These are resources recommended by Frederique Lavoipierre, Director of Education at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden to accompany my two Habitat Gardening articles - Part 1 (Beneficial Insects) and Part 2 (Butterflies, Bees, Flies and Favorite Plants) ‘Bee Basics – An Introduction to …
Habitat Gardening (Part 1) – Insects are Good!
I recently attended an all-day workshop on Habitat Gardening that covered our birds and butterflies and pollinators. It also focused on how to welcome beneficial insects to combat pests, therefore avoiding the use of pesticides. Led by Frederique Lavoipierre, Director of Education at the Santa …
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Tapping Beneficial Insects to Combat Pests (Including the Asian Citrus Psyllid)
Add plant diversity to your gardens. Also make sure you have flowering plants year-round. Those are key recommendations of ecologists for enlisting natural predators to combat pests in our garden and orchards. These tips can even help ward off pests such as the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), which …
My, What Rains Bring to the Desert in Spring – Anza Borrego
We've had 17 inches of rain in our inland Southern California city this rainy season. That's a lot for us. Our nearby deserts have received about half that. Along with pleasant temps, this translates into stunning wildflower and cactus flower displays which began in February. For locals, it's not …
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Pruning 101: Correct Palm Pruning
(Updated 10/19) There are major problems in the land of pruning, according to arborists certified by the internationally recognized organization, the International Society of Aboriculture (ISA). Many tree pruners remove excessive live parts only to be doing paid work, says San Bernardino …
Salton Sea Tour highlights… burrowing owls, sandhill cranes, shorebirds aplenty
Last weekend my husband and I did a Salton Sea tour through the Living Desert Museum in Palm Desert, led by College of the Desert professor Kurt Leuschner. For those who don't know Kurt, he is a birding, wildlife and ecologist extraordinaire. We saw so many birds, and learned so much --including …