- Author: Cris L. Johnson
The Master Gardeners want to show you how add your own personal touch to the holidays at their "Creating Holiday Gifts from Your Garden" workshop. Learn how to make soaps, lotions, olive oil and other hands-on from the garden gifts.
The workshop will be held at the historic Hansen Agricultural Center in Santa Paula and the small registration fee includes presentations by UC Cooperative Extension advisors and experts and a continental breakfast.
This seasonal event is part of their Home-Garden workshop series where certified Master Gardeners and other experts share their gardening knowledge with the public.
To register and learn more about this workshop check out this flyer.
- Author: Cris L. Johnson
So far 58 applicants have applied for 35 opening in this year's comprehensive gardening program. Interviews are currently being conducted and those chosen for the program will receive over 80 hours of horticulture education in basic botany, plant pathology, integrated pest management and irrigation techniques.
Master Gardener trainees in turn perform 50 hours of apprenticeship and volunteer in Master Gardener projects to earn their certification.
Master Gardener volunteer efforts can be seen in the county at the Goebel Center in Thousand Oaks, the Camarillo Ranch House, Ormand Beach Wetland, the Hansen Agricultural Center in Santa Paula, Conejo Valley Botanical Gardens and other locations in Ventura County.
Have a pesty problem or other gardening issue? The program operates a Help Line for home gardeners on Tuesdays and Thursday from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Volunteers draw on their knowledge, a comprehensive database of relevant information, advisors and other UC experts to dispense useful information to county gardeners. The Help Line volunteers can be reached at 805-645-1455 or by email at mgventura@ucdavis.edu.
Not a Master Gardener, but would like to attend seminars and workshops? The Master Gardeners conduct four seasonal Home Garden workshops annually on a variety of garden related topics designed for the home gardener. The next workshop in November has a holiday theme, "Creating Holiday Gifts from Your Garden," and features fun hands-on projects and demonstrations. For more details about this workshop, please see this flyer.
Want more information on the Master Gardener program? Please click here to link to Master Gardener webpages.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
The Ventura County Master Gardeners are offering a series of lectures this month at the City of Camarillo Public Library.
Remaining topics include:
- Growing your own Grub – Vegetable gardening for the beginner and expert (Tuesday, May 17)
- The Joy of Homegrown Tomatoes (Tuesday, May 24)
- 17 Steps to Sustainable Landscape Design (Tuesday, May 31)
All lectures will be held in the Library Community Room from 6:00 to 7:30 pm. Everyone is welcome. There is no cost to attend.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
On Saturday, May 21 the Ventura County Master Gardeners will hold Summer in the Garden, part of the Mastering Your Home Garden Seasonal Workshop Series. These workshops are specifically designed for Ventura County home gardeners and focus on seasonal garden tasks.
Summer in the Garden will be held at the UC Hansen Agricultural Center. Attendees will receive a half day of informative gardening education, with presentations by horticulture experts and Master Gardeners.
Scheduled topics for the day are:
- All about tomatoes
- Growing orchids
- Summer tasks for the home gardener
The presentations will be held from 8:15 am to noon. Self-guided garden and docent-guided farmhouse tours will be available to attendees. Those who wish to stay for optional hands-on activities in the afternoon should bring a brown-bag lunch.
There is a $25 fee for this event. Space is limited, so please register early. Additional details and registration instructions can be found online. For additional information, please call Master Gardener Volunteer Coordinator, Leah Haynes at (805) 645-1450.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
A small group of Ventura County Master Gardeners have received additional training which allows them to survey nurseries and provide information to nursery owners. This program is part of a statewide UCCE effort designed to help reduce the spread of invasive plant species.
Currently many nurseries unknowingly sell invasive plant species. Consumers many not realize the plants they are purchasing are invasive and are likely to cause harm to our local ecosystems. The Master Gardener volunteers talk to the nursery owners and provide suggestions to nursery owners for replacement plants, which have similar characteristics to the invasive species as alternatives for their customers.
Many resources are available to help consumers avoid planting invasive species. The UC Davis Arboretum has an extensive database of recommended plants for California gardens. The California Invasive Plant Council has a Don’t Plant a Pest page on their website; in addition to recommending alternatives, photos of commonly seen invasive species are provided. You can also contact our Master Gardener helpline at 645-1455 or by email at mgventura@ucdavis.edu.
Chinese fringe tree Chionanthus retusus
UC Davis Arboretum recommended plant for California gardens
Pigsqueak Bergenia crassifolia
UC Davis Arboretum recommended plant for California gardens
California pipevine Aristolochia californica
UC Davis Arboretum recommended plant for California gardens
