Where to Go for Gardening Advice

When you need answers to gardening questions, where can you go? University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners in both Tuolumne and Calaveras Counties are trained to bring science and research based answers to your gardening questions. If we don’t have the answer, we’ll find out and get the information back to you. Where can you find Master Gardeners when you have a gardening question?

1. Master Gardeners have an information table at the Sonora Certified Farmers’ Market on Saturday mornings, through October 20, on Stewart Street in downtown Sonora, open to the public from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m.
2. Master Gardeners are at the Sonora OSH on Thursdays, April 26 through October. They are on hand from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Bring samples, photos and questions!
3. Master Gardeners have an information booth at the Farmory at Columbia Airport, Wednesdays and Saturdays, all year, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
4. Master Gardeners compiled their best advice into a book called Sharing the Knowledge: Gardening in the Mother Lode. It is available at all Tuolumne County Open Garden Days and can also be purchased at The Nest & Nursery in Twain Harte, Mountain Bookshop in the Junction Shopping Center, UTLTRN Design & Printshop on Washington in Sonora, and at the UCCE office at 52 North Washington Street in downtown Sonora. A “must-have” for Mother Lode gardeners, the book is priced at $15, including sales tax.
5. UCCE Master Gardeners of Tuolumne County open their demonstration garden to the public on the first Saturday of each month, February to November, from 10-1, 251 South Barretta Street near “The Dome” in Sonora. On August 4, Master Gardeners will be joined by Master Food Preservers to offer information on food dehydration and how to build a solar food dryer. They will also discuss summer pruning.
6. In Calaveras County, the Master Gardener demonstration garden is located at 891 Mountain Ranch Road in San Andreas, California. Currently the garden is open to the public each fourth Saturday of the month, February through November, Check out the Classes & Events webpagefor dates and times.
7. UCCE Master Gardeners of Calaveras County also hold office hours to answer your gardening questions! They are available from 10-noon on Wednesdays at the UCCE office in Calaveras County, located at 891 Mountain Ranch Road in San Andreas.
8. If you are not able to join Master Gardeners in person, please check out the gardening information found at http://cecentralsierra.ucanr.edu/Master_Gardeners/ Answers to many garden problems can be found at http://ipm.ucanr.edu/ You can also call 209-533-5912 in Tuolumne County, 209-754-2880 in Calaveras County, or fill out our easy-to-use problem questionnaire. You can also find us on Facebook.

Rebecca Miller-Cripps is a University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener of Tuolumne County.