Archive Nut, Prune and Olive Programs

Back to Sites & Content

Newsletters

 Newsletter Articles:

May 2025Archived
Field picture submitted by Elizabeth Fichtner

 Links

Publications

UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County: Article

Legacy and Major Gift Opportunities for UC Master Gardeners

March 29, 2026
By Kitty Cole
I recently met with Scott Brayton, the Major Gifts Officer at UC Davis, and Dawn Kooyumjian, our Contra Costa County UC Master Gardener Coordinator, last year after inquiring whether we had a legacy/major gift program. We do! It is a wonderful way to give back to the UC Master Gardener program and is…
View Article
UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County: Article

Concord’s Gehringer Native Plant Garden Blooms

March 29, 2026
By Kitty Cole
Photos provided by Phil Quinlan The Gehringer Native Plant Garden, designed, installed, and maintained by UC Master Gardeners, showcases California native plants that attract pollinators and thrive in Concord’s hot summers. It demonstrates how hardy, water-conserving plants can be used in homes, schools…
View Article
UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County: Article

Dorothy Gets to the Root of the Problem

March 29, 2026
By Lisa Phillips
Dorothy Abeyta's Expert Approach to Fire Blight Dorothy Abeyta, a UC Master Gardener, frowned as she examined the sprawling pear tree. She quickly diagnosed the problem: fire blight. She explained, "It is a biotic disease caused by bacteria that overwinter, then become active in the spring. First signs…
View Article
UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County: Article

Changing Deer Behavior in Walnut Creek

March 29, 2026
By Susan Heckly and the Helpdesk Team
Recently, the Contra Costa UC Master Gardener Help Desk received the following concern about the deer population in Walnut Creek. “I think the deer population has changed due to the climate crisis. I’ve lived here in Walnut Creek next to John Muir Medical Center for 35 years,” a local gardener wrote in.“They…
View Article
UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County: Article

Spotlight on December’s Recognition Celebration

March 29, 2026
By Lisa Bramblet
Photos by Simone Adair I had intended to write a piece about our December Recognition Event, a recap of all the happenings, presentations and details.  The more I thought it over, the less I could come up with to write down.  But less is more ~ and I rather think it would suffice to say in…
View Article
UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County: Article

Hidden Gem of the Low Water Garden: The Wild Currant

March 29, 2026
By Liz Rottger
 In mid-January, at the Low Water Use Demonstration Garden in Richmond, I started digging up a large area of wild onions, the personal bane of my work there. I hardly noticed the small shrub nearby. It wasn’t until a few weeks later, still digging up the wild onions, when it began to leaf out with…
View Article
UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County: Article

AAMG gets ready for the 2026 Season!

March 29, 2026
By Laura Brainin-Rodriguez
Photos by UC Master Gardeners Ask a Master Gardener (AAMG) started its season in March 2026. AAMG is unique in that we reach Contra Costa County residents as they go about their lives at Farmers Markets, Our Garden and single–day events throughout the county. Our season runs from March to October.Five…
View Article
UC Master Gardeners of Butte County: Event

Bats

May 22, 2026

Bats! Learn everything you always wanted to know about these fascinating creatures from Dr. Shahroukh Mistry, an expert on bat biology. Dr. Mistry teaches in the biology department at Butte College, and his current research is on Acoustic Monitoring of Bat Diversity and Activity in Northern California, and…
UC Master Gardeners of Butte County
View Event
UC Master Gardeners of Butte County: Event

Plant a Native Garden for the Birds

May 18, 2026

Don’t just plant a native plant garden, create a habitat that supports birds throughout the year. In this workshop we will discuss the bird species you can expect to attract year-round; the best plants for them; and how to arrange different types and sizes of plants in order to provide food, shelter,…
UC Master Gardeners of Butte County
View Event
Borage with bee
UC Master Gardeners of San Mateo & San Francisco Counties: Event

How to Grow Herbs, Edible Flowers, and Attract Bees!

Apr 11, 2026

In this class, we will discuss many different kinds of herbs and edible flowers - exploring how to grow, propagate and use them in cooking. In addition, since many of these plants can be beneficial for bees, we'll cover the basic habitat requirements of bees and how the herbs we grow can support them. Herbs…
UC Master Gardeners of San Mateo & San Francisco Counties
View Event