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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. Search our archives below by category of interest, or use the search box to locate stories by year, month or specific subject.

Leaflet Archive

HELP DESK

pink blossoms of Achillea or Yarrow

UC Marin Master Gardeners: Article

Frugal gardening through propagation

March 30, 2024

It’s easy to go to a garden store or nursery and spend more than you planned when the gorgeous blooms and dazzling colors are so tempting. But it’s just as easy to be a frugal gardener by propagating plants you already have. It’s fun, satisfying, and not as daunting as you might think.There are two…

hands planting seeds in trays of soil

UC Marin Master Gardeners: Article

Starting seeds, a closer look at starting your spring garden

March 23, 2024

Are you reading seed catalogs and dreaming of what to grow in our spring gardens? Starting flowers and vegetables from seeds is a good way to save money and give your garden a head start. An indoor seed starting project lets you choose from a wide variety of resources and costs less than purchasing…

oleander bush with pink flowers blooming

UC Marin Master Gardeners: Article

Poisonous plants

March 16, 2024

When my husband told me he saw a woman picking a bouquet of oleander, I was surprised that someone was unaware of oleander’s toxicity.Nerium oleander contains a potent heart toxin. The leaves and branches are dangerous if burned or used in cooking. It is among the most common calls to the California…

drip irrigation watering small seedlings in the ground

UC Marin Master Gardeners: Article

Irrigation: how much, how often?

March 9, 2024

The early months of the year, when we hope for abundant rain and have watering systems turned off, are the best times to consider maintenance, changes, or installing a new watering system for your garden.Drip irrigation, which is how most of us should water our gardens (except for lawns, which are…

a monarch butterfly feeding on the nectar of an aster

UC Marin Master Gardeners: Article

Pollinators are good for the garden

March 2, 2024

Every year in the late winter/early spring, Marin Master Gardeners holds a pollinator/beneficial plant sale. This is a highly-anticipated event in the gardening community. This year's sale is coming up next week on March 9 at the Falkirk Cultural Center's greenhouse on Mission Street in San Rafael.Why…

yellow, white, and black striped caterpillar eating a leaf

UC Marin Master Gardeners: Article

Want to help the Earth? Think small.

February 24, 2024

Imagine a world without insects. No creepy-crawlies. No cooties. Nothing to swat at barbecues, smoosh at picnics, or scrape off windshields. A pest-free existence! Ah, the sweet life sans fly swatter. Sounds terrific, right?Wrong.If insects disappeared, humans would be doomed.The food webs that support…

Galls and necrosis where galls dropped from the leaf on a coast live oak leaf

UC Marin Master Gardeners: Article

Oak leaves turning brown? Could be the two-horned gall wasp...

February 17, 2024

Many coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia) trees are showing unusual browning in their canopies in the last month or two. If you look carefully, you may see small, crescent-shaped galls forming on the undersides of the leaves, mostly along the lateral veins. The galls will initially be green, then turn…

a rock swale through a garden of native grasses

UC Marin Master Gardeners: Article

Fire-smart landscaping and Earth-friendly gardening on display in Marin

February 10, 2024

Fire-smart landscaping and Earth-friendly gardening protect your home, strengthen your defensible space, and enhance our planet. For inspiration, visit Marin’s demonstration gardens to see these principles on display. Fire-smart landscapingFire-smart landscaping (FSL) includes:Thoughtful design: 5…

rosebud on a rose bush

UC Marin Master Gardeners: Article

Pruning & leaf stripping of roses

February 3, 2024

Someone once said: “Life is like a rose garden — watch for the thorns and keep the pest dust handy.” Marin Master Gardener rose experts advise that in addition to pest dust, another way to enhance the life of the roses in your garden is to prune them between mid-January and mid-February. Pruning will…

oak woodland with some trees with brown leaves and some trees with green leaves

UC Marin Master Gardeners: Article

Keeping California oaks healthier

January 27, 2024

Shortly before the year 2000, California oaks began dying. The University of California launched an investigation. What was causing this plague, and how might California oaks be kept healthier? A water-borne organism, Phytophthora ramorum, was found to be the culprit. Derived from Greek and Latin, it…