Ongoing research

Like few other vegetables, nearly the entire beet plant can be eaten below-ground bulbs and above-ground foliage. A good crop depends on careful thinning and transplanting crowded seedlings into fertile, amended soil. Bumpy, brown seeds are actually a cluster of several seeds that germinate in a clump.

Lettuce has been cultivated and selectively bred for several centuries, first in the Middle East, then by the Romans who named it latuca or milk because of its white sap. The name became lettuce in English. Few vegetables are as easy to grow year-round with such a multitude of varieties.

Chard is 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.