The Latest Dirt
Fall 2025 - Volume 15, Issue 3
Editor’s Note: It’s been a while since our last issue of The Latest Dirt—thank you for your patience as our team took a short break to regroup and refresh! Over the past six months, we’ve been rethinking how best to share all the great work happening across the UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County. We’re excited to be back, ready to dig in with new stories, timely gardening tips, and updates that highlight the many ways our volunteers make a difference in the community.
We’re also thrilled to welcome the New Volunteer Training class of 2026! This group brings fresh energy, curiosity, and a love of learning that reminds us why we do what we do. We can’t wait to see them grow into their new roles and share their enthusiasm in our gardens, at events, and throughout the county. Welcome, trainees—we’re so glad you’ve joined the UC Master Gardener family!
This issue opens with warm greetings from Dawn Kooyumjian, our CoCoMG Program Coordinator, and Terri Takusagawa, an Executive Leadership Team member-at-large. Ann Ramirez, NVT Project Lead, follows with updates on the New Volunteer Training Program. Then, meet our 26 new trainees in their own words—each with a unique and inspiring story—and hear from several 2025 graduates reflecting on their first year as UC Master Gardeners.
Also in this issue: David George highlights four CoCoMGs honored as 2025 Gardeners with Heart, a statewide recognition celebrating extraordinary dedication. Bonnie Dwyer offers an essential piece on using soap and detergent safely in the garden. At the same time, Emma Connery from the Help Desk investigates the curious case of lichen growing on a client’s Japanese maple tree. David also contributes a thoughtful profile of UC Master Gardener Titiana Buchholdt, and we wrap up with a look at the Water Conservation Garden’s first Open House.
And finally, if you haven’t already, please sign up as a member on CoCoMGHub.com. This site is moderated, as it contains a wealth of resources for Master Gardener volunteers’ eyes only! This issue of The Latest Dirt will be made available there a few days after publication. See you on the Hub!
Simone Adair, Editor
Hybrid Learning, Hands-On Growth: Introducing the 2026 New Volunteer Training Class
A warm welcome to our new trainees—the soon-to-be Class of 2026!
This year’s class is hybrid, with a Thursday evening Zoom lecture and an in-person Saturday morning session.
The ELT Warmly Welcomes the Class of 2026
Executive Leadership Team Member-at-Large and former New Volunteer Training Project Lead Terri Takusagawa offers a behind-the-scenes look at our newest trainees as they explore lab sessions, a workshop at the Rivertown Demonstration Garden, and their first Ask A Master Gardener table.
New Volunteer Training Class: Program Overview & Updates
With the goal of equipping new volunteers with current research-based knowledge and program-specific information, the New Volunteer Training course has undergone several updates.
The Next Chapter in UC Master Gardening: Class of 2026
This wonderful group of 26 brings a blend of talents, curiosity, and a shared love of gardening to our program. In this issue, you’ll get to put faces to names, enjoy a few fun facts from their bios, and feel the enthusiasm already blooming in this year’s class.
A First Year’s First Year
Year 1 UC Master Gardener Lisa Phillips shares her experiences sampling a variety of CoCoMG roles, from working hands-on at Our Garden to helping a community garden identify the problem with a diseased tree.
New UC Master Gardeners Jump In
Mike and Karen Lance took the New Volunteer Training together and found comradery everywhere they've volunteered. Whether it's at the Rivertown Demo Garden, giving a talk on cherries at Our Garden, or helping to train the Class of 2026, the Lances are enjoying their time contributing to the UC Master Gardeners.
A First Year's Musings
Liz Engh found her calling by diving into every part of the Great Tomato Plant Sale—starting with potting up plants and later moving to the cash register. She soon became a regular at the Help Desk, earning the coveted key-card access to the UC Master Gardener offices. Liz rounded out her volunteer hours this year by lending a hand at several Farmers Markets.
Four CoCoMgs Honored as "Gardeners with Heart"
The statewide UC Master Gardener Program honored four CoCoMGs as “Gardeners with Heart.” They're celebrated this year for their extraordinary dedication in two statewide impact areas: Community Wellbeing and Food Gardening.
Beware Using Soap & Detergent in the Garden
UC Master Gardener Bonnie Dwyer explains why kitchen detergent and soap sprays can cause serious problems in your garden, including phytotoxicity and leaf damage. Learn about soap, one of humanity's oldest chemical reactions and detergents, a World War I creation.
Wood Rotting Fungi Infects Maple Tree
The Help Desk’s Emma Connery recently identified a strange growth on a client’s Japanese maple as conks, a type of wood–rotting fungus. She provided a UC IPM Pest Note with detailed information on the fungi and recommendations for proper cultural care, along with a link to help the client find a certified arborist.
Read more
From Alaska to the Garden Gate: Titania Buchholdt’s Journey
Class of 2020 graduate Titania Buchholdt has weathered her share of challenges — from a serious injury to the long isolation of the pandemic — yet her creativity and volunteer spirit continue to shine. In this interview, David George talks with Titania about resilience, purpose, and finding joy in growth.
El Cerrito Garden Celebrates First Open House
Last June, the UC Master Gardener Water Conservation Garden, in El Cerrito, celebrated its first anniversary. Visitors learned about water conservation, rainwater collection and soil mechanics.
Go Back to: CoCoMGHub Top CCMG Home
To contact us: email cocomg+subscribe@googlegroups.com to join our informal email list, CoCoMG@googlegroups.com. Moderators will add you after checking the current Contra Costa County UC Master Gardener list.
You can also sign up for our external newsletter 'News To Grow By'