Author Archives: Kathy Ikeda

Euphorbias are simply incredible. Over my many years of visiting various botanical gardens, arboretums, and nurseries, I’ve developed a great fondness for and sense of amazement about this genus of plants. Almost every time our family visits a new public garden, we encounter yet another Euphorbia species, and we exclaim in near disbelief, “That’s a […]

Poinsettias have become a symbolic plant during the holiday season, their deep green leaves and bright red rosettes adorning tables and windows across the country. Marcy Sousa’s recent column briefly discussed the care of this and other ubiquitous Christmastime houseplants, but let’s take a closer look at this unique plant species. Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) are evergreen […]

We’re fortunate to live in California’s Central Valley—one of the most fertile agricultural regions in the country—and thus we have the ability to grow a huge variety of fruit- and nut-bearing trees. Stone fruits (apricots, cherries, nectarines, peaches, plums), pome fruits (apples, pears, Asian pears), nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans), and others (figs, persimmons) all do […]

We’re only a week and a half into fall, but already it’s been a season of unexpected, roller-coaster temperatures, with record-tying heat alternating with unseasonably cool days and rain. Who knows what surprises are yet to come? Master Gardeners welcomed in the new season this past Saturday, September 28 with Open Garden Day at our […]

This time of year is when gardeners begin to anticipate some relief from summer heat and cooler, more enjoyable outdoor time. The searing days of summer are a perfect time to plan landscape improvements, and fall is the best time to implement them. The late fall months of October and November are especially ideal for […]

Houseplants. They bring beautiful greenery and a soothing outdoor presence to artificial interior environments. They convert the carbon dioxide we exhale into fresh oxygen. They help filter pollutants from sterile, indoor air. In other words, they’re simply miraculous! Houseplants are typically grown for their foliage; their leaves can range from tiny to huge, lacy to […]

As we enter the hottest parts of our San Joaquin summer, sun is a timely topic.  Fall planting season will be here before we know it, and this is an excellent time for both experienced and budding landscapers to make plans for large-scale garden makeovers or the addition of a few new plants here and […]

Has your garden been invaded by an insect pest, and you have no idea what it is or how to safely banish it from your yard? Is one of your beloved and formerly thriving plants suddenly looking stressed and unhealthy, and you have no clue what’s wrong? Is your garden suddenly plagued by unfamiliar and […]

Look up the word “sage” in the dictionary, and the first definitions are typically those referring to a wise person or the culinary herb. But the word also applies to a group of ornamental plants well known and loved by gardeners around the world. Sage plants belong to the genus Salvia, a word not to be […]

Imagine for a moment what our valley looked like only two centuries ago. Before the mass settlement of California, grizzly bears, herds of tule elk and deer, and sky-darkening flocks of migratory birds were common in what we now call San Joaquin County. Northern Valley Yokuts and Miwok communities lived and thrived within the oak […]