County encourages residents to compost household organic wasteJackson, CA- In an effort to support California’s greenhouse gas emission goals and comply with Senate Bill 1383, Amador County is proud to announce the opening of a new compost collection center in Jackson. The Community Compost Site at Mother…
Two of the most common earthworms found in our area are redworms and nightcrawlers. Redworms (eisenia foetida, also known as red wiggler worms) are shallow dwellers, living in the top 12 inches of the soil. These are the worms most commonly used for vermicomposting, a method of creating rich garden compost…
A new Community Compost Site opened in June 2025 at Mother Lode Land Trust’s C&C Ranch. The site is a collaborative effort by the Land Trust, University of California Master Gardeners, Amador Waste Management and Recycling Department, and is supported by a generous grant from CalRecycle. This partnership…
By Carmen Kappos Inyo-Mono Master Gardener Volunteer While the words soil and dirt are often used interchangeably there are differences between them. Recently, Dustin Blakey, our local UCCE Farm Advisor, gave a talk called “Preparing Garden Soil on the East Side.” During this discussion Dustin…
Here are a few brief factsheets that explain characteristics of some local soils here in the Eastern Sierra. These are just overviews, but are a good place to start if you are considering putting in a new garden.Many of the worst soils in our region occur in places where there are no gardens currently. If…
Some questions continually resurface on the Inyo-Mono Master Gardener helpline. Hopefully your question is answered here! Additional soil resources can be found on our website, but this is a good page to start with.FAQsQ: My plants are dying. What fertilizer is missing? A: It is exceedingly unusual to…
Summary: This limited study indicated that a slight deposition of metals (Copper and Manganese) may have occurred in one agricultural field, but the increases measured in the surface samples were likely insignificant relative to normal background levels for these soil types. Other sites showed no increase in…
