By UC Master Gardeners of Butte County
We are midway through the 2025 fall series of workshops. From now to the middle of December, there are eleven topics to explore, including six all-new ones. There is something here for beginning and experienced gardeners alike, and for every size of home garden.
Coming up in October we offer workshops on creating an easy-to-care-for backyard meadow; weed identification and management; fruit tree pruning (a hands-on workshop!); gardening with native plants; assessing fruit for ripeness; and the always-relevant topic of dealing with the gophers, moles, and squirrels that can wreak havoc on our carefully-tended gardens.
In November we focus on plant propagation; owls (a group of predatory birds that can provide natural pest control); landscape design (a two-parter!); and the critical topic of irrigation. In December we offer our last workshop of the series, which appropriately enough tackles the subject of making gardening manageable (and still enjoyable) as we grow older.
Most of the workshops will be held in the outdoor classroom in the Master Gardener Demonstration Garden or Pat’s Barn, both located at the Patrick Ranch (10381 Midway, between Chico and Durham). Other locations include the Bradley 2 OLLI classroom at The Social residence halls in Chico; the Dorothy F. Johnson Center at Chapman Park in Chico; and the Terry Ashe Recreation Center on Skyway in Paradise.
Following is a list of our Workshop offerings from mid-October through December. For full descriptions of all the upcoming workshops, and to register, visit our website. All workshops are free, but registration is required.
OCTOBER
Creating a Backyard Blooming Meadow and Cottage Garden Look NEW (Saturday, 10/11).
Learn how to create a carefree cottage garden or blooming meadow on your property, by letting the plants do much of the “work” through self-propagation.
Weed Identification and Management NEW (Monday, 10/13). Learn to identify the particular weeds you confront in your garden, and how best to combat them.
Hands-on Fruit Tree Pruning NEW (Friday, 10/17). Learn how to keep fruit trees the ideal size for your backyard and help us prune the trees in our Demonstration Garden Orchard, with the guidance of Master Gardener and orchardist Tom Hanson.
Gardening with California Native Plants NEW (Tuesday, 10/21). Learn basic principles and good gardening practices for introducing more native plants into your garden, therefore increasing biodiversity and helping to create a healthy ecosystem. Our local California Native Plant Society Garden Ambassador will provide a resource list and planting guide.
Is it Ripe? NEW (Friday, 10/24). This workshop focuses on optimal harvest and consumption times for the produce we love to grow and eat. How can we tell when fruit is ripe? What fruits and vegetables continue to ripen after they are picked? What clues do touch, sight, and smell offer to help us decide when to pick? How can we best store specific vegetables and fruits, and for how long?
Gophers, Moles, and Squirrels (Tuesday, 10/28). It can be heartbreaking when our hard work in the garden is undone, seemingly overnight, by vertebrate pests. Learn how to combat gophers, moles, and squirrels, and how to set a gopher trap, in this workshop.
Propagation (Saturday, 11/8). Learn the best time to propagate woody perennials and divide plants; how to select and make cuttings; the proper techniques for dividing plants; the best planting mediums to use; and how to plant cuttings and divided plants.
Owls NEW (Monday, 11/10). Owls are consummate hunters that prey primarily on small mammals, insects, and other birds, although some specialize in hunting fish. This workshop will focus on the unique adaptations of owls as a group, then focus on the owls that reside in Butte County. We will also look at their value as providers of natural pest control in your yard and our region.
Landscape Design (Wednesday, 11/12 and Wednesday 11/19). Discover the steps that professionals use to develop beautiful, cohesive, lower-maintenance planting designs. Each workshop participant will have the opportunity to measure and apply the principles for their own site, if desired. Registration is for both days.
Irrigation (Monday, 11/17). Drip irrigation is arguably the most efficient method of providing water to trees, crops, gardens, and landscapes, and is especially valuable here in our Mediterranean climate. This workshop will provide an overview of different options available for drip irrigation systems and how to install them. You will also learn how to troubleshoot and inspect your system, and how to make repairs when needed.
Gardening for a Lifetime (Saturday, 12/13). To stay healthy and active in the garden as we inevitably get older, this workshop offers practical advice that will help transform daunting chores into sustainable activities. We will share ideas about plants, labor saving techniques, and tools. Because cultivating good body balance and maintaining strength are important so we can continue to garden, this workshop includes a demonstration of easy yoga positions for gardeners.
NOTE: A timely reminder that it is always wildfire season in California, and that there is a lot we can all do to prepare our property for the advent of fire. Zeke Lunder, Chico State Alumnus, pyrogeographer and wildfire expert, and director of LOOKOUT MEDIA, including The LOOKOUT newsletter, has launched a video series, “Danger in Plain Sight.” While it focuses on Los Angeles, it contains information critical for all of us. Here’s the link: Danger in Plain Sight - The Lookout.
UC Master Gardeners of Butte County are part of the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) system. To learn more about us and our upcoming events, and for help with gardening in our area visit our website. If you have a gardening question or problem, email the Hotline at mgbutte@ucanr.edu or leave a phone message on our Hotline at 530-552-5812. To speak to a Master Gardener about a gardening issue, or to drop by the MG office during Hotline hours, see the most current information on our Ask Us section of our website.