Articles about Gardening
Articles by Don Shor, published in the Davis Enterprise
Don's articles appear every month in The Davis Enterprise.
Feel free to print and copy articles from this web site; please acknowledge Redwood Barn Nursery on each copy!
Let's Plant Trees!
January 29 2021
2020 Garden Turkey Awards
November 25 2020
Looking ahead to fall gardening
October 11 2020
Heat wave gardening issues
August 19 2020
All about peppers
July 10 2020
Victory Gardens are back!
April 15 2020
Getting a little wild in the garden
March 09 2020
Choosing a fruit tree
January 31 2020
Croquet at Christmas
profile of a gardener
December 25 2019
As American as ... what kind of pie?
December 03 2019
Flowers that snap and make faces!
About snapdragons and pansies
October 29 2019
Evolution of the Modern Lawn
September 25 2019
Fuchsias, hummingbirds and more
August 14 2019
Of Gophers and Lavender
July 10 2019
Cool May, Hot June: Taking stock of weird weather
June 12 2019
Some Garden Myths
May 03 2019
The perils of phytophthora
and other diseases this spring
or, what's wrong with my lemon tree?
Apr 03 2019
Our urban forest is aging!
Feb 27 2019
The flowers of winter
Feb 06 2019
David Austin:
An Appreciation
Dec 31 2018
In Praise of Plant Breeders
Nov 28 2018
Cabbages and their cousins
Oct 23 2018
Garden Notes for Early Fall
Sept 26 2018
Cool Color Plants for Summer Shade
Aug 22 2018
Choosing a shade tree, continued
July 25 2018
Choosing a shade tree
July 4, 2018
Guest column:
Per Capita Davis: What can valley gardeners expect as climate changes?
June 6 2018
Spring Pests in Your Garden
May 22 2018
Success with Tomatoes!
April 25 2018
Top Tips for New Gardeners
March 30 2018
Planting for Impact: Color In the Landscape
February 27 2018
About grapefruits and other citrus
January 28, 2018
Pest notes to close out 2017
Written for the Davis Enterprise, December 29, 2017
A Thanksgiving paean to eccentric gardeners
Written for the Davis Enterprise, November 24, 2017
No fruit this season?
Written for the Davis Enterprise, October 29, 2017
What is the most fragrant flower?
Written for the Davis Enterprise, September 29, 2017
Honeydew, and holes in leaves: summer pests
Written for the Davis Enterprise, August 23, 2017
•Subtropicals: how hardy?
Written for the Davis Enterprise, July 28, 2017
•Success with raised planters
Written for the Davis Enterprise, June 26, 2017
•Growing Avocadoes in the Valley!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, May 24, 2017
•April Showers Bring Fungus
Written for the Davis Enterprise, April 30, 2017
•Strawberries!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, March 22, 2017
•Gardening with Nature!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, March 10, 2017
•Pollenizers Doesn't Buzz!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, January 25, 2017
•Fast Facts About Fruit Trees!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, December 28, 2016
•The edible plants of Thanksgiving!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, November 23, 2016
•Fall is the time to plant poppies!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, October 26, 2016
•April showers bring ... fungus!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, September 28, 2016
•Thirty-five years in the plant business!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, August 24, 2016
•When to plant for the best blooms!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, August 03, 2016
•River water means some changes in our gardens!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, June 29, 2016
•Tips for growing bountiful summer produce!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, May 25, 2016
•Tomato Time!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, April 27, 2016
•Ideas for Privacy: Hedges, Vines, Bamboo
Written for the Davis Enterprise, March 23, 2016
•Top 12 Easy Edibles
Written for the Davis Enterprise, February 24, 2016
•Top 12 Fruits for Flavor
Written for the Davis Enterprise, January 27, 2016
•Protecting Your Plants from Freeze
Written for the Davis Enterprise, December 10, 2015
•Australian Plants for Davis Gardens
Written for the Davis Enterprise, November 12, 2015
•From Brown to Green
Written for the Davis Enterprise, October 08, 2015
•Vines Revisited: the good, the bad, and the beautiful
Written for the Davis Enterprise, September 10, 2015
•Garden Pitfalls: My Top 10 Gardening Mistakes
Written for the Davis Enterprise, August 07, 2015
•The Mint Family: great garden plants
Written for the Davis Enterprise, July 09, 2015
•Watering Questions for Dry Times
Written for the Davis Enterprise, June 04, 2015
•Blooming Despite the Drought: a garden on 8th Street
Written for the Davis Enterprise, April 30, 2015
•Making the Change to Low Water Landscapes
Written for the Davis Enterprise, April 02, 2015
•Citrus in the news and in your garden!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, February 26, 2015
•Fruit Trees and Chilling Hours: Trouble Ahead?
