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UC Marin Master Gardener Articles in the Marin Independent Journal

UC Marin Master Gardeners have contributed to the Marin Independent Journal's "Ask a Master Gardener" column every Saturday since 1999. We have a team of dedicated writers who have covered nearly every aspect of gardening for Marin County over the years. View articles from recent years below.

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male California quails have the iconic plume and outlined face, while females are less flashy and more brown

UC Marin Master Gardeners: Article

Welcome California’s bird into your garden

November 18, 2023

No offense to my friends and family, but some of the best visitors I’ve had in my garden recently have had wings, not arms. This time of year, birds seem to arrive in droves -- some to nip off seedpods from spent flowers, others to splash, drink, and dive in and out of my fountain. But my favorite…

honeybee pollinating a purple salvia flower

UC Marin Master Gardeners: Article

Embrace low-water choices

November 11, 2023

When we think of low-water, drought-tolerant plants, our minds often go straight to succulents. There are so many choices of succulents now that a case can be made that an attractive garden with colorful blooms is possible with succulents alone.Marinites are good at many things; learning to save water…

glassy-winged sharpshooter on a leaf

UC Marin Master Gardeners: Article

What is that yellow trap in my tree?

November 4, 2023

Have you ever been out on a walk and seen a yellow panel trap attached to a tree? Maybe you have had a pest detection trap in your yard. Perhaps you are like me and wonder what these things are and who put them there. To get some answers, I spoke with Allison Klein, an Inspector with the County of…

a neatly cleaned perennial bed with a new layer of mulch

UC Marin Master Gardeners: Article

Fall – it’s garden cleanup time

October 28, 2023

Just as our inner clock prompts us to “spring clean” our homes once the cold damp winter has passed, fall should prompt us to “garden clean.”As temperatures cool and daylight hours decline, plant growth tends to slow. Although fall is known to be an excellent planting season in our Mediterranean…

bouquet of pink purple and magenta dahlias in a vase

UC Marin Master Gardeners: Article

Invigorate perennials by division

October 21, 2023

Are your perennials looking overgrown, crowded, producing fewer blooms or growing bald spots? If so, it is likely time to dig up that plant, divide it into smaller clumps, and re-plant. Division is one method of asexual propagation accomplished by separating a multi-crowned perennial plant into…

net bags covering poppy seed pods to prevent seeds from blowing away in the wind

UC Marin Master Gardeners: Article

Saving seeds: select, collect, store, and share

October 14, 2023

Generations of Indigenous peoples worldwide worked for thousands of years with wild plants to produce the foods that sustain us today. Seed is the first link in the food chain, a 10,000-year-old tradition that enhances biodiversity. Seeds serve as food for humans and many species of insects and animals…

yellow flowers of the San Francisco gum plant

UC Marin Master Gardeners: Article

Native groundcovers planted this fall will keep your soil healthy for years to come

October 7, 2023

Fall is the best time to plant natives. The winter rains will help their roots dig in deep. Native plants most often reach their full size in a couple of years; during that time, they may need regular watering. Otherwise, they are mostly maintenance-free.Most important in selecting a groundcover is…

Native grasses including the shrub Verbena lilacina ‘de la Mina’

UC Marin Master Gardeners: Article

Practical ways to grow a more resilient garden

September 30, 2023

As extreme weather conditions occur worldwide, there are things gardeners can do to make gardens more resilient. Careful plant selection is the first step. A perennial is a woody or herbaceous plant that lives from year to year and does not die after flowering once. Annual plants complete their life…

honey bee pollinating a yellow mustard flower

UC Marin Master Gardeners: Article

For healthy soil, leave it alone

September 23, 2023

If you’ve been gardening for a while, you likely learned that turning your soil (tilling) to incorporate organic material, control weeds, and prepare for seeding is a good thing. There was a time when many home gardeners even had their own little rototiller to do this. Times have changed, and we now…

seedlings planted in a tin trough being used as a garden bed

UC Marin Master Gardeners: Article

Grow a fall edible garden

September 16, 2023

In our foggy, coastal microclimates, planting cool-season vegetables is possible year-round, and inland areas can start them in the fall. Many crops prefer cooler weather and can withstand frost.Starting that fall crop when the weather is cooler has benefits: they won’t bolt from the heat, the soil in…