WSU Extension - Island County - Master Gardeners

04/29/2026

Do you have this on your calendar? What a great way to find plants for your landscape, and support the Master Gardeners of Island County on Whidbey and Camano.

04/18/2026

A beautiful day to celebrate Earth Day at Camp Casey. Stop by our booth and learn what you can do to make your landscape more resilient.

04/17/2026

Hope you will join us tomorrow to celebrate Earth Day! We will have a fun seed matching activity for kids (and adults!) to play. Lots of other great local organizations will be on hand to share simple things you can do to protect and preserve our precious natural resources.

03/12/2026

The Master Gardeners are looking forward to this event! We will be there to answer questions and demonstrate how to make Seed Snails!

Here are some helpful guidelines for seeds and plants to swap:
• Edible and ornamental seeds welcome.
• Bring open seed packets from the garden store.
• Bring seeds you have saved in a clearly labeled baggie or envelope.
• Do not bring seeds collected from hybrid plants, as they won't grow true to type.
• Bring seed that is viable--in other words, not too old! Most seeds will remain viable for 2-4 years if kept in a cool, dry place, out of the light. Some seeds (onions, leeks, parsnips, celery, spinach) are only good for a year unless stored especially well.
• Make sure your seeds are clearly labeled with crop type, variety name, and the date they were packaged/harvested.
Bring plants you are dividing or volunteers you need to clean out of your beds. Bring plants in pots, boxes or bags to give away. Clearly label the plant variety/type.

03/03/2026

While registration for the Whidbey Gardening Workshop closes on March 10, there’s still time to sign up for fabulous classes, including Make-n-Take sessions. Don’t miss this opportunity to strengthen your gardening know-how.

Keynote speaker is John Christianson with Christianson's Nursery & Greenhouse who hosts "The Garden Show" every Sunday morning on AM 660 KAPS/FM 102.1 KAPS

Review the schedule for the 2026 Whidbey Gardening Workshop https://www.whidbeygardening.org/workshop-schedule
register https://www.whidbeygardening.org/registration

02/17/2026

WSU Extension Island County Master Gardeners will be at this event to help answer questions you may have on growing vegetables. Hope to see you there!

-Edible and ornamental seeds welcome
-Bring open seed packets from a garden store
-Do not bring hybrid seeds -Bring only viable seeds-some are only good for one year -Make sure your seeds are clearly labeled with type, variety and the date they were harvested
Let’s have fun sharing seeds!

01/14/2026

Registration starts January 30 for the 37th Whidbey Gardening Workshop! Whether you're new to gardening, a seasoned horticulturist, or want to learn the latest in sustainable gardening practices, you'll find classes to help you become a better-informed gardener. Early Bird rates January 30 – February 8, 2026.

Learn more https://www.whidbeygardening.org/

12/16/2025

🌲❌ Not-So-Jolly Invader: English Holly in Northwest Forests

English holly may look festive this time of year, but researchers are sounding the alarm: it’s rapidly spreading through Northwest forests and displacing native plants. Here’s what WSU scientists are finding:

• 🌿 Spreads aggressively — Birds eat the berries and spread seeds far into forests.
• 🌳 Forms dense thickets that outcompete native understory plants.
• 🐦 Reduces habitat diversity, impacting wildlife that rely on native shrubs.
• 🧬 Hard to remove — Deep roots and resprouting make control challenging.
• 🌧️ Thrives in shade, allowing it to take over mature forests unnoticed.

What gardeners and nature-lovers can do:
• ✂️ Remove holly before berries form.
• 🚫 Avoid planting English holly in landscapes.
• 🌱 Replace with non-invasive, wildlife-friendly alternatives (Oregon grape, evergreen huckleberry, etc.).
• 🥾 Report large wild infestations to local land managers.

Together, we can help protect the health and biodiversity of our Washington forests. 💚🌲
Read the full article and discover how Holly trees got their first roots in Washington in the WSU Insider:👇
https://news.wsu.edu/news/2025/12/08/not-so-jolly-invader-english-holly-spreads-across-northwest-forests/

09/24/2025

Time is running out to enroll in the WSU Washington Green School program for 2025. Green School is for anyone who would like to learn to become a better gardener but who doesn't have the time or interest to become a Master Gardener volunteer. All training is online and self-paced, and you have one year to complete the program. Registration closes September 30!

Earn your Washington Gardener Certificate through WSU Extension’s Green School — a flexible, online program that builds science-based gardening skills for students, educators, professionals, and passionate growers across the state.

09/19/2025

Join the Island County Master Gardeners this Sunday, September 21 from 1-2pm for the last presentation in our free Summer Education Series titled: Assessing Tree Health and Diseases.

Sue Nicol, retired Head Horticulturist at Woodland Park Zoo will help us learn to identify vulnerable trees and make good
choices about planting and replacing trees.

The event will be held at the Island County Master Gardener Education Garden at Greenbank Farm.