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Are you a San Mateo or San Francisco County resident with an interest in science-based horticulture and sustainable gardening practices, and a desire to share your knowledge and skill with the public as a volunteer in your community?

Become a Master Gardener Volunteer

A New Perspective on Slugs

Photo by Jack Kelly Clark
Photo by Jack Kelly Clark
Gardening enthusiasts are well acquainted with the havoc that slugs can wreak on their cherished plants. However, a noteworthy shift in perspective comes from The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), the foremost garden charity in Britain, which no longer classifies these creatures as pests. Instead, the RHS highlights the crucial role that slugs play in fostering a diverse and healthy ecosystem. Click here to learn more.

It’s Rose Pruning Time

Photo by Janet Gilmore
Photo by Janet Gilmore
January and February are the ideal months for pruning roses, before new growth emerges. Using clean and sharp pruners, remove dead, damaged, diseased and crossing canes, and canes thinner than a pencil. Make clean cuts slightly above a bud that points toward the outside of the plant. The amount of pruning needed will depend on the type of rose. For more on rose pruning, see these videos and these tips.

Planting Bare Root Fruit and Nut Trees

https://homeorchard.ucanr.edu/Fruits_&_Nuts/Plum_and_Prune/
https://homeorchard.ucanr.edu/Fruits_&_Nuts/Plum_and_Prune/
Winter is a good time to plant bare-root fruit and nut trees. This allows their roots and shoots to develop when the weather is cool. When selecting a tree for your garden, you’ll need to consider both your climate zone (A, B, C) and microclimate conditions (wind, fog, elevation) along with the chill hours required for fruit production. See this article ( Selecting fruit nut berry tree for SM-SF counties ) for details.

 

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Publications
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    Perfect Pots: Growing Things on a Smaller Scale

    Gardening in containers is great for so many reasons, not the least of which is that almost everyone can have the opportunity to grow something, including food! From the tiniest windowsill to the most expansive acreage, plants in pots can...

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    “Gardenomics:” Good Moves for a Lifetime of Safe and Healthy Gardening

    It's a fact. Gardening is great exercise with big benefits for both physical and mental health. It's also hard work and many of the tasks we do in the garden can lead to aches and injuries if not done properly. Here's the good news: payingattention...

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    Backyard Biodiversity: Saving the Planet One Garden at a Time

    It's May and spring is busting out all over! After months of gray skies and wet, chilly days, we can rejoice at the sight of each tender shoot, leaf and bud. With the resurgence of life all around us, it may seem as if the state of the...