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UC Master Gardeners of Monterey, San Benito & Santa Cruz Counties

Compost & Soil Preparation

Good gardeners grow good soil. It's the soil that grows the garden. 

 

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compost garden
UC Master Gardeners of Amador County: Page

Amador Compost Learning Center

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…
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Person working soil with rake in foreground
The Backyard Gardener: Article

Difference Between Soil and Dirt

April 17, 2025
By Dustin W Blakey
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…
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Some garden plants viewed from above
UC Master Gardeners of Inyo and Mono Counties: Article

Common Questions about Eastern Sierra Soils

April 8, 2025
By Dustin W Blakey
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…
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Moss landing and elkhorn slough
Salinas Valley Agriculture: Article

Evaluation of Heavy Metals in Agricultural Fields following the Moss Landing Battery Fire

March 26, 2025
By Michael D Cahn, Richard F Smith
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…
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UC Master Gardeners of San Mateo & San Francisco Counties: Event

Maintaining Garden and Raised Bed Soil: The Soil and Plant Relationship

Event Date
Apr 12, 2025

Maintaining Garden and Raised Bed Soil: The Soil and Plant RelationshipDescription: Do you know that soil is much more than sand, silt and clay? Healthy soil is all about the relationship between plants and soil. In this talk UC Master Gardener Terry Lyngso will explain the components of soil, why plants…
UC Master Gardeners of San Mateo & San Francisco Counties
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UC Master Gardeners of Monterey, San Benito & Santa Cruz Counties: Event

Regenerative Soil Techniques for the Home Gardener

Event Date
May 3, 2025

Monterey Bay/Santa Cruz County Master Gardeners invite our local community to join us to learn regenerative soil techniques that you can add to your gardening bag of tricks.Growing healthy soil helps the home gardener grow vibrant veggies and herbs, bountiful fruit trees and gorgeous flowers. We will…
UC Master Gardeners of Monterey, San Benito & Santa Cruz Counties
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UC Master Gardeners of Butte County: Event

“Black Gold” Vermiculture

Event Date
Sep 27, 2025

Create beautiful, rich, nutritious compost from kitchen and garden scraps, along with help from the vermiculture community. Worms consume the biomass you provide them, digest it, and then excrete worm casting. This workshop, taught by a Certified Composter, will show you how to start the process and keep the…
UC Master Gardeners of Butte County
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workshop on how to nurture and boost your garden soil in Sonoma County
UC Master Gardener Program of Sonoma County: Event

Nurturing Your Garden Soil

Event Date
Mar 29, 2025

Join us for an informative workshop on selecting the right packaged soil products, mastering composting techniques, and setting up a worm bin for nutrient-rich soil.
UC Master Gardener Program of Sonoma County
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