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| Do you have a gardening question? The UC Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County can help. Our volunteers are part of the University of California’s Cooperative Extension program and we are trained to use research-based information to educate our fellow residents on sustainable gardening and landscaping practices specific to our area. Our monthly “Ask a Master Gardener” column will answer your questions and offer tips. Have a question? Email lifestyle@embarcaderopublishing.com. |
Why is fruit dropping from my trees?
Don’t be alarmed by dropped fruit in your garden! It’s a natural phenomenon that occurs when fruit trees shed excess young fruit due to limited carbohydrate resources — in simpler terms, too many fruits and not enough photosynthesis from the canopy. Excessive loss can be managed by hand thinning early and providing adequate water. Always collect and dispose of fallen fruit to prevent pest and disease issues. Remember, some fruit drop is actually helping your tree focus energy on producing fewer but superior fruits for your summer harvest. You can learn more about premature fruit drop here.
May garden tips
Learn how to identify garden insects, unfamiliar plants
While prepping your summer garden, you might spot an interesting insect (or plant) that you haven’t seen before. You can use apps such as Google Lens or Seek to help identify it. Compare their suggested identification with what you observe, such as size, habitat, or any specific details. Be aware that while these apps can be helpful, they aren’t always accurate. Distinguishing between very similar things can be challenging. If you need more help, reach out to online community forums such as bugguide.net for insects, Calflora for plants, or iNaturalist for a wide variety of subjects. Here’s more about technology apps for identifying plants.
Upcoming gardening events
UC Master Gardener gardening events are happening all over the county this month. Here are some of them, with more are listed on our events page.
Companion Planting: The Three Sisters Method – May 10, Cupertino
Easy to Grow Succulents! – May 10, Mountain View
Plant Clinic – May 13, online
Understanding How Herbicides Work – May 15, online
Martial Cottle Park California Native Plant Sale – May 17, San Jose
Vegetables You Can Start from Seeds Now – May 17, Sunnyvale
Don’t Squash that Bug! Recognizing Beneficial Insects in the Garden – May 18,
Palo Alto
Plant With Purpose: Grow Your Own Drink Ingredients! – May 21, Los Altos
Bloom now, prune later
Prune spring-blooming shrubs right after they finish flowering to encourage healthy growth and maximize blooms next year. These plants, like wisteria, lilacs, camellias and more, form flower buds in late summer and fall. If you prune too late, you risk cutting off next year’s flowers. In Santa Clara County’s warm climate, this timing also helps plants recover before summer heat. Use clean, sharp tools to remove dead or overgrown branches to improve airflow and plant shape. Timely pruning keeps your shrubs vibrant and full of blooms for seasons to come.
Start growing summer tomatoes
It seems like every summer garden has at least one tomato plant – and usually more! Here are some top tips for getting great results growing your tomatoes.
- Depending on your soil, tomatoes often do best with just a generous application of compost (and no other added nutrients) mixed well into the planting area, as much of our Santa Clara Valley floor is quite fertile. Excess nitrogen can lead to more foliage at the expense of fruit. Just planting into plain soil can produce plants that are 7–8′ tall and 3–4′ wide for some of the larger, more robust indeterminate types.
- Plant tomatoes in full sun, meaning at least 8 hours. Producing large fruits requires a lot of energy. How do plants obtain that energy? Through photosynthesis using sunlight. So, provide them with your sunniest spot.
- Wait until the soil and air temperatures are warm before planting; May 1 is a good guideline. Cold conditions can harm plants or make them susceptible to diseases.
- Provide support. Indeterminate tomatoes can reach over 6 feet. Bush or determinate types may require no support or just the lightweight 3-foot tall cages that are widely available.
- Irrigate approximately twice a week during the early part of the season, reducing water by up to 50% as the fruit begins to ripen to minimize cracking and subsequent rot, and to enhance flavor.
Watch out for ants
Have you seen lines of ants scurrying along tree trunks, plants, edging, or even in your house? They’re probably Argentine ants, the most common species in California. These pests are attracted to the sweet honeydew excrement that is produced by aphids, mealybugs and soft scale insects. They love this honeydew so much that they actually protect scales and aphids, increasing their population. What to do? Reduce their food source by managing honeydew-producing insects. Band tree trunks with sticky substances like Tanglefoot. Buy ant bait that comes pre-packaged as ant stakes or in small containers. Ants bring the bait back to their nests and feed it to others who die. Good luck!
Would you like to ask a UC Master Gardener about a plant problem? Submit questions to our Help Desk online.
Have a sick plant? Ask questions and get answers at our monthly Zoom Plant Clinic.You can also subscribe to our monthly Tips and Events newsletter. San Mateo residents can also find gardening advice on the UC Master Gardeners of San Mateo and San Francisco website.
