Master Gardener Monthly Newsletter
May 2022
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Tompkins Stairway Garden
Tompkins Avenue (between Nevada and Putnam Streets)
San Francisco, CA 94110
Once a trash-covered hillside, San Francisco’s Tompkins Stairway Garden is now a safe and welcoming street park featuring a drought-tolerant garden in year-round bloom and a colorful tiled stairway. Dedicated attention from surrounding neighbors, and Master Gardeners, has transformed the site into a community greenspace and pedestrian corridor serving the Alemany Farmers’ Market and nearby schools and shopping districts. Read more.
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Follow us on website, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, or YouTube. Our mission statement is "To extend research-based knowledge and information on home horticulture, pest management, and sustainable landscape practices to the residents of California and be guided by our core values and strategic initiatives."
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May Garden Tips
UC Master Gardeners
Set out traps for earwigs, slugs, and whitefly, thin pit fruits at or before pit hardening, thin apples when one-half inch in diameter, mow grass or cultivate soil around orchard to discourage thrips and plant bugs, mulch around plants to control weeds and conserve moisture, deep water trees and shrubs, build water basins but do not allow water to stand against the trunks, prepare dahlia bed with rich soil, trim hedges, lightly trim azaleas, fuchsias, and bushier plants, and thoroughly clean debris from ponds, fountains and bird baths. Read more.
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Vegetable Gardening in a Time of Drought
UC Master Gardeners
San Mateo Public Library
May 7, 2022, 10:00am-11:30am
Most of California was dry farmed before irrigation systems were common. Zoom in and learn about what crops can tolerate little to no water, bring back some tried-and-true practices, and learn about ways to grow more food using the same amount of water by incorporating techniques, tips and tricks like hydro-zoning, mulching, cover cropping, companion planting and regularly checking your irrigation system. Registration required.
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San Mateo Arboretum Society Plant Clinic
UC Master Gardeners
San Mateo Arboretum Kohl Pumphouse
101 9th Avenue
San Mateo, CA 94401
May 1 2022, 11:00am-2:00pm
Master Gardeners will be available in person to answer your questions from general information to advice about specific problems. Bring samples of your problem plants for better diagnosis. If you suspect insect damage, try to include some of the insects so they can be correctly identified. No registration required.
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Noe Valley Garden Tour
451 Jersey Street (between Castro and Diamond Streets)
San Francisco, CA 94131
May 7, 2022, 10:00am-4:00pm
Master Gardeners will have an information booth at this this self-guided tour which includes 11 gardens bursting with greenery and color. Ticket prices are $20.00 for adults and $15.00 for seniors 62+. Children under 12 are free. Featured gardens will showcase a variety of styles such as a quaint cottage garden, schoolyard gardens, library garden, tapestry lawn in shades of blue, and more. Registration required.
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No Mow May
Plantlife
Mowing your lawn less creates habitat and can increase the abundance and diversity of wildlife including bees and other pollinators. One way to reduce mowing is by participating in “No Mow May.” No Mow May is a conservation initiative first popularized by Plantlife, an organization based in the United Kingdom, but which is gaining traction across North America. The goal of No Mow May is to allow grass to grow unmown for the month of May, creating habitat and forage for early season pollinators. This is particularly important in urban areas where floral resources are often limited. Read more.
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Fixit Clinic
Redwood City Library
1044 Middlefield Road
Redwood City, CA 94063
May 8, 2022, 6:30pm-8:00pm (select date from menu)
Building resilient communities by conveying critical thinking and troubleshooting skills through repair, Fixit Clinics are do-it-together hands-on fix-n-learn community-based exploration and discovery workshops staffed by volunteer Fixit Coaches who generously share their time, tools and expertise to consult with you on the disassembly, troubleshooting, and repair of items. Fixit Coaches and helpful neighbors will be available for consultation on broken items. Whether you fix it or not, you'll learn more about how it was manufactured and how it worked, ready to share your new-found skills and insight with friends, neighbors, and the community at large. Registration required.
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PLANT PROBLEM DIAGNOSTIC TOOL
Choose the affected plant from photos displayed, click on the photo, remove any selections that do not apply, click on the plant names, and continue to filter selections to view the results for a possible diagnoses. Learn more.
GARDENING RESOURCES
Select links to access gardening resources, California Backyard Orchard, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), publications, and finding a local Master Gardener program. Learn more.
ARBORETUM ALL-STARS
Do you need help picking plants for your sustainable home garden? Selecting from the “Arboretum All-Stars” list is an easy way to start making “green” choices for your great looking garden. Arboretum All-Stars are top plants recommended by the horticultural staff of the UC Davis Arboretum. They thrive in California’s Mediterranean climate and have qualities that make them great choices for sustainable home gardens. Use a searchable plant database to pick the perfect All-Star for your garden conditions. For more information, view their website.
MONTHLY GARDEN CHECKLIST
Find helpful hints of things to do from January to December. Some examples of spring hints are: prune back herbaceous plants, transplant tomato seedlings, work your cover crops into the soil before they seed, remove aphids from plants with a strong stream of water, start planting summer annuals like lobelia, begonias, marigolds, cosmos, petunias, snapdragons and alyssum, and plant gladiolus, dahlias and lilies for summer blooms. View our monthly checklist.
NATIVE PLANT RESOURCES
Looking for plants native to California that are not only pretty but are pollinators and drought resistent? A few resources are: Xerces Society, California Native Plant Society, and Calflora, Or try a native plant database for plants within your zip code. This website will help you find the best native plants specifically for your area that attract butterflies and moths and the birds that feed on their caterpillars, based on the scientific research of Dr. Douglas Tallamy and Research Assistant Kimberley Shropshire.
CALIFORNIA INVASIVE PLANT COUNCIL
Browse the website to see all plants on the California Invasive Plant Council inventory, including both invasive plants and “watch” species. Clicking on the scientific name will take you to the Plant Profile where you will find links to more information on the plant.
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Do you need help with your garden? Have a pest problem? Curious about what will grow well in your region?
Please provide the following information to facilitate a prompt response:
- Name
- City of residence/zip code
- Email
- Phone, best time to call
- Description of problem/question -- for plant the type/age of plant, what damage/problem looks like (include location, sun exposure, irrigation type, fertilization, insecticide application)
- Please attach photos, if available (overall plant, views of pest, leaves, etc.)
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