Events
02 / 4
Start: 10:00 am
End: 11:00 am
Learn what can be planted now to mature before it’s time to plant summer vegetables. Tips for prepping wet soil, direct seeding and transplanting to get the most from a spring garden. After the workshop, Master Gardeners are on hand to answer questions and you're invited to stroll around the demo gardens (waterwise and edible). 02 / 4
Start: 10:00 am
End: 12:00 pm
Join certified beekeeper Alan Henninger, from the Santa Clara BeeKeepers Guild, and Master Gardener Nella Henninger for a talk on honey bees. Learn all about honey bees and bee keeping, the benefits of attracting bees to your garden, the types of trees and plants that attract bees, and how to protect this precious resource. Participants will also get to tour the new beehive in the Guadalupe Gardens! | ||
02 / 5
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02 / 6
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02 / 7
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02 / 8
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02 / 9
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02 / 10
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02 / 11
Start: 9:00 am
End: 11:00 am
A walk-in Plant Clinic will feature personal consultations with UC Master Gardeners on getting gardens ready for spring planting, coping with frost damage, and using compost. Other topics include soil types, plant nutrition, watering, organic sprays, cultivation practices, methods to attract beneficial insects, as well as questions concerning roses, tomatoes, and more. Bring your problem plants (or, as appropriate, leaves/branches/plant part that exhibits the problem, in a plastic bag). Leave time to wander the lovely Gamble Garden after the clinic. 02 / 11
Start: 11:00 am
End: 1:00 pm
Come join us for a free workshop to learn about pruning fruit trees, presented by Master Gardener Allen Buchinski. Learn about pruning different types of fruit trees, why, how and when to prune for both structure, shape and fruit production. Allen volunteers his skills at the Emma Prusch Park Farm's High Density Fruit Orchard where the trees are kept small and at a reduced height to make harvesting ladder-free! You can learn more at: http://mastergardeners.org/fruit-tree-pruning, which contains Allen's best tips and advice. | ||
02 / 12
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02 / 13
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02 / 14
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02 / 15
Start: 6:30 pm
End: 8:00 pm
Master Gardener David Giroux is an orchid expert who will discuss varieties of orchids as well as share tips on maintaining healthy, beautiful orchids in your home and garden. Bring your problem orchids to the talk for his diagnosis and advice. | ||
02 / 16
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02 / 17
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02 / 18
Start: 10:30 am
End: 12:30 pm
There's another way to deal with plentiful weeds: harvest and eat them! Deva Luna will teach you which weeds are edible, nutritious and safe to eat, share weed recipes and harvesting tips. You will cook and eat some during class! You can bring weeds with you to identify. She will also talk about organic weed control. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em! Deva is a horticulturist/educator who learned how to forage weeds from her grandmother and has been eating them ever since. She has a UC Davis degree in "Plants and Art" and lives in the foothills with 90 fruit and nut trees and 40 chickens. To register, sign up at the website Weed Appreciation Day or call 650-493-6072 02 / 18
Start: 1:00 pm
End: 3:00 pm
You can grow blueberries successfully in Sunnyvale with a little attention to the right cultivation and pruning practices. We will give you the basics to get started, and highlight what’s needed to keep your plants healthy and productive, including good pruning practices. Following the talk in the library, we will give a pruning demonstration in the nearby Master Gardener Teaching and Demonstration garden, weather permitting. | ||
02 / 19
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02 / 20
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02 / 21
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02 / 22
Start: 6:30 pm
End: 8:00 pm
Would you like to start your own vegetables and flowers from seed? Now is the time to start seeds for the next growing season! This talk will include a step by step guide on how to grow plants from seed. Everything from choosing the right container to hardening off and planting will be covered. | ||
02 / 23
Start: 10:00 am
End: 12:00 pm
Tune in to FM 91.5 for the monthly Old Time Farm and Garden Show on KKUP, FM 91.5, http://kkup.org (no internet streaming; we'll post a link to the MP3 afterwards on our Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/sccmastergardeners). 10-11 a.m.: We'll discuss the NorCal Trade Show http://www.norcaltradeshow.org and all the cool new toys for the farm and garden. 11 am-noon: Aaron Dillon from Fourwinds Growers http://www.fourwindsgrowers.com will join us to talk about Citrus and also about http://CaliforniaCitrusThreat.org, a website and program dedicated to Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention. Call-ins welcome: 408-260-2999 or 831-255-2999. 02 / 23
Start: 1:30 pm
End: 3:30 pm
Would you like to have a healthy, lush green lawn while using less water, fertilizers and herbicides? Or have you been thinking about replacing part of your lawn? The first part of this talk focuses on recommended practices for lawn care. You'll be able to go home and put into practice three easy tips that will save you water right away. The second part of the talk focuses on options for replacing part or all of your lawn. You might be surprised how easy it is to replace your lawn - you do not need to dig it all up. Replacements options include low-water grasses that can be mowed and that take foot traffic, a low-growing ground cover, or several ground covers of varying heights. A low-water landscape with trees, shrubs, and flowering plants of all sorts is yet another option, or how about a raised vegetable bed or a few fruit trees? This talk is suitable for people who tend their own lawns or have landscaping services. Handouts summarize lawn care tips and provide suggestions for plants that work well as lawn replacements. | ||
02 / 24
