The UC Master Gardeners of Humboldt and Del Norte Counties offer free classes, workshops, and events throughout the year. Our programs are designed for home gardeners of all experience levels. Whether you're just starting your first vegetable garden or you've been gardening in our communities for decades, there's something for you.

Our events include hands-on workshops on topics like pruning fruit trees, starting plants from seed, composting, and water-wise landscaping. Registration may be required for most events to ensure we have adequate space and supplies.

We add new workshops throughout the year, so check back often! You can also sign up for our monthly newsletter to receive event notifications and seasonal gardening tips directly to your inbox.

Saturday, April 18, 2026, 12:00 - 1:30 pm

Humboldt County Library, 1313 3rd Street, Eureka 
Free. Pre-registration not required.

Firewise Gardening: 
Fire Safe Solutions for Design, Building, and Upkeep

Yana Valachovic,

Forest Advisor and County Director - Humboldt & Del Norte Counties, Fire Network Community Resiliency and Build Environment Program Lead, serving California

Feeling overwhelmed about wildfire in California? You are not alone, but the good news is that there is a lot you can do to reduce risk and help your family and community withstand wildfire. In her current work with the University of California Fire Network, Yana Valachovic has conducted post-fire assessments in California and Colorado, including in Altadena and Palisades. For this program, she will bring key insights into building and landscaping design and maintenance that make a difference in building survivability and property protection. Yana will give a brief overview of her research findings and share practical, low-cost, science-based actions that can help you protect your house and family. As Yana says, “wildfire adaptation will not occur overnight, but there is a pathway and clear evidence to help all of us live successfully with wildfire now and into the future”.

Yana Valachovic, a scientist with the University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources Fire Network, is passionate about helping communities learn to live with wildfire. She works at many scales and is a state leader in developing and delivering local and state strategies to improve wildfire resilience. Yana has over 25 years of experience in county government and community engagement. She also has a perspective on how California is attempting to pivot to address the wildfire and insurance crises and holds roles with the Governor’s Wildfire Forest Resilience Task Force and the Wildfire Mitigation Committee. In addition to her research experience, she also has practical skills gained from a ‘back to the land’ upbringing where her family believed plants were more important than people—they provided essential food, didn’t talk back, and never started wars. Living off the grid, Yana gained an early appreciation for building design, construction, and maintenance; a love of plants; and an appreciation of how a community can come together to support each other’s needs.

Fire Hazard Reduction and More. For more information, email us.

Upcoming Events - April, May, and June

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Save the Date—2026 Master Gardener Speakers Series

March 21, 2026—From Seed to Garden Planting
April 18, 2026—Firewise Gardening
May 16, 2026—Gardening for the Birds
June 20, 2026 —Diagnosing Plant Diseases 
July 18, 2026—Honeybees in the Garden
August 15, 2026—Vermicomposting with Kitchen Scraps
September 19, 2026—No More Naked Gardens
October 17, 2026—Avoiding Compost and Mulch Mistakes
November 21, 2026—Bulbs, Tubers, Rhizomes & Corms, Oh My!

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We add new events throughout the year, so check back often!