91°F
weather icon Clear
Why parents should prioritize swim lessons for kids

Learning to swim isn’t just a childhood milestone — it’s a lifesaving skill, a confidence booster, and a path to lifelong health and joy.

THE LATEST
The sun sets on my days as RJ’s gardening columnist

Thanks to everyone who has supported my journey into journalism by reading my gardening column over the years and contributing questions.

When moving tree, remove some of its canopy

When moving any kind of tree from one location to another, I recommend removing about one-quarter to one-third of the tree’s canopy to compensate for the loss of roots.

Plants placed in 2 categories: Mesic and xeric

It is best to think of plants along a continuum (mesic vs. xeric) regarding whether they grow best in dry or wet soil or the type of mulch covering the surface of a landscape soil. So, instead, we group plants into these two categories for convenience.

Bird pecking can indicate fruit is ready to harvest

Plums and pluots improve in flavor when they are kept on the tree longer and harvested closer to their mature date. These fruits are normally harvested from the end of July to the first or second week of August in our climate.

MOST READ