Sunday Gardeners

Sure, you can Google your gardening questions and get dozens of contradictory answers from places with different climate zones and soil types to our little corner of the Bay Area. Why not join other branch gardening enthusiasts as we learn from each other, sharing knowledge and experiences relevant to where we live. We meet the first Sunday of each month, 2:30-4:00 pm at a member’s home (or occasionally on a field trip to a nursery or garden). Each month we focus on a different gardening topic. To learn more or to join the group, contact Chris Hopwood at gardening@aauwmh.org.

Gardening Topics

  • Save water with Native & Nonnative drought-tolerant plants
  • Planting for Bees, Butterflies and Birds
  • Drip Irrigation
  • What to plant and when to plant it
  • Succulents for sun and shade
  • Gardening in small spaces – Raised Beds & Containers
  • Alternatives to a lawn
  • Grow what we eat – fruits and veggies
  • Season by Season pests of all kinds
  • Soil, Fertilizing and Mulching
    • Why is soil important?
    • Good guys and bad guys who live in it
  • Composting
  • Propagation & growing from seed
  • Pruning & other maintenance chores
  • Gray water reuse

Gardening Reference Materials / Resources

California Native Plant Society https://calscape.org/
Garden Help from UC Master Gardeners https://mgsantaclara.ucanr.edu/garden-help/
Master Gardener video reference library www.youtube.com/user/CAMasterGardener/videos
Field Cards from UC Agriculture & Natural Resources
– Common Bees in California Gardens Pub. #3552
– Landscape Pest Identification Card Pub #3513
– Weed Pest Identification & Monitoring Pub 3426 #3541
– Tree Fruit Pest Identification * Monitoring Pub #3426
Order at:
https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/Details.aspx?itemNo=3552
https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/Details.aspx?itemNo=3513
https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/Details.aspx?itemNo=3541
https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/Details.aspx?itemNo=3426
Valley Water https://valleywater.volunteerhub.com/lp/watersupplytours/
Succulents Winter growing vs summer growing reference guide (PDF link)
Composting http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/FRUIT/ENVIRON/composting.html

Composting is good for your garden (PDF link)

Drip Irrigation https://ucanr.edu/sites/UrbanHort/Water_Use_of_Turfgrass_and_Landscape_Plant_Materials/Water_Demand_Calculators/
Vegetable Planting Chart: Master Gardener Program of Santa Clara County Vegetable Planting Chart (PDF link)
California Native Plants for Your Landscape: Master Gardener Program of Santa Clara County California Native Plants for Your Landscape (PDF link)
California’s New Front Yard: Creating a Low-Water Landscape: UC Davis Creating a Low-Water Landscape (PDF link)
4 Year Crop Rotation Plan 4 Year Crop Rotation Plan (PDF link)