Events

February is a great time to start seeds indoors, and prepare your vegetable beds for direct seeding.   What are the advantages of each method of starting vegetables?  Learn all about seed starting and direct seeding and everything else you need to know to get started on your 2009 spring vegetable garden!

Location:

Palo Alto Demonstration Garden, 851 Center Dr., Palo Alto, 94301

Directions to Palo Alto Demonstration Garden

Master Gardener Sue Bell will share her expert knowledge on pruning and maintaining a beautiful landscape at home. Sue is a garden consultant and designer and is a veritable fount of information. Come learn how to avoid the "uglies" and "gee, it will grow back again, won't ir?" problems with pruning your ornamentals.

Space is limited. Phone the MetroEd/Erikson office at (408) 723-6450 during regular business hours to sign up, or email RitaB@metroed.net.

Location:

MetroEd Erikson Adult Ed Center, 4849 Pearl Ave., San Jose, 95136 (Room to be announced)

Directions to Erikson/MetroEd Adult Education Center

Mid-February is a great time to start seeds for your spring vegetable garden!  Master Gardener Bekah Stratton will explain how to start seeds indoors; sow seeds directly in soil; and proper planting methods.  Organic vegetable gardening will be the main topic.  Other topics include: beneficial flowers such as marigolds and gourmet edible flowers such as nasturtiums. A sampling of seeds and seed starting mediums will be part of a hands-on demonstration.  Bekah will provide data downloads to those who bring USB drives. 

Free.  No registration required.

See the March 15 listing for the follow-on talk about Starting Your Spring Vegetable Garden.  

Location:

Gamble Garden, 1431 Waverly St., Palo Alto, 94301

Directions to Gamble Garden

Learn which varieties of peaches, nectarines, plums, pluots, apricots, apples and pears are the delight of connoisseurs.  Master Gardener Nancy Garrison will introduce you to the best of the best-tasting deciduous fruits that grow in this area and you'll learn where to find sources for the plants.

To register, call 650-493-6072

Location: Common Ground, 559 College Ave., Palo Alto, 94306 Directions to Common Ground

Learn from Santa Clara County Master Gardeners how you can grow orchids successfully.  If you already grow orchids, bring your own orchid to the talk and find out what you can do to make it grow better.  Growing orchids is easier than you think and very rewarding.  Come to this talk to be inspired!

Location:

West Valley Library, 1243 San Tomas Aquino Rd., San Jose, 95117

Directions to West Valley Library

Ever wonder why, even though you plant your tomatoes, early, sometimes it just seems to slow down the whole process?  And why would people even bother seeding their own vegetables?  Join the Friends of Guadalupe River Park & Gardens and Master Gardener Susan Zaslaw for a fact-filled, fun workshop to kick your garden up a notch!  You will go home with handouts of lists of warm season veggies, recommendations for specific varieties and be inspired by a wide range of variety choices.   Even if you don't want to start your own seeds - you'll learn how to select the hardiest plants from the nursery and tips for getting the best results from your transplants.  Plant a few seeds to take home and start this gardening season with extra ammunition for your most successful garden ever!

Reservations are required and space is limited.  Reserve your spot early by contacting education@grpg.org or 408-298-7657.

Location: Visitor & Education Center, Guadalupe River Park & Gardens, 438 Coleman Ave., San Jose, 95110 Directions to Visitor Center, Guadalupe River Park and Garden

Most gardening problems are related to incorrect watering - either over-watering or under-watering.  Irrigation systems can seem mysterious and hard to control.  Come learn all about watering and irrigation so that this aspect of gardening is no longer mysterious.  All types of watering will be discussed: hand-watering, sprinklers, automatic sprinklers and sprays, soaker hoses and drip irrigation.  You'll have an opportunity to put together drip irrigation components to learn how easy it can be. 

Location: 13 S. San Antonio Road, Los Altos, 94022 Directions to Los Altos Library

Learn how to set up an easy-to-install drip irrigation system that attaches to an existing hose bib.  Master Gardener Bob Weissman will demonstrate and discuss each part of the system. 

Followed by Open Garden and tour of the gardens with Master Gardeners, from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Location: Palo Alto Demonstration Garden, 851 Center St., Palo Alto, 94301 Directions to Palo Alto Demonstration Garden

Mid-March is a great time to start planting vegetables in the soil!
Master Gardener Bekah Stratton will discuss: recommended spring/summer vegetables; companion
planting; raised beds; garden design; crop rotation; French Intensive
method; planting edibles in flower beds; amendments and improvements
for your soil; correct watering; plant protection, pests and diseases;
and tending to the health of your garden.

Free. No registration required.

Location: Gamble Garden, 1431 Waverly St., Palo Alto, 94301 Directions to Gamble Garden

Join us for a practical and informative talk on growing and caring for roses in your own home garden.  Master Gardener Sharon McCray will teach the novice and experienced gardener about rose culture, how to plant, prune, prevent diseases, feed and care for them for many years of gorgeous blooms.

To sign up for the workshop, phone the Erikson office during regular business hours at 408-723-6450 or email Ritab@metroed.net.

