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UC Marin Master Gardeners

Edible Demo Garden

The Edible Demo Garden at IVC Organic Farm & Garden

EDG Garden view

The 2100 sq ft Edible Demonstration Garden at Indian Valley Organic Farm and Garden (IVOFG) in Novato was designed and installed by UC Marin Master Gardeners in 2016 and is a hands-on teaching tool for UC MMG and the public.  The garden showcases sustainable agricultural practices while growing over 100 varieties of vegetables, flowers, fruit and herbs using a variety of growing situations that are options for Marin gardeners.

News from the Edible Demo Garden

What you can do at the Edible Demo Garden

edg MMGs working, Perrin copy

Visit the garden
Drop in any first Friday of the month between 9am-11am. We will give you a tour and answer any gardening questions.

Guided group tours
Private educational tours and training are available to groups. To schedule a private tour, contact us at EdibleDemoGarden@MarinMG.org

Buy our sustainably-grown, organic produce at the Farm Stand
All produce grown in the garden meets the Marin Organic Certified Agriculture (MOCA) requirements and is sold at the IVOFG farm stand or included in the farm's CSA boxes. The farm stand is open Saturdays 10am - 1pm July through October.

Learn from our workshops:
• Offered periodically on Saturday mornings during the year
• Learn how to plant, maintain and harvest vegetables, identify and manage pests and problems, and maintain soil fertility.
• Check for upcoming workshops/events on our events calendar

Email us at the Edible Demo Garden for more information

HOW TO GET THERE

College of Marin Indian Valley Campus
1800 Ignacio Blvd
Novato CA 94949

> Directions to Indian Valley Organic Farm & Garden
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OTHER UC MMG 
DEMONSTRATION GARDENS
> Harvey's Garden at Blackie's Pasture, Tiburon
> Falkirk Demonstration Garden, San Rafael

LEARN HOW TO GROW EDIBLES IN STRAW BALES

> BACK TO ASK US
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Bank vole
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July 2025: Vole Invasion

July 16, 2025
July 2025: Vole Invasion Protecting the growing plants from hungry critters is an ongoing challenge in the Edible Demo Garden. Wire mesh is used extensively under planting beds and around the straw bales to discourage gophers. Yards of protective netting keep the birds and rabbits from eating young…
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Patio gardening
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June 2025: Patio Gardening

May 26, 2025
 This past month EDG volunteers created a small “patio” in the garden to demonstrate how edibles can be successfully grown in limited space. Too often gardeners are discouraged from growing edibles, believing that it takes a large back yard with room for long rows of plants. However, with the…
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Plastic tubbing of drip irrigation system
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May 2025: Drip Irrigation Troubleshooting

April 29, 2025
 When the winter rains end, it’s time for gardeners to focus on providing spring and summer edibles with the water they need to grow and produce. While hand watering may be the simplest way to adjust watering to the needs of individual plants, it’s not the most efficient means for getting the right…
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Seed packets
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April 2025: The Joys of Selecting and Planting Seeds

March 24, 2025
 It’s hard to find a gardener who doesn’t love checking out new seed varieties and anticipating the abundant and tasty harvest they promise. The photos and descriptions are tantalizing and the names intriguing. Who wouldn’t be curious about a pumpkin variety called ‘Abominable’, a pepper named ‘Frodo’,…
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There are many choices in by-pass pruners with models that fit different hand sizes.
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February 2025: Choosing the Right Garden Tools

January 25, 2025
In January, the 2025 Marin Master Gardener training class was welcomed into the Edible Demonstration Garden for a discussion and demonstration on the use and care of garden tools. The right tools make the difference between gardening that is pleasurable and gardening that is a struggle.
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Ceanothus blossoms attract native California bumble bees.
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January 2025: Natives in the Edible Garden

December 19, 2024
Natives are welcome in the Edible Demo Garden. As a joint project with the Native Plant Guild in October 2021, garden volunteers planted a variety of sun-loving, drought-tolerant California natives in a corner of the garden area...
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Fava beans are an attractive and popular cover crop due to their nitrogen-fixing effects in the soil. Photo: Flickr
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December 2024: Giving the Garden a Rest

November 22, 2024
After an especially busy summer and fall harvest season, it was time to consider what to plant next in the Edible Demo Garden. In Marin its possible to grow vegetables year-round, however...
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Italian parsley is a popular biennial herb that grows well in sunny, moist garden conditions.
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October 2024: Herbs Among the Edibles

September 25, 2024
Herbs may not be the stars in the Edible Demonstration Garden, but they are notable members of the supporting cast. Its hard to imagine a flourishing vegetable garden without a few culinary herbs as companions.
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