Being a UC Master Gardener has had a huge impact on my life. I love learning new things, discovering how nature works, teaching others, and giving back. When I retired, I looked for ways to continue to gain new knowledge and contribute to my community. That's when I learned that UC Cooperative Extension had a new program. I decided to become a UC Master Gardener, which has allowed me to give back in so many ways.

Previously, my focus on nature was away from the cities and towns. Becoming a UC Master Gardener broadened my awareness of nature in our own backyards. I've become fascinated by the micro-world of insects both above and underground, and how they play important roles in our urban landscapes. I've learned about how to care for our gardens in sustainable, science-based, environmentally friendly ways, as well the importance of water-wise plants and pollinators, and how home gardeners can help maintain native plants and beneficial organisms.

What UC Master Gardeners Do

I have the honor of being a part of the UC Cooperative Extension's amazing group of UC Master Gardeners in Stanislaus County dedicated to helping home gardeners. An overview of what UC Master Gardeners do include:

Speak at local libraries, service clubs and gardening clubs on a variety of topics such as growing vegetables, composting, and bees. We also offer STEAM classes for children at local libraries (science, technology, engineering, art, mathematics).

Teach garden-based lessons to students in Stanislaus County through our school garden committee.

Write articles for The Stanislaus Sprout (like this article!). Articles cover a range of topics such when and how to plant lettuce in your garden, cabbage loopers, planting flower bulbs, and spider webs. The Sprout also alerts people to when and where our monthly library talks are (along with the current month's topic) and other upcoming events.

Produce gardening media content for our Facebook and Instagram accounts. @UCMGStanislaus

Answer the Help Line, a resource the community can call or email to get answers about their gardening issues. Learn more about the Help Line by reading our post at https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=61134

Give out gardening and pest management information at booths for events such as local farmers markets, Earth Day at Graceada Park, the Stanislaus County Fair, Modesto Rotary Club's Senior Stride Event, and the Stanislaus River Salmon Festival, to name a few.

Provide workshops on topics such as vermicomposting, garden tool care, seed saving, and how to help monarch butterflies. Other workshops offer fun nature craft activities such as making holiday wreaths or lavender wands.

Design, create, and maintain gardens at the Stanislaus County Agriculture Center which include sensory, cut flowers, and pollinators, helping give people ideas for their own gardens.

An ongoing pursuit of helping serve home gardeners in our community.

Giving Tuesday

UC Master Gardeners are volunteers who devote numerous hours to sharing their knowledge and passion about home gardening. Currently* there are 70 UCMaster Gardeners in Stanislaus County who have given over 2,000 hours of their time to the program this year. While we donate our time, our program does need funding for supplies for events, workshops, talks, and our gardens.

If the UC Master Gardeners of Stanislaus County program has benefited you in some way, please join me in contributing to this incredible, valuable program. You can give at any time between now and the end of the year. Visit https://give.ucanr.edu/pages/uc-master-gardener-program and click on the blue button that reads “make a gift," and then type “Stanislaus County” into the search bar and our program name will populate.

Your garden will thank you!

Denise Godbout-Avant has been a UC Master Gardener in Stanislaus County since 2020.

*learn more about becoming a UC Master Gardener in 2026 by reading our updated page at https://ucanr.edu/sites/stancountymg/Become_a_UCCE_MG/