- Author: Marcy Sousa
Plant a Tree to Celebrate Arbor Day! Have you ever wondered how this national (and international) holiday got its roots? Arbor Day is an annual observance that promotes tree planting and care and reflects a hope for the future. As a formal holiday, it was first observed in 1872, in Nebraska.
In 1854, Julius Sterling Morton moved from Detroit to Nebraska City, Nebraska. Morton was a nature lover and felt that Nebraska's landscape and economy would benefit from the wide-scale planting of trees. He set an example himself planting orchards, shade trees and wind breaks on his own farm and urged neighbors to do the same.
Morton became editor of Nebraska's first newspaper and used the paper to share agricultural information, ideas on environmental stewardship and his enthusiasm for trees to a receptive audience. He was ahead of his time as his own version of a master gardener!
In 1872, Morton presented the State Board of Agriculture a resolution “to set aside one day to plant trees, both forest and fruit.” The Board declared April 10 Arbor Day. More than one million trees were planted in Nebraska on the first Arbor Day. With this first tree planting holiday observance, J. Sterling Morton became known as the “Founder of Arbor Day.” Arbor Day did not become a legal holiday until 1885, when the legislature set aside Morton's birthday, April 22, as the holiday.
For more information on planting and caring for landscape or fruit trees visit the UC California Garden Web website.
To learn more about Arbor Day, visit the Arbor Day Foundation Website.
Information and quotes cited in this blog can be found on Arbor Day Foundation & Arbor-day.net.
- Author: Melissa G. Womack
2015 marks the 45th anniversary of Earth Day, which is celebrated by more than 1 billion people worldwide. The national theme for this year's Earth Day is It's Our Turn to Lead, a phrase that directly describes the more than 6,000 UC Master Gardener volunteers actively leading in their local communities.
UC Master Gardeners are critical in supporting UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources' (UC ANR) strategic initiatives for healthy communities, healthy environments and healthy plants across the state of California.
“UC Master Gardener volunteers represent the most passionate and dedicated group of people I have encountered,” said Missy Gable, statewide director of the UC Master Gardener Program, “they are enthusiastic about sharing their knowledge of research-based gardening information with the public and their commitment of time to this practice is both generous and inspiring. UC Master Gardeners are an unbelievable resource for all residents in California and I want to recognize their efforts this Earth Day. Volunteers are taking the lead to provide sound advice to CA gardeners as we all work to use water appropriately, connect to our food systems and protect our environment.”
Join us on Earth Day 2015!
Perhaps you've seen your local UC Master Gardeners answering questions at the Farmer's Market or you've read an article by a volunteer in your local paper. If the 45th anniversary of Earth Day has inspired you to become more active with your environment, consider connecting with your local UC Master Gardener Program.
Sample of UC Master Gardener Events Happening Across the State the Week of Earth Day:
- Calaveras County:
Open Garden Day
April 25, 10 am – 2 pm - Contra Costa County:
Antioch High School Earth Day Festival
April 22, 12 – 3 pm
Lafayette Earth Day Festival
April 26, 11 am – 3 pm - El Dorado County
Rainwater Harvesting/Greywater Use
April 25, 9 am – 12 pm - Lake County:
Yuba College Earth Day
April 22, 10 am – 1 pm - Napa County:
Earth Day Celebration
April 25, 10 am – 3 pm
Sierra College Earth Day 2015
April 22, 10 am – 3 pm - Sacramento County:
Plant Clinic - Greener Gardens Expo and Garden Tour
April 25, 10 am – 3 pm - San Diego County:
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton Earth Day Celebration
April 22, 11 am – 2 pm - Santa Clara County:
Earth Day - San Jose
April 22, 10 am – 3 pm - Sonoma County:
Drip Irrigation - Rincon
April 25, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm - Ventura County:
Front Yard Landscape Irrigation and Water Usage
April 22, 1 – 3 pm
UC Master Gardener volunteers receive University training in horticulture from experts in the field, mostly UC Cooperative Extension Advisors and Specialists. In exchange for training, UC Master Gardener volunteers extend research-based information on sustainable home horticulture practices to the public. Whether you are looking to reduce your landscape water use, grow tomatoes or even become a UC Master Gardener yourself, volunteers are ready to help you. Find a program or event near you!
- Author: Melissa G. Womack
Standing in the usually snow-packed Sierra Nevada Mountains, Gov. Jerry Brown called for a mandatory reduction of water use across California the beginning of this month. For the first time in the state a required water conservation action has been called, shedding light on the severity of California's drought conditions.