Location:

Erikson Adult Ed Center, 4849 Pearl Ave., San Jose, 95136

Directions to Erikson/MetroEd Adult Education Center

This talk by Master Gardener Jim Maley will cover the wonderful marriage of tomatoes, chile peppers and herbs to create delicious salsa.  Information will be provided on the historical introduction of tomatoes and chiles from the indigenous peoples of the new world to the gardens and kitchens of Europe and Asia.  Proven garden methods for growing your own salsa ingredients will be discussed as well as recipes and special techniques such as drying and smoking chiles and tomatoes.

Location:

West Valley Branch, San Jose Library,1243 San Tomas Aquino Rd., San Jose,95117

Directions to West Valley Library

Learn from Master Gardeners about the components of low-pressure drip irrigation systms you can easily assemble for your vegetable OR ornamental garden - including low-water ornamental gardens. 

Followed by Grand Rounds in the garden - tour the garden with Master Gardeners and bring your questions!

Location: Sunnyvale Teaching and Demonstration Garden, Charles Street Community Garden; near Charles Ave. & Olive Ave., Sunnyvale, 94086 Directions to Sunnyvale Teaching and Demonstration Garden

Drought is a reality - are you interested in learning about lawn substitutes?  Low-water plants from the Mediterranean area, South Africa, Australia as well as our own native California plants are all great alternatives.  Learn how to start moving from a lawn to a more sustainable - and beautiful - landscape. 

Location: Los Altos Library, 13 S. San Antonio Road, Los Altos, 94022 Directions to the Los Altos Library

 

Craig Kolodge and Master Gardeners Jim Maley and Bader Kudsi will interview Jeanette Schrieber on the subject of medicinal herbs and acupuncture.

 Call 408-260-2999 with your questions or comments or drop by the KKUP studios, 1241 Franklin Mall in Santa Clara, ringed by Jackson, Monroe, Homestead and Benton Streets.

Location:

408-260-2999, KKUP Studios, 1241 Franklin Mall in Santa Clara, ringed by Jackson, Monroe, Homestead and Benton Streets.

Directions to KKUP Studios

Learn which tomatoes have really great flavor and reliable production and are able to hold up under regular garden conditions. You will learn Nancy's favorite trellising methods, soil preparation, what NOT to do and how to avoid the brown crispy foliage blues so a bountiful harvest will be yours until frost. Tomatoes featured will be the result of her 25 years of hands-on tomato research.

To register, call 650-493-6072.

Location: Common Ground, 559 College Ave., Palo Alto, 94306 Directions to Common Ground

Mark your calendars! Our 2009 Spring Garden Market
will be held on April 4th at History San Jose. Same great place as last year and an even
wider selection of tomatoes and chiles for sale along with much much
more.

Each year in April the Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County hold the
Spring Garden Market in San Jose. The market is more than a plant sale - it features
dozens of vendor booths, our own Green Elephant Sale and seminars on
popular gardening topics. For many people who come year after year,
however, the 70+ varieties of tomatoes and 90+ varieties of chile
peppers, along with other vegetables and flowers ready for
transplanting, are what draw them in.

Rain or shine! Free Admission!

Location:

History San Jose, 1650 Senter Road, San Jose,95112

History Park is located at the south side of Kelley Park at the corner of Senter Road and Phelan Avenue.

Directions to History San Jose

Looking for even more information on growing veggies? We'll cover topics like the onion and garlic family, perennial vegetables such as asparagus and artichokes, and much more. The instructors are University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners Karen Schaffer and Ann Ranish.

The class meets once a week on four consecutive Tuesdays: April 7, 14, 21 and 28.

Registration is now open. To register, visit the Campbell Community Center Adult Education website, http://www.ci.campbell.ca.us/Recreation/adultclasses/index.htm, or call 408-866-2104. The class number is 2761301.

Location: Room Q-84 (near the swimming pool), Campbell Community Center, 1 W. Campbell Ave., Campbell, 95008 Directions to Campbell Community Center

We live in one of the best places in the world to create a year-round garden, whether you want to grow vegetables or a beautiful sustainable garden full of trees, shrubs, perennials and flowers.  Come learn the basics about our climate and soil and the best practices for creating your ideal garden.  If you are a beginning gardener you will learn how to get started successfully.  If you hae some experience you'll learn about sustainable practices and appropriate plants to introduce into your garden.  The goal of this class is to enable you to have a successful and sustainable garden in our time and place.  Instructors are Master Gardeners, volunteers with the University of California Cooperative Extension, who are dedicated to providing research-based gardening information to home gardeners.

The course is held on six Wednesday evenings, April 8 - May 20; note that there is no class on April 15. 

The course code is 227272 and the cost is $69.

Registration opens in March.  To register, call 408-522-2700 or visit their website http://ace.fuhsd.org.

Location:

Sunnyvale Adult and Community Education Center, 591 West Fremont Avenue, Sunnyvale, 94087

Directions to Sunnyvale Adult and Community Education Center

Want to grow your own blueberries and strawberries?  Now is the time to learn about soil preparation, the best varieties for our climate, protecting, harvesting and preserving these delicious fruits.  Master Gardener Lee Ann Ray will discuss the basics for being a successful berry grower.

Location:

13650 Saratoga Avenue, Saratoga, 95070

Directions to Saratoga Library