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02 / 25
Start: 10:00 am
End: 11:00 pm
Master Gardener Joan Cloutier will present information on early spring vegetables that can still be planted and harvested before your summer garden is in. Maximize your garden space and get more crops in a year! Planting, crop selection, growing, and harvesting tips will be discussed. 02 / 25
Start: 10:00 am
End: 12:00 pm
Frost threatens, the ground is still cold, and all the seedlings you bought or started are ready to plant, so what do you do? Come join the Santa Clara County Master Gardeners and learn how to make and use a cold frame. We will discuss alternatives and build a cold frame in class. A list of materials and plans will be provided. Our demonstration garden is located in the Guadalupe Community Garden, which is located between Coleman Avenue and HW 87 just South of the Mineta San Jose International Airport and HW 880. There is no street address, but you can use the corner of Walnut and Asbury, San Jose, CA to get directions or maps on the Internet. 02 / 25
Start: 10:00 am
End: 12:00 pm
Unfortunately Prusch Farm Park might need to cancel this class on Saturday. Please check back before going down on Saturday morning to make sure it is on. Master Gardener and mushroom afficianado and grower Jim Maley will cover identification, propagation, basic introduction and safety issues as well as cultivating mushrooms in your home garden. 02 / 25
Start: 11:00 am
End: 12:00 pm
Find out which potato varieties grow well, produce high yields, and excellent flavor in our climate. Master Gardener Bette Lloyd will show you how to plant and grow them as well as select the best varieties. A planting demonstration will take place at the Master Gardener South County Demonstration Garden next to the hospital after the presentation. 02 / 25
Start: 12:00 pm
End: 2:00 pm
Join Master Gardener Rebecca Schoenenberger as she teaches you how to save water, time and money without sacrificing beauty in your garden. Learn which California native plants will provide year-round color and thrive in your garden. Plant list will be distributed to all participants. We will also cover 'how-to' do the project. | ||
02 / 26
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02 / 27
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02 / 28
Start: 7:00 pm
End: 9:00 pm
Did you know that our Mediterranean climate is perfect for year-round gardens? Join Master Gardener Candace Simpson for a six-week series about sustainable vegetable gardening. Learn how to grow a successful, environmentally responsible food garden that produces delicious vegetables every month of the year. Topics include soil preparation, compost, mulching, and fertilizers; irrigation; working with seeds and seedlings; requirements of specific vegetables grown in different seasons; varieties that do well in our area; and how to identify and manage common pests, weeds, and diseases. The course meets in six two-hour sessions on Tuesdays, February 28 - April 3, 7-9 PM. Register online or call (408) 298-7657. 02 / 28
Start: 7:30 pm
End: 8:30 pm
Learn how to set up an easy-to-install drip irrigation system that attaches to an existing hose bib. UCCE Master Gardeners will demonstrate and discuss each part of the system. | ||
02 / 29
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03 / 1
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03 / 2
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03 / 3
Start: 10:00 am
End: 11:30 am
Thinking about growing some healthy, flavorful vegetables in your garden this year? Come hear Master Gardener Sue Zaslaw talk about preparing a garden bed, what vegetables to grow and when to grow them, how to start them from seed or choose them from a nursery, and how to minimize problems and maximize production. Special emphasis will be on how to start your plants from seed. Sue will share a variety of tools that make seed starting easy, along with catalogs to help you acquire your seeds and equipment. She will also share some of the planting and growing techniques she has developed over 40 years of vegetable gardening. For more info, contact info@mhcommunitygarden.org or 408-779-6123. 03 / 3
Start: 10:00 am
End: 11:00 am
Learn about the water needs of ornamental plants, vegetables, fruit trees and blueberries. You'll learn tips on installing and maintaining in-line drip emitter systems with hose-bib hook ups. This is an easy DIY project - you will come home confident you can set up drip irrigation in your own vegetable beds. Followed by hands-on demos and tour of our edible and waterwise demonstration gardens. 03 / 3
Start: 10:00 am
End: 1:00 pm
This talk covers the full gamut of tips from Master Gardener Deva Luna. Learn about appropriate plants and planting, irrigation, mulch and more. Classes are free but registration is required. Contct BAWSCA at 650-349-3000 or landscape@bawsca.org to register and for more information. 03 / 3
Start: 1:30 pm
End: 3:30 pm
Learn how to grow all the summer vegetables needed to make ratatouille. We’ll talk about growing tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and summer squash. Join Master Gardener Sue Zaslaw to learn how to provide your family with fresh, delicious, healthful homegrown vegetables. Several ratatouille recipes will be given to participants. All aspects of caring for the plants will be covered: planning your garden, preparing the soil, growing from seed, watering, fertilizing, best cultural practices, dealing with bugs and diseases, and harvesting. Two other major ingredients of ratatouille, onions and garlic, which are grown in the fall in our area, will be covered in a separate talk given in September. | ||
03 / 4
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03 / 5
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03 / 6
Start: 7:00 pm
End: 9:00 pm
Did you know that our Mediterranean climate is perfect for year-round gardens? Join Master Gardener Candace Simpson for a six-week series about sustainable vegetable gardening. Learn how to grow a successful, environmentally responsible food garden that produces delicious vegetables every month of the year. Topics include soil preparation, compost, mulching, and fertilizers; irrigation; working with seeds and seedlings; requirements of specific vegetables grown in different seasons; varieties that do well in our area; and how to identify and manage common pests, weeds, and diseases.
