Biota Gardens

06/06/2020

The behavior could be an evolutionary adaptation that lets bees forage more easily

04/23/2020

This little bee-wasp lookalike is a Syrphid fly and a very good ally! She’s been visiting the Benning’s Green Tint squash plants in the greenhouse each morning, likely laying eggs that will hatch into aphid eating larvae. From UC IPM: “Larvae move along plant surfaces, lifting their heads to grope for prey, seizing them and sucking them dry and discarding the skins. A single syrphid larva can consume hundreds of aphids in a month.”
Nature is brutal and beautiful.

04/22/2020

Little cutie 😊. Baby Zephyr squash. This one thought the 1 qt. pot was just fine to start a squash family in...

04/21/2020

Nothing compares to a Brandywine tomato. The BEST tasting tomato! These are Sudduth Strain Brandywine plants, they do well here in the inland East Bay.

04/21/2020

Lots of tomato and pepper babies still available and looking for a garden to call home. If you’re in the SF East Bay and looking to fill your garden, here we are! Order online, pick up in Concord or Benicia. Link to website in bio.

04/16/2020

Yes!
It's hard for all of us who are accustomed to living by a calendar, and get spring fever, and who feel the pull of growing food. These are good things, yet nature cannot be forced.
Patience.

Welcome to our new series, “What’s Growing On, DVC?” Where we take a look at what our Horticulture & Plant Science students and staff are up to during the campus closure. In today’s “What’s Growing On”, Professor Bethallyn gives us some spring planting tips!

“Don't plant heat-loving plants (tomatoes/basil/squash etc!) until SOIL, not air temperatures, reach 65F at a three in. depth. Planting early in cold soils makes heat loving plants susceptible to disease as they cannot actively grow until the soil warms. In our cool spring soils, plant peas/mustard/lettuce/ beets/ carrots/ green onions.”

04/16/2020

A wonderful customer came to pick up plants and left beautiful gifts.
I love my community.

04/14/2020

The earwigs are brutal this year. I’ve never seen so many, and they LOVE tender seedlings, especially basils that are already struggling with our cold March/April. This was once a Napolitano Basil waiting for warmer weather.

Earwigs aren’t all bad, they eat aphids, mites, organic matter...but also love tender young growth, and the greenhouses are full of tender green goodness.

04/13/2020

Somewhere here in 20 square feet of my garden are my hand pruners with bright yellow grips. They’ve been MIA for 24 hours. I’d like to say this is the first time, but...

03/24/2020

Zucchini plants getting ready for April planting.
Online ordering now available for local pick up in April! See link in bio.