Spring 2026 Workshops
March
Pollinator Gardens NEW
Monday, March 9, 1–2:30pm
Terry Ashe Recreation Center, 50 people
Create and conserve habitat for our all-important pollinators! Because of their critical contribution to plant reproduction and diversity, pollinating species (insects and other invertebrates) are considered keystone indicators of environmental health. Join a local expert from the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation to learn how to attract and retain pollinators such as bumble bees, native bees, and Monarch butterflies to your garden.
Register for Pollinator Gardens
Vegetable Gardening NEW
Thursday, March 12, 10am–noon
Demonstration Garden, 20 people
Growing your own food is satisfying, healthy, and delicious! This workshop focuses on selecting the best available site in your garden for growing vegetables; determining whether to plant in the ground or in raised beds; preparing the site; irrigation requirements; garden planning; and, finally, planting and maintenance of the garden.
Register for Vegetable Gardening
Firewise Land Stewardship NEW
Saturday March 21, 10am–noon
Bradley 2 at The Social, 50 people
Offered in partnership with OLLI
This presentation will cover fire behavior, State guidelines for defensible space, and how to create and maintain a defensible space around your home through a lens of land stewardship. We will walk through a mock home fire-safety assessment and the three zones of defensible space, discussing how to obtain personalized landowner objectives, while considering both fire safety and ecosystem health. We’ll discuss plant selection, plant spacing, land stewardship techniques and methods, and local resources for people to tap into.
Register for Firewise Land Stewardship
April
Grafting Fruit Trees NEW
Thursday, April 9, 10-11:30am
Pat’s Barn, 30 people
Grafting and budding are methods of plant propagation that join parts of different plants so that they will grow as one plant. Nearly all fruit trees are grown on rootstocks that have been selected to overcome soil problems. The scion cultivar is typically budded onto the rootstock. These techniques are used to propagate cultivars to improve tree survival and resistance to soil-borne diseases or pests. Budding or grafting can also be used to convert a cultivar to another cultivar or to have more than one cultivar growing on the same tree. After the lecture a hands-on demonstration of budding will take place in the demonstration fruit orchard.
Register for Grafting Fruit Trees
Gophers, Moles, and Voles
Saturday, April 11, 10–11:30am
Demonstration Garden, 25 people
There is nothing peskier than vertebrate pests in your garden. Join us to gain some knowledge about how to deal with these monsters that plague your yard. We will also have a Master Gardener available to show you exactly how to set gopher traps.
Register for Gophers, Moles, and Voles
Seasonal Garden Series—Spring
In partnership with CARD
Saturday, April 11, time TBA
Chapman Park Teaching Garden, 15 people per topic
The focus will be on critical garden jobs and garden tips for the spring. Participants with be able to choose between several topics. Monthly garden tips and planting schedules will be available, as well as other resources.
Registration should be available by March 15.
Year-Round Fruit Tree Care with Directional Pruning & Height Management
Saturday, April 18, 10–11:30am
Demonstration Garden, 12 people
Tom Hansen will explain what to do throughout the year to keep your fruit trees healthy and ensure the best crops. His talk will cover pruning, irrigation, fertilizers, and cultural practices. Learn about the different fruit tree bearing habits and how those habits guide pruning decisions for regular bearing and good fruit size. This workshop will take place in the Demonstration Garden orchard in order to demonstrate and discuss the best way to prune various fruit trees. There will be plenty of time for questions and answers.
Register Year-Round Fruit Tree Care
May
Registration will be available by April 1, 2026
Irrigation
Saturday, May 2, 10–11:30am
Demonstration Garden, 25 people
Drip irrigation is arguably the most efficient method of providing water to trees, crops, gardens, and landscapes. The surface drip irrigation system emitter was first developed in Israel, where the dry climate makes water conservation a necessity. This workshop will provide an overview of different options available for drip irrigation systems and how to install them. You will also learn how to troubleshoot and inspect your system, and how to make repairs when needed.
Weed ID
Wednesday, May 6, 12–1:30pm
Demonstration Garden, 25 people
This workshop explores the nature of weeds, and why it’s important to correctly identify which weeds you are battling. We’ll offer tools to help with this, including a hands-on practicum. Primary strategies for weed control are Integrated Pest Management methods; we’ll have a quick primer on chemical controls for when they are needed as a last resort.
Propagation
Thursday, May 7, 10–11:30am
Demonstration Garden, 25 people
Learn the best time to propagate woody perennials and divide plants; how to select and make cuttings; the proper techniques for dividing plants; the best planting mediums to use; and how to plant cuttings and divided plants. Materials and techniques will be discussed and handouts will be provided.
Plant a Native Garden for the Birds
Monday, May 18, 10–11:30am
Pat’s Barn, 30 people
Don’t just plant a native plant garden, create a habitat that supports birds throughout the year. In this workshop we will discuss the bird species you can expect to attract year-round; the best plants for them; and how to arrange different types and sizes of plants in order to provide food, shelter, protection, and nesting sites. Ideally, a bird-friendly garden will be attractive to humans too. This presentation provides plenty of photos of the birds and plants, and will introduce you to a great plant selection tool. We will mention plant suppliers and native plant gardens worth a tour in the Chico area. We’ll also show examples of garden layouts pleasing to both birds and humans.
Bats
Friday, May 22, 10am-noon
Pat’s Barn, 30 people
Bats! Learn everything you always wanted to know about these fascinating creatures from Dr. Shahroukh Mistry, an expert on bat biology. Dr. Mistry teaches in the biology department at Butte College, and his current research is on Acoustic Monitoring of Bat Diversity and Activity in Northern California, and Prehistoric Distribution of Extinct Vampire Bat Species. His great specialty, however, is making science, especially bat science, accessible, enjoyable, and fun.
June
Registration will be available by May 1, 2026
Seasonal Garden Series—Summer
In partnership with CARD
Saturday, June 6, time TBA
Chapman Park Teaching Garden, 15 people per topic
The focus will be on critical garden jobs and garden tips for the summer. Participants with be able to choose between several topics. Monthly garden tips and planting schedules will be available, as well as other resources.
About the Workshops
Registration
- Workshops are free—registration is required for all workshops.
- Participation is limited. Limit is indicated for each workshop.
- Registration is on a first come, first served basis.
- Heavy rain cancels outdoor workshops (unless noted); canceled workshops will be rescheduled.
Workshop Locations
- Bradley 2 at The Social 1400 W. 3rd St., Chico
- Chapman Park Teaching Garden at the Dorothy F. Johnson Center, 775 E 16th Street, Chico
- Demonstration Garden: Patrick Ranch, 10381 Midway, between Chico and Durham
- Pat’s Barn, Patrick Ranch, 10381 Midway, between Chico and Durham
- Terry Ashe Recreation Center, 6626 Skyway, Paradise
Questions? Need to cancel? Want to get on a Workshop Waiting List?
Please email us at anrmgbutte@ucanr.edu. Be sure to include your phone number in case we need to contact you.
Give a Gift to the UC Master Gardeners of Butte County
Gifts help support our workshops, the Demonstration Garden at Patrick Ranch, and Master Gardener community outreach projects in Butte County. Thank you! Your support is greatly appreciated!