The course meets in six two-hour sessions. Tuesdays, March 6 - April 17, 7-9 PM. No class April 3. | ||
03 / 7
Start: 1:00 pm
End: 2:00 pm
Join Master Gardener Joan Cloutier as she takes you back to basics with Flowers 101. What’s the difference between an annual and a perennial? What flowers grow well in the shade, sun or a little of both? Should you start them from seed, or go with transplants? Which flowers are easy to grow in the bay area? Come learn all this and get lots of ideas for your summer flower garden too! 03 / 7
Start: 1:30 pm
End: 3:00 pm
Join Master Gardener Laura Westley as she teaches you how to grow your favorite summer vegetables, such as tomatoes, peppers, corn, beans, potatoes, melons, squash and eggplants. We will talk about how to start your plants from seed or transplants as well as how to control pests. You'll have all the information you need to get your summer vegetables growing! 03 / 7
Start: 6:30 pm
End: 7:30 pm
We're all familiar with growing traditional edibles - tomatoes in summer, greens in winter (and of course so much more, year-round) - but did you know many ornamental plants are also edible? Flowers, fruit, seeds and leaves are all candidates. Learn which part of the ornamental plants can grace your dinner table. 03 / 7
Start: 7:30 pm
End: 8:30 pm
Learn how to create your own garden plan using California native plants with experienced designer and landscaper, Master Gardener Deva Luna. | ||
03 / 8
Start: 7:00 pm
End: 9:00 pm
Join Master Gardener Gil Patrick at our monthly South County Roundtable for an in-depth presentation on rodent pests in the garden. His critter slides are fantastic! Gil was in the animal control business for many years and has many anecdotes to share. Topics include but are not limited to gophers, moles, voles, rats and squirrels. You will learn which animal is causing the damage and recommended solutions. | ||
03 / 9
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03 / 10
Start: 9:00 am
End: 11:00 am
Master Gardener David Peterson will discuss the unique California native plants suitable for Bay Area gardens. Bring joy back to your gardening by bringing these amazing low maintenance and low water California native plants into your garden plans. Topics include growth habits, water needs, soils, and integrating native plants with other plant types in the garden habitat. 03 / 10
Start: 9:00 am
End: 12:00 pm
Master Gardener Bader Kudsi will guide us through a hands-on workshop with grafting basics, including practical ways to increase the variety of specific fruits in your home orchard. 03 / 10
Start: 10:00 am
End: 12:00 pm
Grow healthy great tasting tomatoes! Find out which varieties are disease resistant, have best flavors and produce high yielding crops. We'll talk about how to prepare the soil, plant and stake. You'll learn recommended ways to water and how to deal with pests and diseases. Goal: a successful tomato harvest! And spice up your life by growing peppers in your home garden. We will cover how to start peppers from seed, how and when to transplant, how to keep them happy and healthy and how to harvest. We will cover what makes hot peppers hot and what to do with your harvest: drying, canning, freezing, making salsa and hot sauce. 03 / 10
Start: 10:00 am
End: 1:00 pm
Canopy, the City of Palo Alto and the Master Gardeners invite you to join us at the Canopy Arbor Day Festival on Saturday March 10th. Drop by the Master Gardeners' area for an informational table and tree based activities for kids (and adults!) Bring your gardening questions! Canopy will be hosting the California State Fair hit “Tree Circus," a collaboration between internationally recognized arborist, educator, and entertainer Tim Womick and local tree climbing enthusiast Chad Brey. The full list of activities:
It's open to individuals, families, groups, & businesses interested in planting and protecting local trees. If you love trees (and who doesn't?!) you don't want to miss this fun event ... where you can also learn a lot about the trees in our neighborhoods. 03 / 10
Start: 11:00 am
End: 1:00 pm
Join Master Gardener Laura Westley as she teaches you how to grow your favorite summer vegetables, such as tomatoes, peppers, corn, beans, potatoes, melons, squash and eggplants. We will talk about how to start your plants from seed or transplants as well as how to control pests. You'll have all the information you need to get your summer vegetables growing! 03 / 10
Start: 11:00 am
End: 1:00 pm
Master Gardeners take part in the Arbor Day festival in Mountain View with an information table and children's activities. The day's event includes * a ceremonial planting of an Arbor Day tree A great day! See you there. Bring your gardening questions. 03 / 10
Start: 1:00 pm
End: 3:00 pm
Whether you are just starting out vegetable gardening or a veteran of many summers, this interesting talk should provide tips and ideas for everyone for planning a summer vegetable garden. Master Gardener Glenn Lattig will cover the basics of gardening from a planning perspective: soil preparation, sourcing your plants, and plot orientation and design to provide you with a garden ready to yield its best. | ||
03 / 11
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03 / 12
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03 / 13
Start: 6:30 pm