Written for the Davis Enterprise, January 22, 2015
•December: Planning for Year-Around Flowers!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, December 18, 2014
•Growing Apples and Pears in the Sacramento Valley!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, November 20, 2014
•Welcome to Davis! Some garden tips for newcomers
Written for the Davis Enterprise, October 23, 2014
•Dealing with drought issues in the garden
Written for the Davis Enterprise, September 11, 2014
•Some Summer Insects: friend or foe?
Written for the Davis Enterprise, August 7, 2014
•Planting for Pollinators!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, June 19, 2014
•Tips for being smart with water
Written for the Davis Enterprise, May 08, 2014
•Back to Basics: Feeding Plants
Written for the Davis Enterprise, March 27, 2014
•Age Appropriate Gardening Activities for Kids!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, February 27, 2014
•Plan Now For Summer Bounty: the bareroot season begins!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, January 16, 2014
•Why don't more people plant oak trees?
Written for the Davis Enterprise, November 29, 2013
•Putting food by: a tribute to my parents
Written for the Davis Enterprise, October 10, 2013
•Getting Started with Native Plants!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, September 12, 2013
•Eleven August Lovelies!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, August 15, 2013
•How to water less often!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, July 11, 2013
•10 things you can do in your garden in June!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, June 06, 2013
•Tips for success in your summer garden!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, May 09, 2013
•Quirky Questions For Early Spring!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, April 07, 2013
•Garden activities in March
Written for the Davis Enterprise, March 07 2013
•Lilacs and Redbuds for Spring!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, January 31 2013
•Fruit Trees: Quick Answers to Common Questions!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, December 27, 2012
•12 Tips For Reducing Water Use!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, November 18, 2012
•Native Plants for Valley Gardens!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, November 01, 2012
•Gardening in Containers!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, September 27, 2012
•Garden Questions in Late Summer!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, August 30, 2012
•Low Water Lawn Ideas!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, July 26, 2012
•Garden Questions in Early Summer!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, June 28, 2012
•Ten Plants for Early Summer!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, May 31, 2012
•Summer Vegetables, continued!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, April 26, 2012
•Tomatoes: Time To Plant?
Written for the Davis Enterprise, March 29, 2012
•A Grab Bag of Topics: February Garden Questions
Written for the Davis Enterprise, February 23, 2012
•Easy Steps to Water Conservation, Part 3: trees
Written for the Davis Enterprise, January 26, 2012
•After the Frost: what to do? Plus: planting for winter color
Written for the Davis Enterprise, December 29, 2011
•Easy Steps to Water Conservation, Part 2: shrubs
Written for the Davis Enterprise, November 25, 2011
•Easy Steps to Water Conservation, Part 1!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, October 27, 2011
•Late Summer Questions!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, September 29, 2011
•A Zen Garden in Davis!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, August 25, 2011
•July Garden Questions!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, July 28, 2011
•Common Landscape Errors; or, It's Not The Plant's Fault!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, June 23, 2011
•Garden problems in a wet, cool spring!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, May 26, 2011
•Lavenders!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, April 28, 2011
•Easy Edibles!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, March 24, 2011
•What's That Tree?!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, February 23, 2011
•Stone fruits for the Valley!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, January 27, 2011
•Mandarins!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, December 23, 2010
•Frost warning? Freeze warning? A chilly Thanksgiving!!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, November 24, 2010
Don's articles from 2000 through October 2010 were edited by the multi-talented Derrick Bang. Derrick's film reviews can be found here.
