Ongoing research

UC Master Gardeners of Placer County: Article

Sustainable Lawn Care

December 18, 2025
By Elaine Kelly Applebaum, UC Master Gardeners of Placer CountyFrom The Curious Gardener, Summer 2022 As UC Master Gardeners, we encourage homeowners to explore water-wise and habitat friendly landscaping options. Lawns fall short on both those fronts, requiring lots of water and providing little if any…
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UC Master Gardeners of Placer County: Article

Why Trees Turn Color Early

December 18, 2025
By Laurie Meyerpeter, Master Gardeners of Placer County Q: Why did one of my trees turn color early this year?A: Trees turn color for a variety of reasons. As the days shorten, they go through a number of stages leading to an explosion of red, gold, and orange colors of fall. Cool nights and warm…
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UC Master Gardeners of Placer County: Article

Western Redbuds

December 18, 2025
Pauline Kuklis, Master Gardeners of Placer County From The Curious Gardener, Fall 2010Are you looking for a showy California Native that will bring interest to your landscape all year round?If so, be sure to check out the beautiful Western Redbud (Cercis occidentalis). Each year they are one…
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UC Master Gardeners of Placer County: Article

Preventing Japanese Maple Sunburn

December 18, 2025
By Laurie Meyerpeter, Master Gardeners of Placer County Q: I just bought a Japanese maple from a nursery. The nursery said it is a sun-tolerant variety but when I planted it in my yard last July, in an area where it receives full sun, it got severely burned. Why?A: Japanese maples are very…
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UC Master Gardeners of Placer County: Article

Oak Tree Leaf Drop

December 18, 2025
By Trish Grenfell, Master Gardeners of Placer County Q: Our Blue Oak trees on the perimeter of our property are losing much of their leaves. I know they are deciduous trees but their leaves normally don’t drop until the fall. Do you know what could be the cause? I fear it is Sudden Oak Death.A:…
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blueberries on a bush
Grown in Marin: Event

California Native Plant Foods Celebration and Symposium

Feb 10, 2026

California's Native plants are more than just a resource; they are our living link between culture, health, and the land. For millennia, Indigenous peoples have stewarded hundreds of these plants for food, medicine, and fiber, cultivating a vast, biodiverse ecosystem. Today, Native practitioners continue to…
Grown in Marin
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Seed packets
UC Marin Master Gardeners: Event

Belvedere-Tiburon Library Seed Swap

Feb 21, 2026

Program: This seed swap and plant exchange will feature vegetable, herb and ornamental seeds. We will discuss what to plant in the spring/summer garden including seeds for pollinators. There will be planting activities for all ages.Cost: FREESponsors: Marin Master Gardeners and Friends of Bel-Tib…
UC Marin Master Gardeners
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seeds in jars
UC Marin Master Gardeners: Event

Fairfax Library Spring Seed Swap

Mar 14, 2026

Program: Get ready for your summer garden by exchanging seeds and plants with your neighbors. Marin Master Gardeners will share seeds of vegetables, herbs and pollinator plants and answer your gardening questions. There will be planting activities for all ages.Cost: FREESponsors: Marin Master Gardeners and…
UC Marin Master Gardeners
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Saving and swapping seeds is an ancient tradition that protects biodiversity. Photo: Marie Narlock
UC Marin Master Gardeners: Event

Celebration of National Seed Swap Day and Opening of San Rafael Library's Seed Library

Jan 31, 2026

Program: The Marin Master Gardeners and the San Rafael Public Library celebrate National Seed Swap Day at the opening of the San Rafael Library's seed library. There will be a seed swap and plant exchange along with planting tips and planting activities organized by the Marin Master Gardeners. Learn about…
UC Marin Master Gardeners
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