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OCTOBER

FALL IS HERE
TIME TO GIVE YOUR TOOLS SOME TLC...
As fall starts to creep in, now is a great time to clean and sharpen your gardening tools to make sure they are in tip-top shape for the spring season. Here are some helpful tips for keeping your tools in prime condition. If you need to replace any of your tools, keep in mind the tool’s construction, comfort, and cost.

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DON’T LET YOUR KITCHEN SCRAPS GO TO WASTE
Add your kitchen scraps to your compost pile as a nutrient rich green material that you can use to feed your garden soil. When you add green material, you will also need to add brown materials as well. Learn more about the benefits of composting and which compost system is best for you.

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FALL IS TIME TO PLANT SPRING BULBS & NATIVES
Besides applying mulch and preparing your garden for the colder months to come, fall is the best time to plant spring bulbs and natives.  Learn how to choose some beautiful, healthy bulbs and visit your local nursery for easy California natives for your garden. Watch our video on this home page for more on success with natives!


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HAND PICK THOSE PESTS AWAY
Now’s a good time to wander through your garden at night and pluck away any snails and slugs you see. Keeping these pests under control now will reduce the number of snails and slugs that torment your garden in spring. Learn more about their habits, hiding places and other ways of preventing them in your garden.


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ITS TIME TO CHANGE YOUR WATERING SCHEDULE
Shorter days and cooler temperatures means that plants require less water to thrive. Did you know most irrigation times and frequencies can be reduced by 20 to 40 percent with little to no effects on landscaping? Learn more about how and when to reduce your watering. Sign up for the Marin Municipal Water District’s (MMWD) weekly watering schedule.

"Ask a Master Gardener..."

FEATURED THIS WEEK IN THE MARIN IJ:

Practical ways to grow a more resilient garden

  • As extreme weather conditions occur worldwide, there are things gardeners can do to make gardens more resilient. Careful plant selection is the first step...

MARIN IJ GARDENING TIP OF THE WEEK:

GO TO THE MARIN IJ ARCHIVE PAGE FOR MORE STORIES AND GARDENING TIPS!

Upcoming Events
Event Name Date
Pruning Perennials and Flowering Shrubs 10/7/2023
Demystifying Irrigation 10/7/2023
About Succulents 10/11/2023
Fall Garden Prepping for Spring 10/14/2023
WATCH & LEARN
on Our YouTube Channel

GETTING TO KNOW SUCCULENTS

SUCCESS WITH NATIVE PLANTS: 4 ESSENTIAL TIPS

4 BASIC PRUNING CUTS, DEMONSTRATED & EXPLAINED!

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