End: 8:30 pm
Still working out how to grow “The Best Home-Grown Tomato,” or are you looking for that last 5% of tomato growing knowledge you don’t already have? Join us for a review of how to grow healthy, tasty tomatoes, when to harvest, how to extend the tomato season and ways to outsmart pests. We’ll share tomato growing experiences from our demo garden and our dream of delicious, disease resistant tomatoes. 03 / 13
Start: 7:00 pm
End: 8:30 pm
Tomatoes, squash, melons, beans ... The list of summertime flavors go on! While we are still weeks out from putting these summer annuals in the ground, it's the perfect time to start thinking about your summer garden. Join Master Gardeners Hillie Salo and Lisa Strand to learn what you should do now to create or prepare your own beds, including tips on irrigation and soil preparation. Then we'll take a look at varieties that grow particularly well here in our part of California, discuss the best time to plant, and provide an overview of what you'll need to do to ensure a healthy harvest. | ||
03 / 14
Start: 7:00 pm
End: 8:30 pm
What fertilizers do Santa Clara County home gardeners really need to use to grow healthy plants? Master Gardener Joan Cloutier will teach you how to nourish your plants in an earth-friendly, sustainable manner while saving yourself time and money. Learn how to tell when your plants need fertilizer, what affects the plants' ability to use fertilizer, types of fertilizer, and the differences between fertilizing potted plants vs. those grown in garden plots. Questions are welcome. | ||
03 / 15
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03 / 16
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03 / 17
Start: 9:30 am
End: 11:30 am
Would you like to have a healthy, lush green lawn while using less water, fertilizers and herbicides? Or have you been thinking about replacing part of your lawn? The first part of this talk focuses on recommended practices for lawn care. You'll be able to go home and put into practice three easy tips that will save you water right away. The second part of the talk focuses on options for replacing part or all of your lawn. You might be surprised how easy it is to replace your lawn - you do not need to dig it all up. Popular and low-maintenance replacements include low-water grasses that can be mowed and that take foot traffic, and one or more low-growing ground covers of varying heights. A low-water landscape with trees, shrubs, and flowering plants of all sorts is yet another option, or how about a raised vegetable bed or a few fruit trees? This talk is suitable for people who tend their own lawns or have landscaping services. Handouts summarize lawn care tips and provide suggestions for plants that work well as lawn replacements. 03 / 17
Start: 10:00 am
End: 12:00 pm
One of the benefits of living in the San Jose area is the opportunity to grow a wide variety of citrus trees. The first hour of this class will include a PowerPoint presentation on the basics of growing and cultivating citrus fruit and which varieties are most productive in our region. The second hour will be spent in the Prusch citrus orchards studying the various specimens. This class will be taught by Master Gardener and Rare Fruit Grower Nancy Garrison. 03 / 17
Start: 10:30 am
End: 12:30 pm
Learn which tomatoes have great flavor and reliable production and hold up under regular garden conditions. You will learn excellent 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 are the result of Nancy's 25 years of hands-on tomato research. Save time after class for Nancy's popular Common Ground Center tour covering her favorite products. To register, visit the website Growing Great Tomatoes or call 650-493-6072 03 / 17
Start: 11:00 am
End: 1:00 pm
Do you ever wonder why no matter how early you plant your tomatoes, they don't produce early fruit? And why do people bother seeding their own vegetables? Join the Friends of Guadalupe River Park and Master Gardener Susan Zaslaw for a fact-filled, fun workshop to kick your garden up a notch! You will go home with handouts: a list of the many kinds of summer vegetables you can grow and recommendations for varieties. You'll be inspired by the 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 learn tips for getting the best results from your transplants. You'll have the opportunity to plant a few seeds to take home and start this gardening season with extra ammunition for your most successful garden! | ||
03 / 18
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03 / 19
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03 / 20
Start: 7:00 pm
End: 9:00 pm
Did you know that our Mediterranean climate is perfect for year-round gardens? Join Master Gardener Karen Schaffer for a six-week series about sustainable vegetable gardening. Learn how to grow a successful, environmentally responsible food garden that produces delicious vegetables every month of the year. Topics include soil preparation, compost, mulching, and fertilizers; irrigation; working with seeds and seedlings; requirements of specific vegetables grown in different seasons; varieties that do well in our area; and how to identify and manage common pests, weeds, and diseases. The course meets in six two-hour sessions. Tuesdays, March 20 - April 24, 7-9 PM. Register online or call (408) 866-2105.
