Registration + Workshop Locations + Questions, Cancellations, and Waiting List
April
Growing Berries and Grapes
Wednesday, April 2, 1–2:30pm
Demonstration Garden, limit 25
This workshop takes place at our berry and grape garden, where a number of varieties were planted in early 2021. You will learn about the best varieties to plant in our climate, along with optimum methods of planting, training, pruning, irrigating, and harvesting. In addition to grapes, the workshop will cover other brambleberry fruits of interest to participants. Bring your questions!!
Register for Growing Berries and Grapes
Companion Planting in Your Vegetable Garden
Saturday, April 5, 10–11:30am
Chapman Park Teaching Garden at the Dorothy F. Johnson Center (775 E 16th Street, Chico), limit 35
Companion planting is the practice of arranging plants in proximity to one another so that they attract beneficial insects and pollinators, deter unwanted pests, and offer shelter and food for beneficial insects. Companion plants provide one another with things they need, such as nutrients, shade, and physical support. In this workshop you will learn how to accomplish this in the home vegetable garden, focusing on the potential symbiotic relationships between various vegetable, herb, and flower combinations. We will include time for you to analyze your own garden and consider plant combinations that might work well there.
Register for Companion Planting in Your Vegetable Garden
Growing Flowers NEW
Friday, April 11, 10am–noon
Pat's Barn, limit 30
This workshop will help you get started with the flower garden of your dreams or sharpen and hone the flower gardening skills you already have. From the fundamentals of flower garden planning through site selection and preparation, seed starting, propagating, and a number of different growing techniques—we’ve got it all covered.
Gophers, Moles, and Voles
Tuesday, April 15, 10–11:30am
Demonstration Garden, limit 25
There is nothing peskier than vertebrate pests in your garden. Join us to gain some knowledge about how to deal with these monsters that plague your yard. We will also have a Master Gardener available to show you exactly how to set Gopher Traps
Register for Gophers, Moles, and Voles
Primal Spring Therapy: Jumpstart Your Garden NEW
Co-sponsored with OLLI
Saturday, April 19, noon–2pm
Bradley 2 at The Social, limit 50
Ready to shake the winter blues? Itching to start your garden? Not sure where to start? Join us to learn tips and tricks that will rev up your spring garden for the season. From fine-tuning fruit trees to supercharging perennial garden beds, we'll share practical takeaways valuable for novice gardeners and old pros alike. There will be a focus on soil-building techniques, prepping for the summer vegetable garden, and making hardscape changes. Ample time will be devoted to Q&A, so please come prepared with your questions, ideas, and dreams!
Register for Primal Spring Therapy: Jumpstart Your Garden
Composting
Tuesday, April 22, 1–2:30pm
Demonstration Garden, limit 25 people
Learn how to use leaves, garden waste, and kitchen scraps to enrich your soil. This workshop will cover both cold and hot composting methods, demonstrate helpful composting tools, and review tips for building bins. We’ll explain carbon: nitrogen ratios while keeping it simple, and discuss various types of composting techniques that range from simple to complex. By giving you choices, you can choose the style that best fits your resources and needs. Let's create healthier soil together!
May
Wildlife in Native Gardens NEW
Tuesday, May 6, 10–11:30am
Demonstration Garden, limit 25 people
Would you like your yard to be a haven for native wildlife? Landscaping with native plants is only the beginning! In this workshop, we’ll discuss other important features that can be incorporated into your garden to attract, feed, and support the life cycles of many different kinds of wildlife, including birds, insects, lizards, and more.
Register for Wildlife in Native Gardens
DIY Hardscaping NEW
Thursday, May 8, 10–11:30am
Pat's Barn, limit 30
In planning your new drought-tolerant landscape, consider adding some hardscaping too. Choose hardscape materials that are permeable so water will filter through and recharge our groundwater. Create places to sit and rest in the garden. Include boulders, rocks, and loose rock walls to provide wildlife habitat.
Weed ID and Control
Tuesday, May 13, 10–11:30am
Demonstration Garden, limit 25 people
Join us for a fascinating exploration of the clues that weeds can offer about soil problems. Using the gardens at Patrick Ranch as a lab, a team of Master Gardeners will show you how to identify common weeds and what their presence might reveal about the health of the soil. Knowing what the presence of particular weeds indicates can help you manage soil more efficiently and with less reliance on herbicides. A discussion of mulch as a way to prevent and control weeds is also included in this workshop.
Register for Weed ID and Control
Garden Tool Maintenance and Care
Saturday, May 24, noon–2pm
Demonstration Garden, limit 25 people
Do your favorite tools need some TLC, but you need help figuring out where to start? Join this interactive workshop to learn some techniques and good practices to extend the life of your tools and make them work harder for you. We'll also explore more unusual garden tools to see if you want to upgrade your toolshed. Attendees can bring one garden tool for a preliminary assessment of the necessary repairs and how it can be better maintained.
Register for Garden Tool Maintenance and Care
June
Succulents
Tuesday, June 3, 10–11:30am
Demonstration Garden, limit 25 people
Succulents do well in our Mediterranean climate because their thick, fleshy leaves retain water during long dry summers. Their striking and unusual appearance makes these plants great choices for ornamental gardens. This workshop focuses on the heat and water requirements of succulents, and covers types that are suitable for planting in the ground and in containers. We will include a tour of our new Succulent Garden and a discussion of the plants featured there.
“Black Gold” Vermiculture
Friday, June 6, 10–11:30
Demonstration Garden, limit 25 people
We don’t mean oil! We mean the beautiful, rich, nutritious compost you create from kitchen and garden scraps, along with help from the vermiculture community. Worms consume the biomass you provide them, digest it, and then excrete worm castings, or “Black Gold.” This workshop, taught by a Certified Composter, will show you how to start the process and keep the worms happy so they continue to cast off Black Gold for your plants.
Register for “Black Gold” Vermiculture
About the Workshops
Registration
- Workshops are free—registration is required for all workshops.
- Participation is limited. Limit is indicated for each workshop.
- Registration is on a first come, first served basis.
- Heavy rain cancels outdoor workshops (unless noted); canceled workshops will be rescheduled.
Workshop Locations
- Pat’s Barn and the Demonstration Garden: Patrick Ranch, 10381 Midway, between Chico and Durham.
- Bradley 2 at The Social 1400 W. 3rd St., Chico
- Terry Ashe Recreation Center, 6626 Skyway, Paradise
- Plant Barn Nursery, 406 Entler Ave, Chico
- Other locations: will be either indicated in the descriptions or for private residents registered participants will receive an address via email several days before the workshop.
Questions? Need to cancel? Want to get on a Workshop Waiting List?
Please email us at anrmgbutte@ucanr.edu. Be sure to include your phone number in case we need to contact you.
Watch a Workshop
Missed a workshop? Videos of some past workshops can be found on our YouTube channel.
Give a Gift to the UC Master Gardeners of Butte County
Gifts help support our workshops, the Demonstration Garden at Patrick Ranch, and Master Gardener community outreach projects in Butte County. Thank you! Your support is greatly appreciated!