By UC Master Gardeners of Butte County.
The Spring 2026 Series of Master Gardener Workshops is about to start! The series begins Tuesday, February 3 with a timely session on starting summer vegetable plants from seed and concludes in mid-May with a workshop on creating a bird-friendly garden of native plants. In all, this Spring 2026 Series totals 17 workshops, including seven all-new topics. There is something here for every type of gardener and every size of home garden, whether you maintain a balcony of plants in containers or produce fruit and vegetables on a large plot for your family, friends, and neighbors. For a list of all the workshops and to register for any of the first five workshops described below, visit our website. All workshops are free, but registration is required.
Three of this year’s new workshops will help in planning a garden or garden area that emphasizes flowers: learn how to choose the best site for the flowers you want to grow; how to start flowers from seed or through propagation; the best planting techniques for particular situations; and the maintenance considerations that can determine garden planting choices.
We’ve got a new workshop on creating pollinator-friendly gardens, and are repeating our popular workshop on using native plants to create a natural habitat that increases biodiversity and supports local ecosystems. Creating a native plant habitat that specifically supports birds throughout the year is the topic of another workshop. And let’s not forget that bats too can play an important role in pollination; Dr. Shahroukh Mistry from the Biology department at Butte College will return to talk about these fascinating creatures.
If you like to eat what you grow, we’ve got you covered, beginning with the workshop on starting summer vegetables from seed that kicks off this Spring Workshop Series, and continuing later on with a workshop on vegetable garden site selection and preparation, planting methods, irrigation requirements, and maintenance. We’ve also got two workshops on fruit trees, including a new one on grafting and a returning workshop on caring for fruit trees throughout the year.
We haven’t forgotten gardening and landscaping basics, either: we have a new workshop on maintaining defensible space around your home for fire safety, and welcome back our always useful and popular workshops on irrigation and tool care.
Of course, gardening successfully does not come without its challenges. We tackle the problem of invertebrate pests in our workshop on dealing with gophers, moles, and voles. Weeds are another kind of pest entirely, and one that pretty much every gardener must contend with. To the rescue: our workshop on identifying and controlling weeds.
Most of the workshops will be held in the outdoor classroom in the Master Gardener Demonstration Garden or inside Pat’s Barn; both are located at the Patrick Ranch (10381 Midway, between Chico and Durham). Other locations include the Bradley 2 classroom at The Social (1400 W. 3rd Street, Chico); and the Terry Ashe Recreation Center on Skyway in Paradise.
In addition, we are offering Seasonal Garden Talks four times a year at our Chapman Park Teaching Garden at the Dorothy F. Johnson Center (775 E. 16th Street, Chico). The Winter Garden Talks will take place Saturday, February 7. There will be two sessions, with a choice between two topics for each session. The topics for Session One (from 9 to 9:50 am) are: using our Three-Year Garden Guide and Journal; and Winter Planting and Seed Starting. For Session Two (from 10 to 10:50 am) choose either Composting or Growing Through Winter and Protecting Outdoor Plants and Trees. The Spring Garden Talks are scheduled for Saturday, April 11, and the Summer Garden Talks will be offered on Saturday, June 6; topics for these will be finalized in the next few months. The Seasonal Garden Talks are free, but registration is required at our website.
The following list covers our February and March workshops. Again, all workshops are free, but they do require advance registration. For full workshop descriptions and to register, visit our website.
FEBRUARY
Seed Starting (Tuesday, 2/3). Learn to start your own plants from seed. The focus here is on tomatoes and peppers. Many options for seed starting indoors will be covered, including proper lighting and temperature control.
Winter Garden Talks NEW (Saturday, 2/7). Session One: choose between How to Use our Three-Year Garden Guide and Journal and Winter Planting and Seed Starting. Session Two: choose between Composting and Growing Through Winter and Protecting Outdoor Plants and Trees.
Choosing and Preparing Your Flower Garden NEW (Wednesday, 2/11). This workshop covers the fundamentals of flower garden planning, from site selection and preparation though seed starting, propagation, and the basics of garden design.
Plant Selection and Planting Techniques NEW (Wednesday, 2/18). Learn what to plant and how to plant it, in a variety of situations including raised beds, pots, grow bags, and in the ground.
Native Plants (Saturday, 2/21). A garden that features native plants can be beautiful while also supporting local ecosystems, conserving water, and reducing maintenance. Learn some basic principles about gardening with natives and be introduced to some natives that do well in garden settings; the emphasis will be on specific gardening practices that increase biodiversity and ecosystem function.
Care and Maintenance: Considerations in Garden Planning NEW (Wednesday, 2/25). It is important to consider such factors as flower growth habits, longevity, and water, sun, and soil requirements in order to determine how much care and maintenance your garden will require. The goal of this workshop is to help you design a garden that best fits your own needs.
MARCH
Pollinator Gardens NEW (Monday, 3/9). Join a local expert from the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation to learn how to attract and retain pollinators such as bumble bees, native bees, and Monarch butterflies to your garden.
Vegetable Gardening NEW (Thursday, 3/12). From site selection and preparation through irrigation, garden planning, planting, and maintenance, this workshop sets you up for success in growing your own delicious vegetables.
Firewise Land Stewardship NEW (Saturday, 3/21). This presentation focuses on the critical subject of fire behavior, state guidelines for defensible space, and how to create and maintain a defensible space around your home through a lens of land stewardship, considering both fire safety and ecosystem health.
UC Master Gardeners of Butte County are part of the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) system. To learn more about us and our upcoming events, and for help with gardening in our area visit our website. If you have a gardening question or problem, email the Hotline at mgbutte@ucanr.edu or leave a phone message on our Hotline at 530-552-5812. To speak to a Master Gardener about a gardening issue, or to drop by the MG office during Hotline hours, see the most current information on our Ask Us section of our website.