Garden

Fall is the perfect time to plant native plants, like this California fuchsia (Epilobium). Photo: Marie Narlock Maintenance and prevention Reduce irrigation times significantly as day length shortens and plant growth slows or stops.

When it comes to creating defensible space, the significance of proper plant and landscape maintenance cannot be overemphasized. Poorly maintained landscapes can easily become fire hazards regardless of which plants are grown.

Is your garden soil not quite what you want it to be? Need to make some improvements? Soil amendments may be a solution. Before making any additions or changes to your soil, its good to know what soil amendments are and how they may work in your soil.

As temperatures cool and daylight hours decline, plant growth tends to slow. In addition to being an excellent planting season in our Mediterranean climate, fall is also a good time to clean up our gardens so that theyre healthy and fire-smart.

The application process for the UC Master Gardeners of Merced County's 2026 Training Class will open in fall 2025. Any Merced County adult resident with an interest in horticulture (plants, lawns, trees, vegetables and more) and public service are encouraged to apply for the Master Gardener Program.

Bitter melon is in the cucurbit family and grows on a vine as do other members of this family, such as cucumbers, squash, or melons. Bitter melon is a subtropical plant which will grow best in a warm location with some humidity. The vines can get over 12 feet long, so a trellis or some other support is…

Garden Help > Monthly TipsGood nutrient balance makes healthy garden soils. It is beneficial to get soil tested by a state-certified laboratory. Below is a collection of our monthly tips that relate to garden soils.To-dosWhat to Plant⁠To-do: SoilBone Meal for Bulbs?Clean Garden BedsCover CropsMulch Bare…

Upcoming events for the UC Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County.

Join us for our Fall Garden Fair, held at our Martial Cottle Park Demonstration Garden in San Jose as part of the Martial Cottle Park Fall Festival. Admission: Free.

Garden Help > Monthly Tips Monthly tips are categorized by To-Dos, What to Plant, or Pests and Diseases. Scroll through the list to see items in each category. Also, refer to our list of tips useful for any month.