Gardening and Landscaping
Below is a list of some some of our favorite websites for gardening and landscaping.
- The Shasta Horticulture Resource Bulletin includes a calendar of various garden events and tips for Shasta County gardeners: (SHRB)
- City of Redding website describes plants that are appropriate to grow in the north state: Redding Water Smart Gardening
- UC Davis Arboretum All-Star plants, All Star Plants
- The California Native Plant Society describes how to create a native plant garden: Native Plant Gardens
- A UC guide to healthy lawns: Healthy Lawns
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: USDA Zone Map
- Self-Guided Tour of Trees at Shasta College (Brochure)
Pests, Weeds, and Invasive Species
Pest Management
The University of California Integrated Pest Management Program (UCIPM) is a great resource to identify plant pests and learn how to control them. The program focuses on pest management while minimizing risks to people and the environment.
- Plant Problem Diagnostic Tool: UCIPM
- UC IPM Pest Notes: Pest Notes
Weeds and Invasive Plants
These University of California websites are helpful for learning how to identify and control weeds.
If you have questions about invasive plants, check out the California Invasive Plant Council (Cal-IPC). The website describes invasive plants of our area: Cal-IPC
Water Wise Gardening
Shasta College Water Wise Workshop Videos
Shasta College, Shasta County Master Gardeners, and KIXE produced a series of videos about maintaining landscapes during water restrictions. The video links below are housed on YouTube.
- Staying Green (2hrs 43min)
- Gray Water (2hrs 10min)
- Landscape Makeover (2hrs 18min)
- Composting (5min)
- Mulching (6min)
- Irrigation Resources (17min)
- Irrigation Installation (22min)
- Compost and Wildlife (4min)
- Advanced Compost Tips (6min)
- Compost Demonstration (6min)
- Lasagna Mulch Method (11min)
- Transition Your Lawn (4min)
Another Resource for Water Wise Gardening
University of California publication: Gardening during Drought or Water Restrictions
Planting Guides for Valley Areas
Master Gardeners have developed vegetable planting guides for the valley areas of Shasta County. Typically, this includes gardens in USDA Hardiness Zones 9a and 9b in most parts of Anderson (9a), Cottonwood (9a), Redding (9b) and Shasta Lake (9b). The guides are displayed in two different views. You can choose which format you prefer.
- Shasta County Vegetable Planting Calendar (table view)
- Monthly Planting Guide for Shasta County (list view)
Valley Frosts and Chill Hours
The last frost for the valley areas of Shasta County is usually around April 15th; however, frosts vary and can occur until the first part of May. It is best to wait to plant vegetables until the soil warms to at least 65ºF.
The first fall frost for the Redding area is about mid-November.
Chill hours are the number of hours that many fruit trees need to successfully produce a fruit crop. The Redding area usually has around 600 to 700 chill hours each year.
Planting Guide for Colder Areas
If your garden is at a higher elevation, or has a colder microclimate, then you will need to adjust your planting schedule to account for late spring and early fall frosts. Butte County Master Gardeners have prepared a planting guide for the colder foothill areas: Foothill Planting Guide for Vegetables (From Butte County MGs)