Garden Notes

Question: I am buying some fruit trees this fall for a small backyard orchard. What trees are best to buy and how do I prune the trees to get them started correctly? This is a great question and I have had a lot of experience with backyard fruit trees.

The Lifelong Gardener, by Toni Gattone, offers lots of practical information on gardening as we age. The author is retired from the garden manufacturing industry with four decades of experience.

Clay pots aren't just for growing your plants anymore. With some creativity and craft supplies, they can be transformed into fun home and garden decorations. Clay pots, also referred to as terra cotta planters, make wonderful containers for outdoor potted plants or houseplants indoors.

The fall season is a time of transition, marked by vibrant foliage, cooler temperatures, and the gradual shift from the growing season to dormancy. While this period offers a respite from the intense summer heat, it also presents unique challenges for gardeners and farmers in San Joaquin County.

Wherever you go in California, you are likely to see oak trees. They are so common that we might take them for granted, but once we learn about the extensive contributions they make to wildlife, people, and our environment, it's hard to look at them in the same way.