Pequin chile has a smokiness to it that’s quite tasty, mixed with levels of heat and fruitiness. These chilies tend to find their way into more dishes and products than you may expect! When young (green in color) they are sold fresh and used quite often in fresh salsas. As they ripen (turning red and then brown), the pequin is …

We used to have a pool in the backyard of our Bahl Patio home. In fact, the pool was the yard. There was about 2 feet of concrete and coping between the pool and the walls. We decided to fill in the pool. For cost reasons, we did not remove the coping Get the permits clear the side yard Drain …

Use these warm and cool season vegetable charts at www.mastergarderners.org to decide when to plant your vegetables in Santa Clara County for best results, whether you are seeding into pots, transplanting as seedlings from pots into the ground, or seeding directly into the ground. Y stands for Yes, should work. N stands for No, not recommended. P stands for Possible, …

The Oro Blanco grapefruit are really large this year.

Pesto is so versatile, you’ll never run out of ways to enjoy it. Toss spoonfuls of this no-cook sauce with hot pasta or steamed vegetables, use it as a spread on sandwiches and wraps, or serve as a dip with raw veggies or pita chips. You can easily adapt pesto to your budget by substituting sale-priced nuts, herbs/greens and cheese, …

The Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County hold the annual Tomato and Pepper Sale in April

Though not a true Bamboo, Nandina is equally important to Asian-inspired landscapes with its tall, thin growth of lacy green leaves on upright cane-like stems that turn red in autumn and creamy flowers followed by clusters of red berries. It makes a perfect accent in foliage-heavy gardens. Perfect plant for very narrow places, tight entries or beside gateways. Indispensable for courtyards, …

Woolly apple aphids infest roots, trunks, limbs, shoots, and occasionally fruit of apple trees. The bodies of these bark-feeding aphids are completely covered by masses of white, wool-like, waxy materials. This aphid is found in colonies on the aerial portions of the tree and on roots during winter. The nymphs migrate up or down the trunk of infested trees during …

Variegated Hebe. A compact evergreen shrub with spikes of purple flowers in early summer. Attractive variegated grey green leaves with creamy margins. Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. Ideal as a low hedge or container plant. Evergreen.

In 2005 our neighbor planted a ginkgo biloba tree in the narrow strip between our driveways. During most of the year the tree is easily overlooked by trees that put on more of a show in springtime. But during the last weeks of November, all the leaves turn yellow and then fall off  like dropping the mic.