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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

Spring Garden Market and Educational Fair: April 19, 2025

Photo by Stuart Dalton
Photo by Stuart Dalton
It may be chilly outside, but spring and summer gardening season is just around the corner! Get ready to grow -- amazing plants and exciting learning opportunities are coming your way at the 2025 Spring Garden Market.

Browse our website to get lots of guidance for a bountiful growing season. Sign up for the monthly newsletter and make sure you don't miss any of our fun and informative events.

See the Spring Garden Market web page for details.

Weeds: Pros and Cons

Photo by Jack Kelly Clark via https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25800
Photo by Jack Kelly Clark via https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=25800
The simplest definition of a weed is “a plant growing where it’s not wanted.” Most home gardeners prefer to not have weeds growing among their landscape plants and in their vegetable gardens. However, weeds do have many benefits. For instance, they can help to control soil erosion, provide food for birds and nectar for honey bees, and create habitat. Some weeds are even edible. On the downside, weeds compete with landscape plants for water, nutrients and sunlight, and can be invasive.

The best ways to manage weeds that you don’t want growing in a particular location include hand-pulling, cutting or shallow hoeing. Use mulch to suppress weed growth. For more information, see Weeds in Landscape.

Plant for Pollinators

Photo by Ankith Choudhary via Unsplash.com
Photo by Ankith Choudhary via Unsplash.com
Pollinators like bees, butterflies, moths, and birds play an important role in pollinating your vegetable garden and supporting a healthy ecosystem. However, habitat loss, disease, and pesticide use have contributed to the decline of these species. You can help pollinators by selecting a wide variety of flowering plants, guiding pollinators to your garden by planting in groups rather than single plants, and providing a source of clean water.  For a list of pollinator-friendly plants, visit: Pollinators Are Unsung Heroes of Planet Earth. 

Check Your Pesticides

Photo by Arizona Pest Management Center, University of Arizona
Photo by Arizona Pest Management Center, University of Arizona
As of Jan 1, 2025, a class of pesticides called neonicotinoids have been banned for nonagricultural outdoor use as they have been linked to a decline in honey bees and other pollinators. Although the pesticides are no longer for sale at garden centers and retail stores, you might have them at your home. Read the pesticide labels and check for one of these common active ingredients: imidacloprid, clothianidin, dinotefuran, thiamethoxam, acetamiprid. Neonicotinoid will not be listed as an ingredient. If you have any neonicotinoid pesticides, please dispose of them properly through a local hazardous waste removal program. For more information, see this UC ANR blog.

Try Growing Nutritious Microgreens

Photo by Carolyn Dorsch
Photo by Carolyn Dorsch
If you don't have outdoor space or want a fun indoor project, try growing fresh and nutritious microgreens. You can grow these tender and tasty greens year-round and enjoy them in soups, salads, sandwiches, stir fries and more. A minimal amount of space and supplies are needed. And you can harvest your little crop in a matter of weeks. To get started, see the Growing Microgreens document on this page.

Time to Start Vegetable Seeds

Photo by Laminaria Vest (via Pixabay)
Photo by Laminaria Vest (via Pixabay)
Starting vegetable seeds indoors can reduce the cost of transplants and allow you to grow varieties that may be difficult to find in nurseries. To get started, you will need a soilless mix; growing containers; and the proper moisture, light (like a south-facing window) and temperatures between 65-75°F. When your seedlings reach two-to-four inches tall, gradually expose the plants to longer periods of direct sun each day to transition them to the outdoors over a period of two weeks. For more information, visit The California Garden Web and check out our planting calendars.

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Publications
  • Coastside Cover July 2024
    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...

  • Coastside Cover June 2024
    “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...

  • thisobneMay 2024 Cover Coastside
    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...

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Advice to Grow By...Ask Us!

UC Master Gardener volunteers are ready to help you and your garden. Have a question about gardening? Ask a Master Gardener

Calendar
Event Name Date
Succulents for City Living and Small Spaces 3/22/2025
Planning Your Spring Veggie Garden 3/25/2025
Master Gardener Education Table at the Serramonte Farmers' Market 3/27/2025
Spiller- Thriller- Filler Container Gardening 4/5/2025
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