Events Calendar > Spring Garden Fair

Use our free Plant Daycare for your purchases, then join us for these great gardening talks and get your questions answered afterward. Talks will be held outdoors on our parcel. Most will last about 45 minutes.

In the Pavilion

10 am — Freshen up Your Succulent Pots
Join Master Gardener Judy Hecht as she freshens up a container of succulents for spring.  Watch her transform a leggy, tired succulent arrangement and get tips on growing succulents.

11 am — The Joy of Growing Warm Season Vegetables
Get practical, beginner‑friendly tips for successfully cultivating peppers, herbs, eggplants, tomatillos, squash, cucumbers, beans, greens, and other vegetables. Expand your skills, explore new varieties, and learn about culturally diverse, high‑yield crops. 

Noon — Growing Great Peppers
Join Master Gardener Laura Westley to learn all about growing great chilis/peppers in Santa Clara County, even if you don't have a yard. Whether you like them mild, medium, hot, or extremely hot, there’s a pepper to grow for you, and they do great in containers! Laura will discuss the best growing conditions, appropriate container sizes, temperature, soil, water, fertilizing, and which varieties do great here.

1 pm — Successful Summer Harvests from Containers
Would you love to grow sun-loving vegetables or flowers, but don’t have enough sun in your yard? Do you live in an apartment and don’t have any ground to plant in? Would you like to walk out your back door and pick something amazing to eat or some beautiful flowers for a vase? Then gardening in containers is for you! Come join Master Gardener Laura Westley as she teaches you all about successfully growing plants in containers. You’ll learn what containers to use, and the requirements for soil, fertilizer, and water to keep your container garden growing all season. She'll also do a demo planting in a container.

At the South Fence Pavilion

10:30 am — Biodiversity in Urban Gardens (BUG) Study
Be a citizen scientist and participate in the BUG study: Biodiversity in Urban Gardens. Master Gardener Ann Finney will explain how the study works, then will take you on a guided walk through our native plants along the south fence.

Noon — Kitchen Garden Basics
New to gardening? Join Master Gardener Kathy Kaplan to learn how to create a kitchen garden, whether large or small, from the ground (soil) up. Yes, even an apartment balcony is a possibility for your “kitchen garden.” The topics of light requirement, plant selection, soil amendments, and garden location will be discussed. 

At the Farm Stand

11:30 am — Bee All That You Can Bee: Boost Your Harvest with Native Plants
Learn how to get the most out of your veggie garden this year—especially your tomatoes—by understanding how pollination really works and why native bees are the secret to better harvests. We’ll cover self‑pollinating vs. cross‑pollinating crops, explore the magic of buzz pollination, and share which native plants you can add now (and next fall) to attract these super‑pollinators. Join us for a fun, practical session and a garden walk to spot bees in action.

12:30 pm — Fire-Adapted Landscapes, Fire-Ready Homes
Barb Satink Wolfson, Area Fire Advisor, UC Cooperative Extension, will discuss ways to make homes more resilient to wildfire and introduce the ecology behind our fire-adapted landscapes. This will include some dos and don’ts for homes and gardens that can make a big difference in reducing wildfire risk.

In the Orchard

11 am — Spring Prep for Fruit Trees
The Orchard is popping right now, and there is lots to do in April to get the most out of your trees. We’ll discuss planting, pruning, fertilizer, water, thinning, grafting, and more. Plenty of time for fruit tree questions, including before and after the talk, when Don Bollinger will be in the Orchard. Don is the lead for the Orchard at our Martial Cottle Park demo garden. 

In the Gardens

10 am — Plants You Can Drink: Raise a Bed, Raise a Glass
Take a guided stroll through our demonstration gardens and meet the plants used to make refreshing, botanical infusions. Join Master Gardener Monique Frappier to explore useful trees and shrubs, and learn how the tall raised beds in the Garden-to-Glass collection grow plants for beverages in small spaces with less water.

Location: Meet at the side entrance of the modular.

10 am — Growing Great Tomatoes
Are you ready for a taste of summer’s jewels? It’s time to plant tomatoes, and it’s really easy to do. Master Gardener Jim Bell will share what you need to know to grow your own great tomatoes.

Location: Meet at the tomato beds near the east fence.

11 am — Planting Zinnias Demo
Master Gardener Nella Henninger will demonstrate how to plant zinnia seeds for a bountiful cut-flower garden.

Location: Meet at the ornamental beds.

11 am — Garlic Demo
Learn all about growing and harvesting garlic with Master Gardener Kathy Kaplan.

Location: Meet at the garlic beds.

11:30 am — Growing Great Tomatoes
Are you ready for a taste of summer’s jewels? It’s time to plant tomatoes, and it’s really easy to do. Master Gardener Jim Bell will share what you need to know to grow your own great tomatoes.

Location: Meet at the tomato beds near the east fence.

Noon — Irrigation Demo
Join MG Hank Morales to learn about irrigation.

Location: Meet at the garden beds.

1 pm — Growing Great Tomatoes
Are you ready for a taste of summer’s jewels? It’s time to plant tomatoes, and it’s really easy to do. Master Gardener Jim Bell will share what you need to know to grow your own great tomatoes.

Location: Meet at the tomato beds near the east fence.