Irrigated Pastures

Hand-planting seeds in rich soil with seedlings in the background
UC Master Gardeners of Monterey, San Benito & Santa Cruz Counties: Article

April Direct Sowing in the Monterey Bay Area

April 1, 2026
By Denise Pinard
 April Direct Sowing in the Monterey Bay Areaby Delise WeirApril is the "sweet spot" for gardeners in the Monterey Bay area.With the frost risk behind us and an unseasonably warm spring heating the soil, you can skip the plastic pots and indoor grow lights. Planting seeds directly into your garden beds…
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raised bed filled with onion seedlings and a person holding the side of the bed wearing a read sweater.
UC Master Gardener Program: Page

Seed Germination Temperature and Timing

Soil Temperature Conditions for Vegetable Seed GerminationMany internal and environmental conditions influence seed germination: seed condition, water availability, sufficient air, soil conditions, and temperature. The chart below lists the optimum soil temperatures at which they do best. This does not mean…
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A close-up of a California burclover plant showing deep green compound leaves with 3 leaflets, small yellow flowers, and green, round, spiny seeds.

Shamrocks, Clovers, or Weeds?

March 18, 2026
By Lindsey Hack
St. Patrick’s Day makes us think about shamrocks and all things green. With recent warm weather following winter rains, your lawn or garden might be dressing up for Saint Patrick’s Day and Spring with clovers and other weeds.  Clovers begin to germinate in the fall and continue throughout winter…
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UC Master Gardeners of Inyo and Mono Counties: Document

Owens Valley Irrigation Rules of Thumb

A PDF version of this document formatted for printing is available below.Bishop, Keeler, and South Owens Lake have CIMIS irrigation stations that can be used to determine with some accuracy how much water is needed based on weather. These can be complicated to use, however. These tables, developed by a…
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