Ongoing research

Chard has become a favorite leafy green for many Sonoma County gardeners for its adaptability to both cool and warm weather, making it an easy year-round crop. Care is the same as for beets, a close relative with a different root structure. Summer heat and winter frosts are easily tolerated.

Learn how to grow healthy tomatoes in your Sonoma County home garden; select, grow and manage pests and diseases with expert advice.

Melons thrive in fertile, fast-draining soil fortified with organic matter that holds ample moisture during long, hot summer months. In Sonoma County, not all micro-climates support melon growth.

Composting Basics gives an overview of the process.

Composting is the recycling by decomposition of kitchen and yard wastes and other organic materials combined in a specific manner into a wonderful soil amendment for the garden. For an overview and illustration of composting, watch this University of California webinar.

The Sudden Oak Death (SOD) Specialists group is a partnership between UCCE, Master Gardeners and UC Berkeley.

In 2018 the Sonoma East Area Master Gardeners began the development of the Water-wise Demonstration garden at Sonoma Garden Park.

Get free expert help with garden problems and advice from the UC Master Gardener Program of Sonoma County Information Desk supported by research-based information from the University of California and other academic or government institutions.

Sonoma Master Gardeners are present at several different farmers markets each week, generally spring through fall, where we set up an information table stocked with county-specific gardening leaflets for the public, and reference books from which we can dispense accurate information for the public.

Library Workshops The SCMG Library Workshop Program is a joint outreach venture with the Sonoma County Regional Library, which has been operating since the early 1990s.