The Activity Number is 2761.301. Once you go to the registration page, you can search on this number (search field near the top, on the right). | ||
03 / 21
Start: 10:00 am
End: 7:00 pm
NOTE: closes at 6 p.m. on Sunday, March 25; closes at 7 p.m. on March 21-March 24. Twenty incredible display gardens, created by leading Bay Area designers, offer stunning inspiration and practical ideas to enliven your garden. Check out several fascinating, short 7 online videos at http://sfgardenshow.com/index.php/cool-stuff/flower-show-videos In addition: * Encounter fragrant flowers and creative floral arrangements by California Garden Clubs. * Enjoy all new cooking demonstrations from a parade of celebrity chefs, including Greens’ Annie Somerville and Martin Yan. * Shop all day for flowers, rare plants, orchids and items from over 200 green exhibitors. * Learn from the experts with five days of edible gardening, design and horticultural workshops—featuring “Yard Crashers”, Ahmad Hassan. * Cultivate your green thumb at the edible gardening displays and seminars. Hints galore and recipes provided for your harvest. * Smashing new Gala on Saturday, March 24, 7:30 pm -- a fun party and benefit for the San Francisco Botanical Garden. Applaud our winning garden creators – there will be an Award Ceremony at the Gala! ($65 ticket for Gala) * Meet ABC7 Newsman Dan Ashley Dan who will be on stage with his band Push. You haven’t lived until you’ve seen a serious newsman singing Jumpin’ Jack Flash! * Families can romp and play at the Kids Growing Strong exhibit, an interactive playground where kids learn how smart food choices help them grow strong and healthy. Stop by the Master Gardeners booth and say hi to the many Master Gardeners from both Santa Clara County and San Mateo/San Francisco Counties. Bring your questions, and find out about all the many Master Gardener events and talks going on all over the greater Bay Area. For more information about the show, seminar schedules, and ticket information visit the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show website: http://sfgardenshow.com 03 / 21
Start: 6:30 pm
End: 8:00 pm
Learn how to grow all the summer vegetables needed to make ratatouille. We’ll talk about growing tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and summer squash. Join Master Gardener Sue Zaslaw to learn how to provide your family with fresh, delicious, healthful homegrown vegetables. Several ratatouille recipes will be given to participants. All aspects of caring for the plants will be covered: planning your garden, preparing the soil, growing from seed, watering, fertilizing, best cultural practices, dealing with bugs and diseases, and harvesting. Two other major ingredients of ratatouille that are grown in fall, onions and garlic, will be covered in a separate talk given in fall. | ||
03 / 22
Start: 1:30 pm
End: 3:30 pm
Learn what can be planted in March to mature before it’s time to plant summer vegetables. You'll learn tips for prepping wet soil, direct seeding and transplanting to get the most from a spring garden. | ||
03 / 23
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03 / 24
Start: 9:00 am
End: 12:00 pm
You'll learn about the history, building codes and guidelines for using greywater. Master Gardener Deva Luna will present a tutorial about how to install your own Laundry-to-Landscape system. Find out what kinds of soaps to use, what plants you can irrigate easily, and where to buy materials. Deva Luna is a certified Greywater Installer. Classes are free but registration is required. Call BAWSCA at (650) 349-3000 or email landscape@bawsca.org for more information. 03 / 24
Start: 10:00 am
End: 12:00 pm
As spring approaches we watch our gardens coming lushly to life again, and think about ways to keep them thriving. Ann Northrup will address preventing problems through maintaining a healthy garden: biologically active soil, proper water, sun or shade, and proper cultivation. But if you already have an ailing plant, what then? Ann will cover diagnosis, early intervention, cultural controls, chemical vs. non-chemical treatments, and associated safety issues. 03 / 24
Start: 10:00 am
End: 12:00 pm
Join us to learn about soil preparation with compost and fertilizer, deciding to seed or transplant seedlings, using a cold frame, protection from insects and birds, crop rotation, companion planting, and choosing the proper plants for this season. Don't forget to plant for beneficial insects as well! 03 / 24
Start: 12:00 pm
End: 2:00 pm
Join Master Gardener Laura Monczynski to learn how to plan your summer vegetable garden, how to prepare the soil, how to start seeds indoors and when to plant. Handouts with a list of summer vegetable varieties will be available. These are recommended varieties that do well in our area - and that we love to eat! 03 / 24
Start: 3:00 pm
End: 4:30 pm
Master Gardener Laura Monczynski will teach you how to choose the vegetables and herbs that will give you the most pleasure in your summer garden. You will also learn how to prepare and care for your garden plot or containers and enjoy healthy food right out of your own yard all summer long and well into the fall. Don't miss this excellent opportunity to learn how to save money, eat well, and get a little fresh air and exercise. | ||
03 / 25
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03 / 26
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03 / 27
Start: 7:30 pm
End: 8:30 pm
We'll talk about some favorite summer vegetables - tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, beans, squash ... and also herbs like basil, dill, lemon verbena, marjoram ... and you don't want to forget flowers to attract pollinators and beneficial insects. Zinnias, sunflowers, cosmos, amaranth, rudbeckia ... What do these plants have in common? Not only are they perfect to grow in summer, but we are selling them at the Spring Garden Market on March 31. See the Spring Garden Market page for plant lists and also a schedule of the 50+ short educational talks held throughout the day. Tonight's talk will cover soil preparation with compost and fertilizers, direct seeding and transplanting, which varieties do well in our area and some of our favorites. Learn to extend the season by succession planting beans and other vegetables. We'll leave time at the end so everyone can join in and tell us about their favorite vegetables and varieties and any tidbit of experience they'd like to share! | ||
