Gardening and sustainability resources:
- California Garden Web
- Pest Management
- Plant and Tree Selection and Care
- Gardening Videos
- Vegetables, Herbs, and Fruit
- Soil, Compost, and Mulch
- Lawn Care
- Protect our Local Pollinators
- Sustainable Gardening
- More Gardening Articles
The UC Master Gardener California Garden Web extends the University of California's vast collection of research-based information about gardening to the public. The California Garden Web offers information on:
Solve your pest problems with UC's best science. The UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management website includes:
Natural Environment Pests — Insects, diseases, and invasive weeds that threaten California's natural environments
Natural Enemies Gallery — Organisms that kill, decrease the reproductive potential of, or otherwise reduce the numbers of another organism and are key components to an integrated pest management program.
"Selected Plant and Soil Laboratories in Northern and Central California": (PDF 2018 - CE Sonoma County)
UC Davis Arboretum All-Stars Plant Search - Find the right plant for your garden
PlantNative - Native plants lists, how to create a native plant garden, nursery finder
Pruning roses (PDF) UC Master Gardeners of Tulare & Kings Counties
Find An Aborist - International Society of Arboriculture
See all videos on our YouTube Video Channel.
How and Why to
Mulch Your Garden
Year-round Vegetable Planting Schedules for SM and SF Counties
Master Gardener, Carol O'Donnell, has prepared several charts for the specific weather conditions that exist on the Peninsula -- Hot, Sunny, and Foggy. She has also prepared a schedule for a 200 square foot planting bed showing how to most efficiently use the space for a year-round veggie garden
UC Vegetable Center - resources for growing a variety of vegetable crops in your home garden
UC California Backyard Orchard - a wealth of information about growing and harvesting fruits and nuts
UC Fruit and Nut Research Center - current research info on various crops
Culinary Herb Profiles (PDF)
Landscaping with Herbs (PDF)
You can compost all that is grow in the garden and much of the food waste from in your kitchens. By doing this, you will nourish and replenish the nutrients and life in the soil and keep plants healthy.
Backyard Composting (SM County RecycleWorks)
Worm Composting (SM County RecycleWorks)
Grasscycling (SM County RecycleWorks)
Build your own compost bin or worm bin - StopWaste.org
Improving Garden Soils with Organic Matter - Oregon State University Extension Service (PDF)
Compost, mulch and amendments help replenish soil and amendments - Marin County Master Gardeners
Sheet Mulching - StopWaste.org (PDF)
Time to pump up your soil for plants - Joan Tharp (The Daily Journal)
Soil Testing Labs:
Soil & Plant Lab, Santa Clara / 408-727-0330
Perry Lab, Watsonville / 831-722-7606
Peaceful Valley Farm Supply / Grass Valley 888-784-1722
Soil Control lab (also does heavy metals testing) Watsonville / 831-724-5422
UC Guide to Healthy Lawns - How to select and care for turf
Natural Lawn Care (Bay-Friendly Gardening)
Lawn Care Without Pesticides (Cornell University)
Waterwise Lawn Alternatives - Photo Gallery (PDF)
Choose plants that are in tune with the natural rhythms of our area, providing food and homes for beneficial insects, migratory and native birds, bats, reptiles, and amphibians.
The Ten Most Wanted Bugs (PDF)
UC Berkeley Urban Bee Lab - Tips on gardening for bees and other pollinators, with links to plant lists for attracting bees.
Farming for Pest Management (PDF) - Even if you don't have a farm, scroll to page 2 for an excellent graphic showing all the ways you can help beneficial insects in any landscape.
Garden For Wildlife - Find out how to certify your backyard or schoolyard as a wildlife garden.
California Native Insect Pollinators - An introduction to gardening for pollinators, with photos, from a native-plant nursery. Other links focus on bees, and photos of all the plants are available as well.
California Native Plant Society (CNPS) Guide to Habitat Gardening — Convert traditional landscape plans in privately owned yards or public spaces to those that attract and support native birds, bees, butterflies, and other wildlife.
Suggested Book List
California Bees & Blooms: A Guide for Gardeners and Naturalists, by Gordon W. Frankie et al. (Heyday, 2014, 296p.).
Excellent handbook by the same people responsible for the UC Berkeley Urban Bee Lab. Engaging and authoritative, it can help you choose plants to attract specific species of bees, or to identify which bees are in your garden.
The California Wildlife Habitat Garden: How to Attract Bees, Butterflies, Birds, and Other Animals, by Nancy Bauer (UC Press, 2012, 232p.).
Offers guidelines for habitat gardening and profiles many habitat gardens and gardeners, with photos.
Attracting Native Pollinators: The Xerces Society Guide to Conserving North American Bees and Butterflies and Their Habitat, by The Xerxes Society ((Storey Publishing, 2011, 384p.).
Focuses on bees and butterflies but includes other pollinators.
Farming with Native Beneficial Insects: Ecological Pest Control Solutions, by The Xerces Society (Storey Publishing, 2014, 272p.).
Shows you how to create a garden (or farm) habitat that will attract beneficial insects and thereby reduce crop damage from pests without the use of pesticides.
Don’t Plant a Pest - Alternatives to invasive garden plants
Plant Right - Promoting non-invasive plants for California
Identify Your Weeds - (UC IPM)
Pesticides and Urban Water Quality (UC IPM)
Local Agencies Supporting Sustainability:
BAWSCA: Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency - includes rebates for saving water and water-wise gardening classes
Bay Friendly Landscaping & Gardening Alameda County Waste Management Authority
Enjoy these previously published articles from SM & SF Master Gardeners
Introduction about our gardening area
Preserving Your Garden
Cleaning up for winter
Planning for spring PDF
Micro-greens with with Fred Bové
Perennials: Edible & Dividing with Lisa Erdos and Fred Bové