Author Archives: Kathy Ikeda

As I pondered a topic for this article, brilliant rays of sunlight penetrated the dark rain clouds, bathing my garden with a beautiful rosy glow. What perfect and timely inspiration. With respect to gardens, our sun is far more than a “mass of incandescent gas” (term borrowed from the song “Why Does the Sun Shine?”); [...]

An acquaintance recently told me about a favorite and once thriving shrub that was in serious decline.  The problem: over time, branches from a nearby tree had grown and spread so widely that they were shading out the sun-loving plant. The only viable options: severely prune back the mature tree and destroy its structure, or [...]

Have you ever wondered where to go for advice about landscaping or vegetable gardening? Does a pest problem have you stumped? Do you need guidance on how and when to prune your favorite specimen plant or fruit tree? Master Gardeners are here to help! The Master Gardener Program is administered by the University of California [...]

Winter is a thankfully slow and sleepy season in the garden. Fallen leaves have been cleared away, lawns need less mowing, and busy gardeners can take a breather from the never-ending maintenance chores of the warm growing season. Once the weather turns cool and cloudy, what better way to chase away the winter doldrums than [...]

                Fall is an excellent time to harvest and preserve seeds for planting next year. Warm season vegetable crops are winding down their production, and those overripe or dried out squash, melons, tomatoes, eggplants, and more are a fantastic source of seeds for a “repeat performance” next year. [...]

The fall planting season is here! September, October, and November are ideal months to add new water-thrifty plants to home landscapes. Plants native to central California and to parts of the world with a Mediterranean climate are ideally suited to the hot, arid summers and cool, wet winters we experience in San Joaquin County. Some [...]

In only a few short weeks, the prime fall planting season will be upon us, and now is the perfect time to plan. Whether you hope to begin a major re-landscaping project or merely want to add a plant or two to your garden, consider the words of the late Kenyan social and environmental activist [...]

With apologies to those who suffer from arachnophobia (the fear of spiders), this week’s article covers a member of the animal kingdom that isn’t usually thought of as beneficial. Spiders often get a bad rap. They’re portrayed as evil or deadly creatures in movies. Large, black bodies with eight spindly legs are commonly seen as [...]

Mulches have long been considered an important component of aesthetically pleasing and environmental friendly gardens. However, not all mulches are created equal. The best mulches (when properly applied) can conserve water, suppress weeds, regulate soil temperature, control erosion, and contribute to the health of both plants and soil. Conversely, inferior materials can be harmful and [...]

How many times have you wandered into your garden on a cool weekend morning, only to discover telltale slime trails, holes chewed in the leaves of just-planted ornamentals, or vegetable seedlings chewed to the ground? Or worse yet, walked unsuspectingly down a pathway only to smash a slimy slug or crunch a juicy snail beneath [...]