Sonoma County Master Gardeners Helping Sonoma Gardeners

Plant Problems: SR: (707) 565-2608 M-F | Sonoma:(707) 938-0127 MWF 1-3

or e-mail gardening questions to: MGsonoma@ucdavis.edu

or bring plant problems in for analysis | Locations and REQUIREMENTS

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Monthly Garden Tips

.......Culinary Bay........

..Myrica californica..

 

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Ask a Master Gardener
Questions and Answers from the Helpline

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Lakes Full--But Conserve Anyway

With the most recent rains, Lakes Sonoma and Mendocino are nearing capacity. County water officials will likely not require mandatory water conservation, but will encourage smart water use anyway this summer. We may sound like a broken record, but lawn replacement and installation of drought-tolerant plants are the single biggest thing that homeowners can do to conserve water. Drip Irrigation is the water-wise way to go with any new planting, and proper Mulching is important, too.  Ornamental Grasses are a wonderful design element, and also a great lawn replacement strategy. Xeriscapic plants are  a class which need relatively little water. Since it's the type of climate we live in, Mediterranean Gardening is an appropriate look for our area, and a great approach to water saving.

Consider also the list we've  developed of very drought tolerant plants--that need NO supplemental summer water after establishment. Click the California Native Plants link on the left NavBar to go to SCMG's Native Plant Central. You can also have a

Cottage Garden look with low-water plants, if that's your style. The use of hardscape in garden design can also cut down on both water and maintenance, and fall can be a good time to add some hardscape elements to your garden as you're planting.

City and County Help

Cities and water agencies around the county are firmly on the bandwagon to help with the cost of water conservation and lawn replacement. Sonoma City and Valley of the Moon Water District both have "cash for grass" lawn replacement subsidy programs and the City of Santa Rosa also has a rainwater harvesting rebate program. Several other cities offer rebates or programs, and the Sonoma County Water Agency may again offer a low-cost loan or other program--stay tuned. 

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From the Farm Advisor:

Sonoma County Master Gardeners do broad outreach to home gardeners through our speaker programs, at farmer's markets, at the county fairs, and with special programs, workshops and seminars.  They also provide a service to answer questions by phone and walk-in at our offices in Santa Rosa and Sonoma.

The Master Gardener website is packed with useful information about local gardening and increases that reach significantly.  All of the brochures, pamphlets and other documents the Master Gardeners publish  are available on the website. In addition, special features, in-depth plant reports, general and kitchen gardening tips and seasonal articles change monthly.  www.sonomamastergardeners.org is an incredible resource for Sonoma County gardeners!

 --Paul Vossen, Sonoma County Farm Advisor 

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Master Gardener-staffed Help Desks are located
at Sonoma County Farmers' Markets and Fairs

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Master Gardeners are volunteers trained by the UC Davis Cooperative Extension. They provide gardening help and information for Sonoma County home gardeners, and give classes, seminars and workshops throughout the county.