Napa Master Gardener Column

By Cindy Watter, UC Master Gardener of Napa CountyFor many people, spring begins with the UC Master Gardeners of Napa County tomato sale, which will be held on Saturday, April 11, this year.   Just as the tomato sale signals spring, a ripe tomato is practically the trademark of summer.   Many of us…

By Cindy Watter, UC Master Gardener of Napa County.  If you have read my columns for a few years, you will know I am crazy about compost.  It satisfies my parsimony and indolence: a compost pile costs nothing, and even if you do nothing to it, it will decompose into a useful soil amendment.  …

Pat Hitchcock, UC Master Gardener of Napa County.What gardener’s thoughts do not turn to the vegetable patch when the sun comes out after a long spell of rainy days? Most of us want to jump right into the beloved tomatoes and beans of summer, even though their planting time is still a couple of months away…

By David Shubin, ISA Certified Arborist and UC Master Gardener of Napa County.   Master Gardeners are often asked about the best time to plant a fruit tree. And I think we usually all give the same answer: It depends.  I know that’s not a satisfying reply. It can feel vague, even evasive. But…

By Cindy Watter, UC Master Gardener of Napa County.   February is a good month for planning everything and planting some things.  When I review my gardening calendar/journal, I grin.  There is a yawning chasm between the plans and the accomplishments.But I have success in one thing: I…