Our partnership with Stanislaus County Library continues! The librarians have been so helpful and welcoming, and attendees are saying great things about our Master Gardener instructors. 

Fall Vegetable Gardening?

Even though your tomatoes are probably still going strong, now is the time to start planning for your fall vegetable garden! This month we have added the Patterson Library to our schedule. They specifically requested Water Thrifty Gardening, so next month we will offer Fall Vegetable Gardening at their location. 

August Library Branch Schedule

• Monday, August 8, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. - Fall Vegetable Gardening - Ceres 
• Tuesday, August 9, 2022 at 6:00 p.m.   - Fall Vegetable Gardening - Salida 
• Wednesday, August 10, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. - Drip Irrigation/Water Thrifty Gardening – Patterson
• Wednesday, August 10, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. - Fall Vegetable Gardening - Riverbank
• Tuesday, August 16, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. - Fall Vegetable Gardening – Oakdale
• Monday, August 22, 2022 at 6:15 p.m. - Fall Vegetable Gardening – Modesto 
• Wednesday, August 24, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. - Fall Vegetable Gardening - Turlock

Class Descriptions

Fall Vegetable Gardening: Did you know you can grow vegetable plants in fall? Grow your own salad by planting leafy vegetables like lettuce, spinach, and Swiss Chard,and root vegetables like carrots, beets and radishes. These plants can be grown in the ground or in containers. Great class for beginning gardeners.

Water Thrifty Landscaping (now called Drip Irrigation): Want to make your garden more water wise? This class will teach you how to use less water, and includes detailed tips on how to install a drip irrigation system. It also includes recommendations on low-water use plants you can plant this fall once the temperature is cooler.

Ejoying our classes? Have a comment or request? Post a message below. We want to hear from you.

Contact your local library branch to find out more or if your library isn't offering our classes yet, tell them to contact us! 

#GivingDay is here! Thursday May 19 at noon through Friday, May 20 until 11:59 a.m., 2022 is UC ANR #GivingDay. If you've done any of the following:

• Called or visited the Stanislaus County UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Help Line and gotten information on what to do about a pest or gardening problem.
• Learned something new from a class at the Stanislaus Ag Center, Community Garden, Garden Club, Senior Center, local library or one of our online Zoom classes.
• Attended the Pollinator Garden Event last month, or a Farmers Market booth or the Stanislaus County Fair and spoken with a Master Gardener.
• Read our newsletter and gained helpful gardening and pest management information.

If you would like to give back to our program, you can visit this website http://donate.ucanr.edu/givingday. Click “GIVE” on the upper right of the fund and choose “Stanislaus County.” Once you do this, the icon for the Master Gardener program will appear. Choose this icon and then make your desired donation. We are a 501 c3 organization, so your donation is tax deductible.

Prize Challenge Awards 

Online gifts made between noon on May 19 and 11:59 a.m. on May 20 may help programs qualify for prize challenge awards! Donations can be made at http://donate.ucanr.edu/givingday. 

Checks Accepted 

If you prefer sending a check instead of donating online, please make checks payable to “UC Regents” and specify “Stanislaus County Master Gardener Program” in the check memo. Then mail to: UC ANR Gift Processing, 2801 Second Street, Davis, CA 95618. 

Your Support

In addition to helping our program create our public demonstration gardens, your donation helps us grow our program by purchasing materials needed for outreach and education. We thank you for your support! 

Curious to learn more about pollinators and the plants that attract them? Join our Master Gardener instructor for a class to learn about these fascinating insects while enjoying the Turlock Community Gardens. If you haven't been to this hidden gem of a community garden before, we invite you to stop by. The garden has pollinator plants, so you'll be able to see some real examples of plants and even witness some pollinator interactions! You don't need to have a plot at the garden to attend. We hope to see you there, rain or shine.

When: Saturday, April 30, 2021 9:00-10:30 a.m.
Where: Turlock Community Gardens 
Address: 4105 Crowell Road, Turlock 95382
Instructor:
Cost: Free
What to bring? You may want to bring a folding chair, water, hat/jacket depending on the weather.

Groundhogs are infamous for announcing the arrival of spring for folks in the eastern part of the United States. Groundhogs hibernate, so if Punxsatawney Phil pops up out of his den and sees his shadow today, it's said there will be six more weeks of winter. If he doesn't, spring comes early.

In California, we can't rely on Phil. Instead, we have gophers which are active all year. This makes them an unreliable source of information about the start of spring, since they are constantly popping up out of their burrows. Incidentally, spring officially starts on March 20 this year.

For gardeners, the presence of gophers can be frustrating. Most can tolerate a few insects on plants, or a small patch of a disease that can be cut off. However, just one gopher can consume an entire vegetable garden or dig multiple holes in the lawn and landscape in a short amount of time.

What made the holes in my garden or landscape?

If you see a hole, it might be a gopher or a mole. Gophers digging in lawns and landscapes leave holes that look like the photo to the right. Typically, they are crescent or horseshoe in shape. As they dig tunnels, gophers move fresh soil to the surface. You can usually see a plugged hole next to the mound.

Moles are another burrowing animal that also create mounds. However, their mounds are more circular, as shown in the photo in this post.

To learn more about gophers and how to control them, visit the UC IPM Pest Notes: Pocket Gophers. 

If you suspect the holes in your landscape or garden are made by another animal, read the UC IPM Pest Notes: Ground Squirrels.