Low-Maintenance Gardening

Sonora, CA — UCCE Master Gardeners of Tuolumne County will host a booth with the theme “Low-Maintenance Gardening” at the Home and Garden Show at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds on March 17 and 18. Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer your gardening questions, rain or shine.

In keeping with the theme of low-maintenance gardening, wildflower seeds will be available to everyone while supplies last. Low-maintenance gardening also means having to water less, so we’ll discuss mulch choices that discourage weeds and encourage soil moisture.

In addition, we’ll have lots of information about pests in the garden and what to do about them. The University of California Integrated Pest Management program (http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu) offers suggestions to reduce pesticide use and help protect our water sources from chemical contamination. Pick up a “quick tip” easy-to-use pest card or a longer, more in-depth “pest note” to help discourage your least-favorite bug or critter. And be sure to catch the demonstration at 10 a.m. on Saturday morning about making gopher baskets to protect your new plants from those voracious herbivores!

Each day there will be gardening demonstrations presented by Master Gardener volunteers. Demonstrations include composting and vermicomposting (the practice of creating a rich garden amendment by feeding “red wigglers” all your kitchen scraps). We’ll demonstrate planting wildflower seeds using “mud balls” and planting a strawberry pot. There will also be a drawing for a garden gift basket.

Master Gardeners look forward to meeting you, so be sure to stop by!