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UC Master Gardener Program of Yolo County

Photo of blossoms on an Argentine rain lily.

February Garden Tips and Vegetable Planting Guide

January 27, 2026
Winter Cleanup - Resist the urge to give the garden a good clean up on a sunny afternoon, many of our beneficial insects and native bees will be sheltering in dried stalks, under leaves and in the ground. Continue preparations for the busy spring planting season. Clean and rinse pots with a diluted solution…
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Photo of a pipevine swallowtail resting on a person's hand.

An Introduction to Pollinators

January 27, 2026
Article by Peg Smith -  As gardeners we hear a consistent message that we should plant ‘to attract pollinators.’ Often our first thoughts quickly turn to the honeybee. But the honeybee is a non-native pollinator in North America. An introduced pollinator, brought to Jamestown in 1622 and not seen…
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Photo of a mixture of blooming California wildflowers.

Ask a Master Gardener

January 21, 2026
This column is written by the Master Gardeners of Yolo County each month. It provides answers to selected questions recently asked by Yolo County gardeners. Question: If one wants both drought-tolerant (water-efficient) and California native wildflowers, what are the options? Answer: California…
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Photo of a ripe peach growing on a tree.

Ask a Master Gardener

January 21, 2026
This column is written by the Master Gardeners of Yolo County each month. It provides answers to selected questions recently asked by Yolo County gardeners.  Question: Should I prune my fruit trees? If so, how? Answer: Yes, most fruit trees benefit from regular pruning. Done correctly, pruning…
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Photo of a hand resting on soil.

Home Soil Evaluation

January 21, 2026
 Article by Caroline Gengo, UC Master Gardener Trainee - What can your soil tell you about your garden? Soil is made up of decomposed rocks, organic matter, water, and air. Soil provides roughly eighty percent of the essential nutrients your plants need to grow. How we maintain and support our soil…
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Photo of seedlings growing in a greenhouse.

Join our Kitchen Garden Chat via Zoom

January 2, 2026
  Article and photos by Treva Valentine - In the past, when people mentioned to me that they garden, I always pictured them vegetable gardening. When I trained with the UC Master Gardener Program some thirty years ago, I quickly realized that many people who garden don’t have anything edible…
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Containers of fresh picked apricots.

January Garden Tips and Vegetable Planting Guide

January 2, 2026
 Article and photos by Peg Smith - We wish you Happy Gardening in 2026! We often set New Year’s resolutions in our lives at this time, some we achieve, some we move the needle on, and some fall by the wayside. In thinking of garden resolutions, we would encourage: to think ahead; plan; take…
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Stepover pruned apple trees along a walkway.

What’s a Stepover Fruit Tree?

January 2, 2026
Article by Peg Smith - January and February are the prime time for adding fruit trees to the garden. Many gardeners are dealing with smaller gardens where space is a premium. Often, the consideration of adding fruit trees meets the thought, ‘I don’t have enough room.’ Always Wanted Fruit Trees But…
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The Monarch Butterfly: A Pollinator that Galvanized an Army

December 19, 2025
 Article by Kathy Polkinghorn - When I applied to become a UC Master Gardener in 2015 after a few years of retirement, I was not sure what to expect. Although my career took me in a different direction, I had a midwestern farm family background and a lifelong affinity for plants. As a child, I…
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Ask A Master Gardener

December 17, 2025
This column is written by the Master Gardeners of Yolo County each month. It provides answers to selected questions recently asked by Yolo County gardeners. Question: My five-year-old grapefruit has yellowing leaves. It has not bloomed. I water it every day. What should I do? Answer: A five-year…
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Ask a Master Gardener

December 17, 2025
This column is written by the Master Gardeners of Yolo County each month. It provides answers to selected questions recently asked by Yolo County gardeners.. Question: What fungal diseases are commonly seen in fruit trees in the Sacramento Valley? What treatments do you recommend?Answer: Fruit trees in…
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Helleborus argutifolius (Corsican hellebore).

December Garden Tips and Vegetable Planting Guide

November 24, 2025
 Article and photos by Peg Smith - Amongst all the hustle and bustle of the winter holiday season, we often fall into a reflective mood as the calendar year-end approaches. An ideal time to look back on your year in the garden, not to harshly judge gardening efforts that may not have equaled your…
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Foxtail fern is not a fern; note the berries.

Ferns

November 24, 2025
 Article and photos by Peg Smith - As a young child, my experiences with ferns included long walks across Derbyshire moorland where the bracken was twice as tall as I was. Other moorland ferns indicated boggy areas to avoid. Then there was the almost compulsory maidenhair fern house plant that…
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Planting Native Annual Flowers for Earliest Spring Blooms

November 15, 2025
 Article and photos by Megan Smith -  I have to say, fall could be my very favorite time of year. Not necessarily because the garden is bursting with abundance and color, in fact quite the opposite. Plants are shutting themselves down, ending their life cycle or going dormant. Most everything…
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Ask a Master Gardener

November 12, 2025
 “Ask a Master Gardener” fields questions directly from Yolo County gardeners and other garden enthusiasts. Questions for this column can be sent to the authors at jmbaumbach@ucanr.edu, with “Ask MGs” in the subject line. People submitting questions will remain anonymous, if desired. When emailing a…
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Powdery mildew covering leaves and stems on a plant.

