A short one, at that. But once given the assignment of being the garden writer for the farm-oriented Country Life tabloid, which became California Life two years later, he took night classes in horticulture, attended garden club meetings, became a UC Master Gardener and learned something new from every single gardener he interviewed.
Gardeners are wonderful people.
Dick Tracy retired from the Bee in 1999. T he Garden Detective column is compiled with the help of master gardeners at the UC Cooperative Extension Service in Sacramento County. Send questions to The Garden Detective, California Life, P.O. Box 15779, Sacramento, CA 95852. Please include your name, address and a daytime telephone number. Let us hear from you.