03 / 28
Start: 6:30 pm
End: 8:00 pm
Ever wonder why, even though you plant your tomatoes and peppers early, sometimes it seems to slow down the whole process? And why do people bother to seed their own vegetables? In this class you will learn how to seed, transplant, grow and harvest the many vegetables you can grow in the summers. Join us for a fact-filled talk covering not only the basics, but many tips learned during forty-five years of vegetable gardening. | ||
03 / 29
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03 / 30
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03 / 31
Start: 9:00 am
End: 2:00 pm
Join us at beautiful History San Jose for our premier plant sale, sustainable gardening showcase and fair (Directions | Parking Map) Loyal fans have been coming for years for the 75+ varieties of tomatoes and 100+ varieties of peppers, and now you can pick up beans, eggplant, collards, lettuce and other greens, Chinese broccoli, amaranthus and kohlrabi - and strawberries. But wait there's more! We've expanded our offerings to include herbs and flowers. Itching to start planning the garden? The descriptions of plants we sold in 2011 are tantalizing! The selections this year are mostly the same but we'll post soon the updated lists. One special new tomato: the hybrid purple tomato, Indigo Rose, bred for even higher levels of antioxidants. But this day-long gala fun event has expanded to include literally dozens of short talks on gardening topics of every description. Feed your mind as well as feeding your family with delicious vegetables - and learn to feed the soil. You'll love shopping at the booths of gardening supplies and clothes - and more plants!- not to mention raised beds, chicken coops, fertilizers, bee keeping equipment, gifts and so much more. The Master Gardeners sell our top ten favorite tools and books, determined by polling the 300+ certified Master Gardeners in Santa Clara County. Browse UC gardening references and pick up free pamplets and drop by the Green Elephant Sale - "From Our Garden Sheds to Yours!"(more ...) | ||
04 / 1
Start: 9:00 am
End: 1:00 pm
Drop by the Master Gardeners' table at the Los Gatos Farmers Market to ask questions, look at interesting specimens through the microscope, and get inspired to grow something green yourself! Fun and educational for kids and adults. | ||
04 / 2
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04 / 3
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04 / 4
Start: 6:30 pm
End: 7:30 pm
Mulches are materials placed over the soil surface to maintain moisture and improve soil conditions. Mulching is one of the most beneficial things a home owner can do for the plants and soil: It can reduce water loss from the soil, minimize weed competition, and improve soil structure. Properly applied, mulch can give landscapes a handsome, well-groomed appearance. We will have several types of mulches on hand to discuss, look at and compare the samples. Join Master Gardeners Rebecca Schoenenberger and Diana Bebbington to learn how to nurture your soil by mulching properly. | ||
04 / 5
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04 / 6
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04 / 7
Start: 10:00 am
End: 11:00 am
Gain a better understanding of soil needs in the ornamental and vegetable garden. Learn how to prep beds for bountiful crops year round and how to start composting at home. | ||
04 / 8
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04 / 9
Start: 6:30 pm
End: 8:30 pm
Did you know that our Mediterranean climate is perfect for year-round gardens? Join UCCE Master Gardeners for a six-week series about sustainable vegetable gardening. Learn how to grow a successful, environmentally responsible food garden that produces delicious vegetables every month of the year. Topics include soil preparation, compost, mulching, and fertilizers; irrigation; working with seeds and seedlings; requirements of specific vegetables grown in different seasons; varieties that do well in our area; and how to identify and manage common pests, weeds, and diseases. The course meets in six two-hour sessions, Mondays, April 9 - May 21, 6:30-8:30 PM. Register online at or call 408-522-2700. | ||
04 / 10
Start: 7:00 pm
End: 9:00 pm
Learn how to grow your own delicious, healthful fruits, vegetables and herbs. Master Gardener Markene Smith will share how to plan, plant, care for and harvest an urban or kitchen garden—then bring your bounty of fresh produce to the table—all year round, no matter where you live. This is a fun, satisfying family activity! | ||
04 / 11
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04 / 12
Start: 7:00 pm
End: 9:00 pm
Master Gardeners Deyana Leni, Ann Northrup and Lee Ann Ray will bring a microscope and hand lens to our South County Roundtable for our Spring Garden Detective brush-up. This is a special training for Master Gardeners but the public is warmly invited. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own hand lens and any specimens found in their garden in a sealed baggie for all to observe. Any powdery mildews, rust or damping off specimens to share? You get the picture! We want to see and discuss any diseases or pests plaguing you in your garden. The speakers will take us through how we diagnose who-done-it to our plants. These Master Gardeners are very experienced and lead our Hotline. If you can't make this talk but have a gardening question, don't hesitate to contact our Hotline: 408-282-3105 or http://mastergardeners.org/email.html | ||
04 / 13
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04 / 14
Start: 9:00 am
End: 11:00 am
