Meetings

August 15 Meeting: Protecting California Citrus Against the Asian Citrus Psyllid and Huanglongbing

Huanglongbing (HLB) disease has been a threat to SoCal citrus trees for over 12 years. Starting with a single residential tree in Hacienda Heights that was grafted with infected budwood, the disease has now been confirmed in over 8,000 residential trees located in six counties: Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside , San Diego and most recently Ventura.

Jorge Garcia will be joining us to provide updates on the current state of this fatal plant disease and the pest that spreads it, the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP). His presentation will provide tips on how to identify the pest and disease, information on HLB quarantines in Southern California, and best practices on how to help prevent the spread of ACP and HLB to safeguard California's cherished citrus heritage. 

Jorge is an agricultural pest control supervisor for the California Department of Food & Agriculture’s (CDFA) Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Division (CPDPD). He has been working for the state of California for over 16 years and he currently oversees regulatory activities for the CPDPD in Los Angeles County. 

Consult these maps to see if your citrus trees are located within the quarantine zones:
CDFA's Citrus Quarantines map
UCANR's ACP/HLP Distribution map

This meeting can be attended in person and on Zoom.

Thursday 8/15, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Red Hill Lutheran Church
13200 Red Hill Ave, Tustin, CA 92780

Click here for a Google Map. We meet in the CLC Fellowship Hall.

Attendees are encouraged to bring fresh fruit from their garden and other snacks to share at the tasting table. 

Donations to the opportunity drawing are also appreciated.
 
Adult Asian Citrus Psyllid
David Hall, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Greening of Mandarin Oranges with HLB Disease
T.R. Gottwald and S.M. Garnsey, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Join the meeting on Zoom at 7:00 pm (PST) with the following link: 


Recent Past Meetings & Events

June 20 Meeting: Fruit Tree Pests: We Are Not Afraid

 Greg Alder of The Yard Posts will be joining us to share what he has learned about dealing with the various birds, mammals and insects that can be pests of fruit trees.

Although many critters compete with us for the fruit from our trees, we need not feel intimidated or overwhelmed. This is mostly because smart people have already figured out how to deal with most pests. Greg will share specific examples, techniques, products, and stories so hopefully we are all more confident in meeting our pest challenges. The main pests he will cover include gophers, squirrels, raccoons, possums, rats, birds, and various bugs.

Greg is a Master Gardener with the University of California Cooperative Extension, director for the California Avocado Society, and creator of The Yard Posts, a website aimed at helping gardeners in Southern California grow food at home. He started gardening twenty years ago when he lived in Lesotho, Africa. He currently lives in Ramona, San Diego County, where he provides his wife and three children with most of their fruits and vegetables – and all of their avocados.

Links:
The Yard Posts
California Avocado Society

Watch Fruit Tree Pests (We Are Not Afraid) on our YouTube channel.
   View Greg's terrific avocado presentation at our March 2021 meeting: Avocado FAQ with Greg Alder.