Master Gardener fall workshop series

Debra Barger and a workshop attendee finish planting a Meyer lemon tree in a container during a Master Gardener workshop at the Patrick Ranch Museum in Durham, California. (Michelle Graydon/Contributed)

Jenny Marr leads a workshop on plant propagation at the Master Gardeners' outdoor classroom at the Patrick Ranch Museum in Durham, California in May 2021. (Laura Kling/Contributed)

Flowering aprium grows on an espalier trellis at the Master Gardeners' Demonstration Garden at the Patrick Ranch Museum in Durham, California. (Michelle Graydon.Contributed)

Rob Fanno demonstrates a dremel sharpening tool at a Master Gardeners' workshop in February 2023. (Michelle Graydon/Contributed)

UC Cooperative Extension Farm Adviser Emeritus Joe Connell discusses the structure of an orange tree at a Master Gardener workshop in February 2023. (Laura Kling/Contributed)

A new season of Master Gardener Workshops is about to start! The series begins with a two-parter designed to help us make the most of our summer produce: “Canning Fruits and Pickles: The Basics of Boiling Water Bath Canning” on Aug. 28, followed by “Pressure Canning Vegetables and Dehydrating Fruits and Vegetables” on Sept. 11. The series concludes on Nov. 20 with “Wildcrafting” — an introduction to collecting plants in the wild and using them in medicinal remedies and health products. In all, this fall series totals 16 workshops, including nine all-new topics. There is something here for every type of gardener and every size of home garden, whether you maintain a balcony of plants in containers or produce fruit and vegetables on a large plot for your family, friends and neighbors.

In the months to come, the foundational skills of creating soil-enriching compost; growing edibles, ornamentals, shrubs and small trees outdoors in containers; propagating and dividing plants; caring for garden tools; and preparing the garden for winter will be covered. For those who are interested in learning about Biochar, which has potential to improve soil and increase pest and disease resistance for plants, we’ve got a brand-new workshop for that, too.

Selecting, planting, caring for and harvesting fruits and berries are covered in a trifecta of workshops: “Growing Citrus Trees,” “Blueberries, Raspberries, Blackberries and Strawberries,” and “Espalier,” which focuses on training fruit trees along a horizontal surface.

If you are thinking you’d like to start beekeeping, or are just interested in learning how to attract and support honeybees and other pollinators, our workshop on Honey Bees is for you.

Of course, supporting pollinators and other native wildlife is important to us all. Our new workshop on native oaks (“Plant an Acorn; Harvest a Community”) describes the multiple ways creatures and humans benefit from creating an oak ecosystem in our own yards and gardens.

Oaks can contribute greatly to a wildlife corridor – why not make your own yard count in the effort to conserve water resources and rebuild local wildlife corridors? Learn how in “Neighborhood Habitat Certification,” our workshop led by the coordinator of Altacal Audubon’s Certified Neighborhood Habitat Program.

Finally, no gardener gets younger as time marches on. Our “Gardening for a Lifetime” workshop offers plenty of practical advice to help transform increasingly difficult chores into sustainable activities, so we can continue to be active in the garden as we age.

Most of the workshops will be held in the outdoor classroom located in the Master Gardener Demonstration Garden or inside Pat’s Barn; both are located at the Patrick Ranch (10381 Midway, between Chico and Durham). The first three workshops will take place indoors, in the Chico Branch Library Meeting Room on Sherman Avenue in Chico; two will be held in Paradise, at the Terry Ash Center on Skyway; and the workshop on berries will be held at the private residence of our berry expert. While most of the workshops are held during morning or early afternoon hours, the workshop on container gardening is offered in the early evening (6 to 7:30 p.m.).

The following is a list of workshop topics and dates. All workshops are free, but they do require advance registration. For full descriptions of all the workshops and to register, visit our website at Workshops – UC Master Gardeners of Butte County (ucanr.edu)

Canning Fruits and Pickles: The Basics of Boiling Water Bath Canning on Monday, Aug. 28. Start canning and preserving your garden bounty, using the boiling water bath and atmospheric steam canning methods.

Pressure Canning Vegetables and Dehydrating Fruits and Vegetables on Monday, Sept. 11. Learn to successfully and safely process food with a pressure canner, and how to dry fruits and vegetables in a dehydrator or simply outside in the sun.

Container Gardening on Tuesday, Sept. 12. Grow edibles, ornamentals, shrubs and small trees outdoors in containers. Container types, plant choices and best practices for soil, watering and fertilizing will all be covered.

Honey Bees on Saturday, Sept. 23. If you are considering beekeeping as a hobby, or just interested in learning more about attracting honeybees and other pollinators to your garden, this workshop is for you.

It’s a Wrap! Autumn Garden Clean Up, Winter Prep and Preservation on Saturday, Sept. 30.

This workshop and discussion delves into some essential steps to ensure that next year’s garden is even more successful.

Tool Care on Tuesday, Oct. 3. Rob Fanno from Fanno Saw Works will tell us how to select and care for garden tools.

Biochar: Is It Worth It? on Wednesday, Oct. 4. Learn what biochar is, what it can do for your soil, why it works and when it doesn’t.

Propagation on Monday, Oct. 9. Learn when and how to propagate woody perennials and divide plants.

Growing Citrus Trees on Thursday, Oct. 12. All about citrus: the best varieties for our region; planting, training and caring for citrus; protecting citrus trees from frost; common pests and diseases to watch out for and control.

Blueberries, Raspberries, Blackberries and Strawberries on Friday, Oct. 20. Best methods for planting, growing and harvesting delicious berries.

Composting on Friday, Oct. 27. This workshop covers a variety of approaches to creating compost, from simple to complex.

Neighborhood Habitat Certification on Saturday, Nov. 4. Learn how your yard can contribute to the development of needed wildlife corridors in our community.

Plant an Acorn; Harvest a Community on Tuesday, Nov. 7. Planting native oaks to support local creatures that depend on them for food and/or shelter not only helps out wildlife, but enriches our own lives as we contribute to an important ecosystem.

Espalier on Wednesday, Nov. 8. Dive into the ancient horticultural practice of growing trees and bushes along a horizontal surface using supports. Focusing on fruit trees, this workshop provides all the information you need to get started.

Gardening for a Lifetime on Thursday, Nov. 13. Practical advice about plants, labor-saving techniques, tools and exercises to help us continue to garden successfully as we (inevitably) age.

Wildcrafting on Monday Nov. 20. Learn from experienced herbalist Jules Pecson of Fiona’s Forest in Paradise as she discusses the practice of harvesting plants in their natural habitats and their uses in medicinal remedies, tinctures and salves.

The UC Master Gardeners of Butte County are part of the University of California Cooperative Extension system, serving our community in a variety of ways, including 4H, farm advisers, and nutrition and physical activity programs. Master Gardeners bring practical, scientifically-based knowledge directly to our community. For help with gardening in our area, visit https://ucanr.edu/sites/bcmg/. If you have a gardening question or problem, call the Master Gardener Hotline at 530-552-5812 or email [email protected].