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News and updates from the statewide UC Master Gardener Program office.
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Home Olive Curing Workshop-Sept. 26
Pamela M Geisel
Published on: September 2, 2009
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People often call the MG Helplines with questions about curing olives at home.  While many times you can refer this type of question to a Master Food Preserver, most counties no longer have this program.  You can learn to cure olives at home by joining UC Olive Expert Bill Krueger and myself at our Home Olive Curing Workshop on Saturday, September 26, 2009 from 9:00 a.m. to noon.  The workshop is being held at the historic Mills Orchard, near Hamilton City, CA (about 1-1/2 hours north of Sacramento, just outside Chico).  Cost is $35.00 and it includes olive tasting, refreshments, and a home olive processing guide.  To Register, please make check payable to UC Regents and mail to UCCE, P.O. Box 697, Orland, CA  95963.  For more information, please call (530)865-1107. Registration is first come, first serve and there is limited seating. 
Attached Files
Final Olive Workshop
Comments: 13
New Catalog for FREE ANR Publications
Pamela M Geisel
Published on: August 26, 2009
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Every day I recommend ANR publications to people, especially our free ones and I am sure you do too.  I wanted to let you know that ANR Communication Services has just released an on-line catalog of FREE publications.  This makes the search for them so much easier.  I hope you will agree.  You can get to new catalog by clicking on:  http://ucanr.org/freepubs/

Comments: 1
California Garden Web Launched
Pamela M Geisel
Published on: July 6, 2009

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 Visit the California Garden Web at http://cagardenweb.ucdavis.edu.

The University of California Statewide Master Gardener Program has launched a new Web site to serve as an information portal for California gardeners. The UC Statewide Master Gardener Program staff designed the Web site to organize and extend UC's vast store of research-based information about gardening, landscapes and lawns to the public.
 
The Web site focuses on sustainable gardening practices and uses a question and answer format to present solutions. A blog on the Web sites home page, updated weekly, highlights gardening content pertinent to the season. The site also links to useful gardening resources on other UC Web pages.
 
"When UC sites have thorough content covering a particular topic, we link to that site rather than duplicating it," said Pam Giesel, the academic coordinator for the statewide UC Master Gardener Program. "For example, UC IPM, the Center for Landscape and Urban Horticulture, and our sister site, the California Backyard Orchard, contain an abundance of information about sustainable gardening and are all linked to the new portal."
 
The new Web site also provides California gardeners with free access to updated information from the California Master Gardener Handbook.
 
Special features include:

  • Guidelines for practicing sustainable gardening
  • Easy calculators for estimating landscape water needs
  • Guidelines for conserving and managing water during a drought
  • Links to local Master Gardener Web sites
  • Comprehensive grape and berry gardening practices
  • Vegetable gardening FAQ

 
The site has sections on:

  • Gardening basics
  • Your climate zone
  • Find your local Master Gardener
  • Pests, diseases, weeds
  • Vegetables
  • Nut and fruit trees and vines
  • Landscape trees, shrubs and vines
  • Lawns
  • Flowers
  • Indoor plants
  • Poisonous plants
  • Glossary
  • Classes and events

 
Visit the California Garden Web at http://cagardenweb.ucdavis.edu.
 
Development of the new Web site was funded by the Elvenia J. Slosson Endowment for Ornamental Horticulture.

 

Comments: 7
New ANR Web Portal Access for Master Gardeners
Pamela M Geisel
Published on: June 29, 2009

Thanks to the magic of Dave Krause, and the rest of the programmers at Communication Services, Master Gardeners are now able to log into their Volunteer Management System (VMS 2.1) and the other various systems in ANR through the new ANR web portal. The new login method will allow for easier access to Collaborative Tools, the Repository, Administrative Links and links to Tech Tools etc. To access the VMS and other systems, use your VMS password. If you do not know your password, or encounter any difficulty using the password you normally use,  click on “lost your password or new user” and enter your email address. You will be sent a link that will allow you to reset your password and then you may enter into the VMS. Please let us know how you like the new change or if you are having any problems with the changeover. Just email Pam Geisel, the Statewide Master Gardener Coordinator at pmelam@ucdavis.edu

 

 

Comments: 3
UC Verde Buffalograss
Pamela M Geisel
Published on: May 28, 2009

 

www.sunset.com
UC Verde Buffalograss is an extremely hardy, tough grass that, because of its vigor, results in reduced pesticide/herbicide use. As well, it requires much less mowing because it has a slow vertical growth habit peaking at 4-6 inches. This gives you the flexibility to determine the “look” you want such as an unmowed meadow or a manicured turf. For a tight, uniform turfgrass, mow every two to three weeks. For a more natural look, mow much less often. Do plan to mow at least once a year to maintain vigor and reduce fuel loads in terms of wildfire. 

 
Finally, UC Verde Buffalograss is a female plant that is vegetatively propagated because it doesn’t produce seed and is nearly pollen-free as compared to other turfgrasses. A boon to allergy sufferers.
 
You will need to water your UC Verde Buffalograss to until it is established and even after planting in order to retain its vibrant color.
 
You can get more information about UC Verde Buffalograss from Florasource, Ltd. at mail@florasourceltd.com  This is the designated distributor of this UC developed grass. Mike Connally at Florasource is also available to talk with your volunteers and public about this grass and other drought tolerant plant materials such as the Arboretum All-Stars. One of the supporters of our statewide conferece, Takao Nursery in Fresno is also a wholesaler to our local nurseries. 
 
 

 

Comments: 1
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