•20 Easy Fragrant Plants You Can Grow!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, October 28, 2010
•A Garden in Wine Country: Plants for Beneficials!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, September 23, 2010
•Garden Problems in a Cool Summer!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, August 26, 2010
•Bamboo: Frequently Asked Questions!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, July 22, 2010
•It Isn't Easy Being an Aphid!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, June 24, 2010
•May Garden Questions!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, May 27, 2010
•Real Gardeners Grow Biennials!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, April 22, 2010
•Success With Early Tomatoes!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, March 25, 2010
•Spotted Wing Drosophila: a new pest of summer fruit!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, February 25, 2010
•Starting Summer Vegetable Seeds!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, January 28, 2010
•Making Lemonade from Frozen Lemons?
Written for the Davis Enterprise, December 31, 2009
•About the Arboretum All-Stars
Written for the Davis Enterprise, December 3, 2009
•Edible Ornamentals?
Written for the Davis Enterprise, October 22, 2009
•The Surprising Spread of Peppers
Written for the Davis Enterprise, September 24, 2009
•Bananas and Beyond: subtropicals in the Sacramento Valley
Written for the Davis Enterprise, August 27, 2009
•Cool gardens on a hot day
Written for the Davis Enterprise, July 23, 2009
•Favorite trees, updated
Written for the Davis Enterprise, June 25, 2009
•Pest update, and some favorite roses
Written for the Davis Enterprise, May 28, 2009
•New pests in the news?
Written for the Davis Enterprise, April 23, 2009
•California natives for your garden?
Written for the Davis Enterprise, March 26, 2009
•Heirlooms, or hybrids?
Written for the Davis Enterprise, February 26, 2009
•Naked Fruit Trees? The Bareroot Season!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, January 29, 2009
•Oh, Those Acid-loving Plants!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, December 24, 2008
•November Noshing!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, November 27, 2008
•A Garden of Fragrant Foliage!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, October 23, 2008
•Mythbusting In The Garden!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, September 25, 2008
•Bamboo My Father Planted
Written for the Davis Enterprise, August 28, 2008
•Succulents and Cactus
Written for the Davis Enterprise, July 24, 2008
• Food Gardening is Back!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, June 26, 2008
• Cardoons and other alien invaders!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, May 22, 2008
• Clematis and other vines!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, April 24, 2008
• Ten Tips for a Greener Garden!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, March 27, 2008
• The Arboretum in Winter!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, February 28, 2008
• Planting a Butterfly Garden!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, January 24, 2008
• Puckery Persimmons?
Written for the Davis Enterprise, December 27, 2007
• Low Water Landscaping!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, November 22, 2007
• Plant Spring Flowering Bulbs Now!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, October 25, 2007
• Early Autumn Flowers!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, September 27, 2007
• Growing Giant Vegetables!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, August 23, 2007
• Cotton, Gumbo, and Marshmallows: the Mallow Family!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, July 26, 2007
• Summer Planting in the Sacramento Valley!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, June 28, 2007
• Herbs for Kitchen & Pleasure!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, May 24, 2007
• Rose disorders!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, April 26, 2007
• Hottest summer? Disappearing bees? Media notes!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, March 22, 2007
• The 'Other' Roses!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, February 22, 2007
• After the Freeze--What to do?!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, January 25, 2007
•Woodman, Spare that Tree
Written for the Davis Enterprise, December 26, 2006
•Planting for Posterity
Written for the Davis Enterprise, November 23, 2006
• Sizing up the Summer Garden
Written for the Davis Enterprise, October 26, 2006
• Fragrance in the Garden!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, September 28, 2006
• Gardening in Containers!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, August 24, 2006
• Sunflowers!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, July 27, 2006
• Shades of Purple!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, June 22, 2006
• Plants for the shade!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, May 25, 2006
• Citrus--the lesser-known varieties!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, April 27, 2006
• Hedges and Screens!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, March 23, 2006
• Winter 2006--A Season of Contrasts!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, February 23, 2006
• Dormant Pruning: Keep It Simple!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, January 26, 2006
• The Stars of Winter!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, December 30, 2005
• The Plants of Thanksgiving!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, November 24, 2005
• Fall Questions: Ask the Nursery Guy!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, October 27, 2005
• Autumn Notes!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, September 22, 2005
• Cool Season Vegetables!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, August 25, 2005
• August Doldrums?!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, July 28, 2005
• Does it grow here? We get questions....