Ask a Master Gardener

November 10, 2025
 “Ask a Master Gardener” fields questions directly from Yolo County gardeners and other garden enthusiasts. Questions for this column can be sent to the authors at jmbaumbach@ucanr.edu, with “Ask MGs” in the subject line. People submitting questions will remain anonymous, if desired. When emailing a…
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new uc master gardener logo with an orange poppy, green leaf and blue circle background

Check Out Our New Logo!

October 27, 2025
 As a member of the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) community, the UC Master Gardener Program is excited to share our new logo!Continuing the use of the California poppy as our symbol, it honors our history using a fresh, modern design. Over the last forty-five years…
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Salvia 'Anthony Parker" in bloom.

November Garden Tips and Vegetable Planting Guide

October 27, 2025
 Article by Peg Smith - The average monthly rainfall in October for Davis is 1.8 inches. My rain gauge measured a nice ‘dose’ of rain from the recent storm, 1.5 inches, that washed away the summer’s dust from the garden. Plants look brighter and refreshed. Depending on where you live, Yolo County…
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A mockingbird in the branches of Peg's persimmon tree.

Gardening Is for the Birds!

October 27, 2025
  Article by Peg Smith - For the first time in forty-plus years, our Hachiya persimmon has produced very little fruit. This appears to be anecdotally common this year. The persimmon’s annual seasonal changes are easy to identify: dormant, spring/early summer fruit drop (also called ‘barefoot…
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Foothill Penstemon in bloom.

Notes From My Garden - Caring For Natives in the Fall and Winter

October 22, 2025
Article and photos by Joy Sakai -  Have you noticed that most native plant gardeners avoid deadheading during the summer and fall? That's because native bees are using the flowers for nectar and pollen, and birds feed on the seeds. For another thing, nobody wants to go out and garden in 100° plus…
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Welcome

As part of the University of California's Agriculture and Natural Resources division, the UC Master Gardener Program of Yolo County volunteers are here to share 

Master Gardener table at UC Davis Arboretum plant sale
Table at UC Arboretum Plant Sale

research-based knowledge and sustainable gardening practices with our neighbors. Whether you are just starting a garden or are an experienced gardener, want to grow food or cut flowers, have raised beds, potted plants, or a large home garden, we are here to help.  Our mission is to extend research-based knowledge and information on home horticulture, pest management, and sustainable landscape practices to the residents of California. You can find us at Farmer's Market tables in Woodland and Davis, a Q&A table at a home improvement store in West Sacramento, and demonstration gardens in Davis, Woodland, Winters, and Clarksburg.  We also provide regular advice via Zoom, including the "Kitchen Chat" and "Gardening for Year-Round Meals". 

Ask a question, attend a public class, or find information through our free publications.

The Yolo Gardener Newsletter

The Yolo Gardener Newsletter is published monthly in email format. Our goal is to provide our subscribers with research-based gardening education, expert advice, and inspiring content.  You will find articles written by master gardeners, as well as information on training, events, activities, and ways to engage with the master gardener community. Subscribe Here

Upcoming Events 

Join us for webinars, workshops, hands-on demonstrations, and classes to learn expert tips to help your garden thrive.  Upcoming Events

 

Master Gardener Presentations Presentations

 

Demonstration Gardens  

Grace garden winter crops
Grace Garden Winter crops

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Upcoming Events

master gardener volunteers answering gardening questions
February 7, 2026

Lowes' Question and Answer Desk

The UC Master Gardeners of Yolo County will be available to answer your gardening questions from 10am until noon at their twice monthly gardening "Questions and Answers Desk."
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garden with drip irrigation main line with small drip tubing. Photo UC ANR
February 12, 2026

Spring into Irrigation

This week’s topic is “Spring into Irrigation " with Elise Shtayyeh and Maureen Clark.Get a head start on prepping your garden for spring! Help your garden thrive this spring! Learn all about the…
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February 13, 2026

Soil Types

Gardening Adventures Program at Woodland Senior Center will present Soil Types by UC Master Gardeners of Yolo County.   Knowing about the type of soil in your garden can help you select suitable…
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Office Locations

UC Cooperative Extension - Yolo County

2780 E. Gibson Rd.
Woodland , CA 95776
United States

Phone
(530) 666-8737
Leave a message and a Master Gardener will get back to you.
mgyolo@ucdavis.edu
nsteinpeterson@ucanr.edu

Mission Statement

"To extend research-based knowledge and information on home horticulture, pest management, and sustainable landscape practices to the residents of California."