Most Bay Area residents enjoy the year-round temperate climate, but it’s gardening enthusiasts who reap some of the greatest benefits. In addition to having an exceptionally broad horticultural palette from which to draw, local gardeners have the advantage of an extended timeline in which to grow and harvest. Even when midwinter temperatures eventually put the freeze on the bulk of gardening activities, there are numerous ways for gardeners to stay productive. Here are some helpful tips for maintaining your garden during the winter season:

Keep harvesting winter-friendly crops. While most crops go into dormancy once the cold weather settles in, there are several that continue to produce. This includes root vegetables like carrots, Read more

Like most people, I have a tendency to assume the minutiae of details surrounding my life will continue to function smoothly, whether or not I acknowledge them. However, once in a while, an uncommon occurrence rouses me from my usual state of complacency. A recent instance followed the Napa Valley earthquake of August 24, 2014.

As a resident of Santa Rosa, I was on the outskirts of the quake’s radius and only mildly felt its effects. The next day, however, as I walked onto my back deck, I was immediately struck with an eerie sensation. “Do we always get shade at this time of day?” I thought, as I looked up at the towering California Redwood that stood in my backyard and saw the tip of its crown eclipsing the midday sun. Read more

Water conservation is always a priority in California, but it’s even more important during times of drought, which is why now is a great time for Bay Area residents to focus on minimizing their usage and waste. Here are some helpful tips from three Diamond Certified Expert Contributors on how to maximize water conservation in your home and on your property.

1. Go low-flow. According to Jamie Rogers, president of Rogers Remodel Inc., one of the simplest ways to conserve water in your home is to replace faucet aerators, shower heads and toilets with low-flow models. Read more

Many people think of trees as entities that operate independent of human involvement, but there are many cases where intervention can foster significant improvements, both in the interest of economics and general health. One such method of intervention is called “thinning.” While on the small scale this term refers to the selective removal of branches to improve a tree’s overall health, on a larger scale it denotes a selective removal of whole trees from certain areas of a landscape.

Thinning is most often applied in areas where overcrowding intensifies competition between neighboring trees. This strenuous competition can be detrimental to particular “underdog” stands of trees, especially where environmental factors such as drought, insect infestations or extreme temperature come into play. Read more

You’ve probably heard that honey bee colonies have been in decline for the past few years. This is bad news, and not just for the bees, since they’re the primary pollinators of many of our food crops. Still, as much as honey bees do for us, you probably don’t want a swarm of them setting up a colony in or near your home. If that happens, you may be able to get expert help from a local beekeeper, who can capture or “extract” the bees without harming them.

The Sonoma County Beekeepers’ Association (www.sonomabees.org) offers instructions for dealing with a honey bee swarm on your property. At the top of their list: Don’t spray the bees with anything, Read more

Being more efficient with your home water usage is often as simple as making a few modifications to your water-using appliances. Low-flow showerheads, faucets and toilets can save thousands of gallons and hundreds of dollars a year without sacrificing water pressure. Aerators can cut faucet water flow from three or four gallons per minute to as little as a half-gallon per minute.

Your plumbing contractor can also help you use your water more efficiently by suggesting ways to lessen your carbon footprint at a minimal cost. Ask your plumber to evaluate your whole plumbing system to see if there are any areas where water conservation could be improved. Read more

Trees take decades, sometimes centuries, to grow to maturity, and they must be cared for with more expertise than shrubbery and ground covers. A qualified arborist needs an in-depth knowledge of trees that a general landscaper usually doesn’t possess. Tree work also poses different safety and liability concerns, so arborists must carry more insurance and be better trained in how to safely work with and among trees.

Accreditation and certification are the most important things to look for in a tree care company. Are its arborists certified by the International Society of Arboriculture? Are they accredited by the Tree Care Industry Association? You should also ask how long the company has been in business. Read more