At the direction of Gov. Brown the State Water Resources Control Board will require local water districts to impose a 25 percent water restrictions on all resident's water use.
These new mandatory restrictions have left many home gardeners to wonder what this means for their home landscape.
Reducing Water Use in the Garden
According to The California Garden Web, an informational website about gardening hosted by the UC Master Gardener Program, water use in the home landscape can often be easily reduced by 20 to 40 percent because overwatering is a common mistake by homeowners. Slowly start to reduce water supplied to plants over the course of a few weeks, giving the plants time to adapt to the change.
It is important for residents to remember to not introduce new plants to your landscape during a severe drought. Even California native plants aren't drought-tolerant until they become well established. When water restrictions are lifted and new plants can be introduced, select drought-tolerant varieties appropriate for your climate zone.
Planting in the fall as opposed to the spring allows plants to become established by winter rains. Residents should prioritize water use in their landscape, saving established trees and large shrubs first because they are typically more expensive to replace and require years to mature.
UC Master Gardener Program Offers Help
The UC Master Gardener Program has volunteers across the state, trained by University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE), available to answer the public's questions about how to save established trees, plants and reduce water use in their yards.
Many of the program's 50 county-based locations offer free to the public hotline services, home irrigation analysis and workshops for the public that are aimed at helping California's residents reduce their water use. Contact a local UC Master Gardener Program for more water saving information and resources.
Trusted Resources
The new second edition of the California Master Gardener Handbook from the UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) is a great resource for drought tips and home landscape water conservation methods. With an extensive chapter dedicated to water conservation methods, best practices for irrigation, plant selection, and tips for protecting water quality in urban landscapes.
Another great option is to use the irrigation worksheet for homeowners that was recently developed by Dr. Loren Oki, CE Specialist, Landscape Horticulture with UC ANR and UC Davis. The worksheet is designed to calculate an irrigation schedule for a landscape zone for one calendar year.
- Author: Melissa G. Womack
“Garden Sense is a wonderful example of partnership between UCCE Master Gardener volunteers and our local water agency. A lot of hard work went into developing this innovative program by many volunteers. Everyone involved feels like they're making a real impact in our community in the very important area of water conservation practices.” - Mimi Enright, Program Coordinator
UCCE Master Gardeners of Sonoma County presently have 50 trained volunteer consultants who receive advanced training in lawn conversion, water management, irrigation systems, and low-water use plants. By working together the UCCE Master Gardener Program and the Sonoma County Water Agency help to conserve precious water resources and protect our communities and environment through responsible gardening practices.
Water savings as a result of the first year of Garden Sense consultations are estimated at an equivalent to six acre feet of water saved annually (nearly 2,000,000 gallons)!
For more information about saving water in your home landscape visit your local UC Master Gardener Program for event and workshop information. The newly revised UC ANR California Master Gardener Handbook has helpful information about water conservation and sustainable landscaping practices.
- Author: Marcy Sousa
Oh Snap! It's time to show off your photography skills!
Attention UC Master Gardener volunteers! The UC Master Gardener Program invites you to capture and share your creativity in the garden. Enter the Official 2017 UC Master Gardener Photo Contest for a chance to win great prizes and receive recognition among the entire UC Master Gardener community.
UC Master Gardener volunteers can showcase their amazing photography skills and submit a photo in any of the five contest categories:
- California friendly gardening
- Creatures in the garden
- Incredible edibles
- UC Master Gardeners in action
- Outstanding ornamental
How to enter
Entry is free and open to active UC Master Gardener volunteers. Entries must be submitted electronically by midnight on Friday, June 30, 2017 using the online photo contest submission form. Only one entry allowed per category per participant. Please read and review the official photo contest participation guidelines before entering.
Winners
Photographs will be judged on the overall image quality, subject, originality and composition. First, second and third place category winners will receive a gift certificate, professional print of their winning shot and be featured on the 2017 UC Master Gardener Conference website. Winners will be celebrated and displayed in a photo gallery at the 2017 UC Master Gardener Conference in Long Beach, Aug. 22-25.
The first place winner of each category will be entered into the “Gardeners Choice” contest, to be voted on at 2017 UC Master Gardener Conference in Long Beach, Aug. 22-25. The winner will be announced on Aug. 25 and awarded a $75.00 gift certificate.
More information about the 2017 UC Master Gardener Photo Contest and the 2017 UC Master Gardener Conference can be found online. We can't wait to see your beautiful photos!
Questions? Contact:
Marcy Sousa
Program Coordinator, San Joaquin
Phone: (209) 953-6111
Email: mdhachman@ucanr.edu