tomato?

Which is the heirloom tomato?

Are heirloom tomatoes big or small? Are they red or orange or yellow? Are they wrinkly? Are they meaty? What do they taste like? What the heck does heirloom mean? Of course, heirloom has nothing to do with size or color or rugosity or taste. It has most to do with...

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The best gopher trap: it’s a Cinch

The best gopher trap: it’s a Cinch

In my yard, the most damaging, relentless, and challenging pest to control has been gophers. Birds peck plums and squirrels may steal plums, but a gopher will kill a plum tree. While I haven’t lost any plum trees to gophers, I’ve lost other fruit trees and innumerable...

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How long does it take to grow a productive yard?

How long does it take to grow a productive yard?

Well, it depends what you mean by productive, but for me, I had the goal of growing almost all of the fruits and vegetables my family could eat when we moved into our house in July of 2013. Actually, 80% was the arbitrary number I had written in my notes. So...

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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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