HOrT COCO-UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa

Perhaps you've seen them. You're digging into the soil to plant something and as you dig you run across a few earthworms. Most of us have heard from childhood that worms are good for the soil.

Were you bothered by yellowjackets last summer? Now is the time to get traps baited and placed outdoors. Overwintering western yellowjacket queens have been dormant all winter and are emerging now that spring is here, to feed and start a new nest.

Most of us in urban and suburban areas don't have enough room for a large edible garden. Our space is limited for growing vegetables, so we need to try different techniques to maximize our yields.

Bermuda buttercup (Oxalis pes-caprae) has become a tenacious and frustrating weed throughout California. From November through April, bright yellow flowers on leafless stalks and green shamrock-like leaves pop up in many of our landscapes.

Many of us have seed catalogs arriving in the mail this month, so now is the time to start thinking about your summer garden. We are publishing this article again because starting plants from seed is a great way to lower costs and increase the variety in your vegetable garden.