Alison Collin, an Inyo-Mono Master Gardener Volunteer, shared on April 13 a list of gardening tasks to help gardeners prepare for the growing season. Collin discussed practical approaches to common springtime issues such as fire blight, cutworms, fruit thinning, rhubarb flowering, and weed management.
These recommendations are intended to prevent small problems from becoming larger ones later in the year. The advice comes as part of ongoing efforts by University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) to promote sustainable practices that support resilient ecosystems and economic vitality, according to the official website.
Collin described how fire blight appeared early on her Bartlett pear tree: “The only effective control is to prune each infected stem well back into healthy growth, at least 12 inches below visible symptoms. Dispose of prunings immediately (do not compost), and sanitize pruning tools—ideally between each cut.” She also addressed other pests like cutworms damaging onions and tomatoes: “Cutworms can often be found at night using a flashlight…One notable experience: a tomato transplant was eaten just above the seed leaves, but it later re-sprouted and produced an excellent yield.”
Fruit thinning was recommended after natural selection left one fruit per twig on peach trees. Collin wrote: “Removing excess fruit improves the size and quality of those remaining.” For rhubarb plants, she advised removing flower spikes promptly so energy is directed toward edible parts.
Weed control was highlighted as another key task: “It is much easier to hoe weeds while they are small rather than digging them out later,” said Collin. She encouraged gardeners to keep tools handy for quick maintenance.
UC ANR supports these types of community education through public contributions that fund its programs according to the official website. The organization manages Cooperative Extension services as part of the University of California system according to the official website and operates nine research and extension centers across diverse ecosystems in California according to the official website. UC ANR conducts over 33,800 educational events annually with more than 18,400 volunteers involved in its initiatives according to the official website.
The broader impact of these efforts has led UC ANR’s work being recognized for connecting research directly with community needs according to the official website. As gardeners complete early-season tasks now, there may be more time available later in spring simply “to sit back and enjoy the garden,” Collin said.