Written for the Davis Enterprise, June 23, 2005
• A Tomato Primer!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, May 26, 2005
• Seeds that are Easy To Grow!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, April 29, 2005
• Vines!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, March 24, 2005
• Growing Orchids!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, February 24, 2005
• Choosing Fruit Trees!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, January 27, 2005
• Winter Weather questions?
Written for the Davis Enterprise, December 23, 2004
• Thanksgiving: An Appreciation
Written for the Davis Enterprise, November 25, 2004
• Fall Bulbs for Spring Bloom!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, October28, 2004
• House Plants!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, September 23, 2004
• Choosing a Garden Path!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, August 26, 2004
• Water Slowly, Deeply, Infrequently!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, July 22, 2004
• Growing Berries!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, May 27, 2004
• April FAQ's--common questions in spring!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, April 22, 2004
• Great Garden Soil!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, March 25, 2004
• The Small Flowering Trees of Spring!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, February 26, 2004
• Rose Pruning Explained!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, January 22, 2004
• Winter Tapestries!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, December 24, 2003
• Zoned out? Our climate zones and regions!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, November 26, 2003
• Weather West of the Causeway!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, October 23, 2003
• Garden Myths and Opportunities!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, September 25, 2003
• Grow Your own Meadow! Using Ornamental Grasses
Written for the Davis Enterprise, July 24, 2003
• Ten Easy Perennials!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, June 26, 2003
• Spring Diseases!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, May 22, 2003
• Aphid Strategies!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, April 24, 2003
• If I Were Planting A Vegetable Garden!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, March 27, 2003
• Microclimates--using the niches in your yard!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, February 27, 2003
• What's New in '03?
Written for the Davis Enterprise, January 23. 2003
• December 26 is Boxing Day!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, December 26, 2002
• Trees--Some of our Favorite Evergreens!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, November 27, 2002
• Trees--Also-Rans and Bad Actors!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, October 24, 2002
• Some of Our Favorite Trees!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, September 26, 2002
• Gardening by Moonlight!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, August 22, 2002
• Extreme Heat!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, July 25, 2002
• A Touch of the Tropics!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, June 27, 2002
• Made for the Shade!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, May 23, 2002
• Gardening can be easy, really!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, April 18, 2002
• Water Woes--the Facts About Our Water
Written for the Davis Enterprise, March 21, 2002
• On the Verge of Spring?
Written for the Davis Enterprise, February 21, 2002
• Fruit Trees in the Landscape
Written for the Davis Enterprise, January 24, 2002
• Stop Tree Abuse! Staking and Training Trees!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, December 27, 2001
• Evergreens: framing the landscape
Written for the Davis Enterprise, November 21, 2001
• Choosing a Shade Tree!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, October 18, 2001
• October is a month of contrasts!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, September 20, 2001
• September means planning for winter fragrance!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, August 23, 2001
• August is a difficult month!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, July 26, 2001
• Summer Gardening in the Sacramento Valley!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, June 28, 2001
• Peppers--sweet or hot! Pick a Peck!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, May 31, 2001
• Everyone Loves Tomatoes!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, March 22, 2001
• Deciduous Flowering Shrubs--Sentimental Favorites!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, February 22, 2001
• Dormant Pruning of Fruit Trees and FAQs (frequently asked questions)
Written for the Davis Enterprise, 25 January 2001
• Holiday Plants Care and FAQs (frequently asked questions)
Written for the Davis Enterprise, 28 December 2000
• Frost Protection
Written for the Davis Enterprise, November 2000
• Perennials -- plants for color all year, and year after year!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, 25 May 2000
• Summer Vegetables in Davis and FAQs (frequently asked questions)
Written for the Davis Enterprise, 20 April 2000
• Gardening for Wildlife
Written for the Davis Enterprise, Spring 2000, and Duck Days--2/18/01
• Growing Bamboo in the Sacramento Valley
Written for the Davis Enterprise
•Summer Session: Watering 101
Written for the Davis Enterprise
•Frost vs. Freeze!
Written for the Davis Enterprise, December 1999
© 2011 Don Shor, Redwood Barn Nursery, Inc., 1607 Fifth Street, Davis, Ca 95616