The Real Dirt

Flowers blooming

The Real Dirt blog covers regional gardening issues from soil health to planting for pollinators; from fire resistant landscaping to attracting wildlife. Read all about it!

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Leopard lily. Brent McGhie

Native Spring-Blooming Bulbs

September 3, 2025
In late summer bulbs of daffodils and tulips start appearing in garden stores. Everyone enjoys the lovely display they make in spring. But do you know that there are native spring-blooming bulbs that will also look beautiful in your garden? You may have seen blue dicks (scientific name Dichelostemma capitata…
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Kids Learning about Plants at Summer Camp session in Chapman Teaching Garden. Laura Lukes

Living Lab: Chapman Community Teaching Garden

August 26, 2025
“Living Lab” is the perfect name for an innovative outdoor learning and teacher-training program that just might change a child’s life. Our Master Gardeners (MGs) Living Lab team offers a number of resources for local schools. This article focuses on our collaboration with the Chico Area Recreation District …
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Demo Garden map

The Master Gardeners Demonstration Garden in August

August 15, 2025
Want to see what thrives here in our Mediterranean climate in the dog days of summer? It’s well worth taking the short drive to our Demonstration Garden. The Demo Garden is on the property of Patrick Ranch, located off the Midway. Here, Master Gardeners plant, grow and tend 14 specialized gardens all year…
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A variety of raised bed styles can be seen at the Master Gardener Demonstration Garden. Laura Kling

Fall 2025 Workshop Series about to start!

August 11, 2025
A new season of Master Gardener Workshops is about to start! The series begins Monday, September 8, with an increasingly important and relevant workshop on irrigation and concludes in mid-December with our popular repeat workshop on gardening as we get older. In all, this Fall 2025 Series totals 18 workshops…
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Fava Beans are a useful cover crop, and their leaves can be sauteed like any other edible green. J. Alosi

Meeting Nature Halfway: Sustainable Gardening

August 5, 2025
Imagine a healthy garden that grows, blooms, and produces food for you, your family and your neighbors, a garden that costs you very little money because everything it needs is already provided. Welcome to the sustainable garden! The Cambridge Dictionary defines sustainable as “causing little or no damage to…
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