Join the Master Gardeners for a walk-in plant clinic on seasonal gardening issues--bring your questions, and plants that have a pest or disease you would like identified (in plastic bags). Call our Hotline in Palo Alto, at 650-329-1356, ext. 205 on Fridays, 1-4 pm. We welcome drop-ins: 1431 Waverley St., Palo Alto, at Gamble Garden. You can also send questions, optionally with photo attached, via our webpage, http://mastergardeners.org/email 04 / 14
Start: 11:00 am
End: 1:00 pm
Gardening in containers lets us garden anywhere - balconies, patios, driveways and more. With containers, we can bring great tastes, textures, and smells closer to us, and keep gardening manageable by choosing plants and container sizes that meet our needs. Join Master Gardener Laura Westley as she teaches you the basics of container gardening: soil, water, fertilizer, container materials, container sizes, and common pests. Then you'll learn about a wide variety of plants that do particularly well in containers, with special emphasis on fragrant plants, plants that are fun to touch, and edible plants - herbs, fruits and vegetables, including ones that you can plant right now. | ||
04 / 15
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04 / 16
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04 / 17
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04 / 18
Start: 6:30 pm
End: 8:00 pm
Squash, cucumber and melon are easy, prolific summer vegetables you will love to grow. Join Master Gardener Janet Waagen to learn about varieties and tips on harvesting - including when to harvest squash blossoms. | ||
04 / 19
Start: 10:00 am
End: 1:00 pm
Join us at the Campus Center Quad for two events in one: the Eco-Fair and the MESA Science & Engineering Fair. The Eco-Fair is an event created by the student group, EcoLogic. One mission is to help save the burrowing owl. (See the Mission College Event webpage for information on the MESA challenge. Each member of the winning team for the MESA challenge will receive an iPad. ) Drop by the Master Gardener booth and say hi - bring your gardening questions. 04 / 19
Start: 11:00 am
End: 3:00 pm
The City of San Jose and San Jose State University invite you to celebrate Earth Day, an international event celebrated every year in April around the globe since its inauguration in 1970. It is a celebation of life, of nature, and our one and only planet earth. The Environmental Resource Center (ERC) of SJSU organizes the Earth Day event on campus each year. It is our hope that this event will educate students and the local community, bringing a greater awareness of the various environmental problems facing us -- issues such as biodiversity loss, water quality degradation, air pollution and global warming. Our celebration of Earth Day on campus includes approximately 30 local and international organizations, representing many facets of environmental issues, that provide information and awareness on the environmental issues that concern us locally in Silicon Valley and globally. See http://studentorgs.sjsu.edu/erc/earth_day.html for more information. Drop by the Master Gardener booth to say hi - bring your gardening questions! 04 / 19
Start: 2:30 pm
End: 4:00 pm
Get the scoop on how to maximize your harvest of this family of vegetables, including tips on how to plant, water, fertilize, harvest, and minimize pests and diseases. Free, but registration required. Call 650-289-5400 to register. | ||
04 / 20
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04 / 21
Start: 10:00 am
End: 12:00 pm
Master Gardener Jim Maley will give useful advice on selecting, cultivating, and harvesting both hot and sweet peppers that grow well in our area. There is a fee, and registration is required: call 408-794-6262 for more details, and to register. 04 / 21
Start: 10:00 am
End: 12:00 pm
Gardening in containers lets us garden anywhere - balconies, patios, driveways and more. With containers we can bring great tastes, textures and smells closer to us, and keep gardening manageable by choosing plants and container sizes that meet our needs. Join Master Gardener Lise Varner to learn the basics of container gardening: soil, water, fertilizer, container materials (clay, plastic, etc.), container sizes, and common pests. You'll learn about a wide variety of plants that do particularly well in containers, with special emphasis on fragrant plants, plants that are fun to touch, and edible plants - herbs, fruits and vegetables, including ones that you can plant right now! Space is limited, so reserve your spot early by signing up at http://www.grpg.org/AdultPrograms.shtml, or by contacting us at education@grpg.org or 408-298-7657. 04 / 21
Start: 10:00 am
End: 4:00 pm
Since 2003, the Bay Area's pioneering native garden tour has showcased gardens featuring California native plants. This community-based tour is free of charge to the public. Each tour features 40-70 gardens, most of them private home gardens, which are open on tour day in a do-it-yourself, open house format. The gardens on the tour demonstrate reduced water use, reduced chemical and pesticide use, improved habitat, and the unique aesthetic appeal of gardens designed with California native plants. Our website also provides resources to help Bay Area gardeners to “go native” in their own gardens. On tour day, sponsoring nurseries will conduct native plant sales at select gardens. Part of the proceeds benefit Going Native Garden Tour. The northwest portion of the tour (Sunnyvale to Hillsborough) takes place on Saturday, April 21, 2012, while the southeast portion (Cupertino, San Jose, etc.) is held on Sunday, April 22, 2012. The tour hours are 10AM to 4PM each day. Register at gngt.org. Before the day of the tour, you will be sent the full list of gardens, addresses and garden descriptions. 04 / 21
Start: 11:00 am
End: 1:00 pm
Join Master Gardener Laura Monczynski to learn how to plan your summer vegetable garden, how to prepare the soil, how to start seeds indoors and when to plant. Get ideas on which vegetables and varieties are best for this area. 04 / 21
Start: 11:00 am
End: 3:00 pm
This is the fourth year for this popular annual event in Cupertino, with information about going green at booths from local businesses and non-profits. Drop by the Master Gardener tables with your gardening questions! 100+ partners are teaming up with the City of Cupertino to provide delicious food, lively entertainment, hands-on activities and educational booths to engage adults and kids alike. Please join us to explore new and fun ways to protect our global and local environment. 04 / 21
Start: 1:00 pm
End: 3:00 pm
Knowing your garden’s microclimates and taking care of the soil are fundamental to successful gardening. Is this a cool year or a warm year? How will that change your gardening? What about irrigation and mulching? We’ll discuss these important topics to help you establish a good foundation for your garden. A tomato planting demonstration will follow the talk. | ||
04 / 22
Start: 11:00 am
End: 4:00 pm
Join Full Circle Farm, your friends and your neighbors for a fun day in the sun at the annual Earth Day Fair at Full Circle Farm in Sunnyvale. We're happy to join Full Circle Farm again this year with our Info table, children's activities and more. Drop by with your gardening questions or to say hi! This family-oriented free event runs from 11am to 4pm, and features great Kids Activities (Farm Animals, Wild Zone), Fair Contests, Demonstrations (Bees and Worms), and dozens of Earth-Friendly Organizations celebrating our natural world. There’ll be live music (Andy Z), local food vendors, and lots of just plain fun on the farm. | ||
04 / 23
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04 / 24
Start: 7:30 pm
End: 8:30 pm
One of the benefits of living in the our area is the opportunity to grow a wide variety of citrus trees. Join Master Gardeners for a presentation on the basics of growing and cultivating citrus fruit, and learn which varieties are most productive in our region. | ||
04 / 25
Start: 6:30 pm
End: 8:00 pm
Increase the number of plants in your garden at little or no expense! In this talk, Master Gardener Janet Waagen will acquaint you with various types of propagation techniques that you can use, including stem, leaf, and root cuttings, layering and plant division. | ||
04 / 26
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04 / 27
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04 / 28
Start: 9:00 am
End: 1:00 pm
The Second Annual District 4 Family Day at the Berryessa Farmers Market is a community celebration of healthy eating and healthy living. It features over forty family booths, special attractions, and activity booths for children. Visit the Resource Health Fair to learn more about emergency preparedness, recreational programs, and well-being and family safety. Free re-usable bags will be given away to the first 500 people. Drop by the Master Gardener booth to say--bring your gardening questions! Parking will be available across the street at Piedmont Hills High School. 04 / 28
Start: 10:00 am
End: 12:00 pm
Learn how to grow and propagate your own culinary herbs. Master Gardener Joan Cloutier will show you how herbs can be combined with your existing landscape, vegetable garden or container garden while attracting pollinators and beneficial insects. Herbs can add beauty and interest to a space while enhancing the flavor in all your culinary efforts! 04 / 28
Start: 10:00 am
End: 3:00 pm
Visit Guadalupe Gardens for the annual spring festival. The Master Gardeners will be selling many varieties of heirloom tomatoes, peppers, other summer vegetables, herbs and flowers. There will also be more than forty vendors selling plants, garden art, and more. Stroll through the Heritage Rose Garden in full bloom. The festival includes live bluegrass music, and healthy living information and activities.
Also - free compost, and compost bin sales (for San Jose residents). See the Spring in Guadalupe Gardens webpage for more details. 04 / 28
Start: 12:00 pm
End: 2:00 pm
Gardening in containers lets us garden anywhere - balconies, patios, driveways and more. With containers we can bring great tastes, textures and smells closer to us, and keep gardening manageable by choosing plants and container sizes that meet our needs. Join Master Gardener Lise Varner as she teaches you the basics of container gardening: soil, water, fertilizer, container materials (clay, plastic, etc.), container sizes, and common pests. Then you'll learn about a wide variety of plants that do particularly well in containers, with special emphasis on fragrant plants, plants that are fun to touch, and edible plants - herbs, fruits and vegetables, including ones that you can plant right now! | ||
04 / 29
Start: 10:00 am
End: 4:00 pm
Visit a new crop of Bay-Friendly Gardens on this self-guided tour. Over twenty public and private gardens will be featured in geographic clusters throughout San Jose and Palo Alto. Several of the garden clusters will be walkable and/or bikeable. This year’s host gardens represent the many different styles of Bay-Friendly. You will find urban homesteads with orchards, chickens and bees, greywater installations by local experts, and drought tolerant replacements for water thirsty lawns. The host gardeners themselves are a diverse group that includes permaculturists, native plant enthusiasts, do-it-yourselfers and professional landscapers. Registration is required; visit After you register, the tour organizers will send you the pamphlet with addresses and garden descriptions in the mail. The tour is also held in Alameda County on April 29, and in May: Sunday, April 29th – Alameda & Santa Clara Counties Find out more at http://bayfriendlycoalition.org/GardenTour.shtml. | ||
04 / 30
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05 / 1
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05 / 2
Start: 6:30 pm
End: 7:30 pm
Learn how to grow and propagate your own culinary herbs. Master Gardener Joan Cloutier will show you how herbs can be combined with your existing landscape, vegetable garden or container garden while attracting pollinators and beneficial insects. Herbs can add beauty and interest to a space while enhancing the flavor in all your culinary efforts! | ||
05 / 3
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05 / 4
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