UC Master Gardeners of Yolo County

09/11/2026

September Is National Food Safety Education Month

Every September, the country marks National Food Safety Education Month, raising awareness to help prevent foodborne illness — which sends about 128,000 people to the hospital each year, according to the CDC. The core message: clean, separate, cook, and chill. Wash hands and surfaces well, keep raw meat away from other foods, cook to safe temperatures, and refrigerate leftovers promptly. Simple habits, big impact on your family's health. Contact Jeanice Sobetzki, Coordinator for the UC Master Food Preservers of Yolo and Solano Counties. [email protected] 📸 photo credit: Jennifer Baumbach

09/09/2026

09/07/2026

September Is National Organic Month

Every September, growers and gardeners across the country celebrate National Organic Month — a campaign that raises awareness about how organic practices support human health, protect the environment, and promote animal welfare. Organic farming keeps hundreds of synthetic pesticides out of use that are otherwise common in conventional agriculture, making it a healthier choice for people, pollinators, and the planet alike. For home gardeners, it's the perfect time to lean into organic practices — composting, natural pest control, and chemical-free fertilizers — that keep your garden thriving while supporting a more sustainable food system for everyone. 📸 photo credit: Jennifer Baumbach

09/03/2026

Managing Garden Wildlife the Smart Way

Wildlife in the garden isn't always a bad thing — UC IPM notes that local animals are drawn to our gardens because they offer food, water, or shelter, and become a nuisance only when they start causing real damage. Rather than reaching for harsh chemicals, UC IPM recommends an integrated approach: first identify the exact culprit, then adjust your garden conditions to make it less inviting, and try simple, direct fixes like exclusion, traps, or barriers before anything else. Even creatures we might overlook can help — spiders, for example, feed on insects and other pests and are considered beneficial visitors rather than threats. The goal isn't to eliminate wildlife, but to strike a balance that protects your plants while keeping your garden ecosystem healthy. (okay, so Zoe isn't really "wildlife" but she is an integral part of my garden). 📸 photo credit: Jennifer Baumbach

09/01/2026

4 September Gardening Tips for Yolo County (Zone 9b)

1. Start your fall vegetable garden — September's warm days and cooling nights are perfect for direct-sowing or transplanting cool-season crops like lettuce, kale, spinach, broccoli, carrots, and beets. Get them in early in the month so they establish before temperatures drop further.

2. Keep watering deeply — Yolo County often sees lingering heat into September, sometimes with 90+ degree days. Don't ease up on irrigation yet; keep giving trees, shrubs, and perennials a deep soak to help them handle the last heat waves.

3. Divide and refresh perennials — As nights cool toward month's end, it's a good time to divide overcrowded perennials like daylilies, agapanthus, and iris. This gives roots time to settle before winter dormancy.

4. Hold off on lawn overseeding until late month — If you're overseeding a cool-season lawn or starting a new one, wait until soil temps drop a bit more, typically late September into October in our area, for best germination. video of water sprinkler by J. Baumbach

08/31/2026

What interesting things are happening in your garden right now? I know mine is a little spent, but I can still find some beauty if I look. Share your photos in the comments.
📸 photo credit: Jennifer Baumbach

08/28/2026

Fresh off the "press" is our Yolo Gardener newsletter for September. If you're not already signed up to receive this, please email Jennifer Baumbach at [email protected] to get on the list. https://conta.cc/4gyWUiU

(photo of 'Showy' dahlia with yellow-tipped red petals.)

08/28/2026

There's something deeply grounding about gardening. Digging in the soil, tending to living things, and watching them grow gives you a sense of purpose that's hard to find elsewhere. It gets you outside, moving, and away from screens — all natural mood boosters. The repetitive, hands-on nature of tasks like weeding or deadheading is almost meditative, easing stress and quieting racing thoughts. Even exposure to soil microbes has been linked to serotonin production, giving you a mood lift on a biological level. Whether you have a sprawling yard or a few pots on a balcony, tending plants is a small daily ritual that leaves you feeling calmer and more connected to the world around you.

08/26/2026

3 Deadheading Tips for Zone 9b Gardens

Cut smart — snip just above the first healthy leaf or bud below the spent flower, not just the flower itself. This tells the plant to grow, not go to seed.

Know your plants — roses, dahlias, cosmos & coneflowers love a good deadhead. Bulbs & self-cleaning varieties (some petunias/begonias)? Skip it, they've got it handled.

Timing in 9b — with our mild climate, many blooms keep going nearly year-round, so stay on top of it. Ease off by mid-to-late November and let those last blooms go to seed for the birds and winter beauty.

Zone 9b friends — what are you deadheading right now? Drop a comment below. 📸 photo credit: Jennifer Baumbach

08/17/2026

Common Diseases of Fruit and Landscape Trees and How to Manage Them
August 27 at 3 pm on Zoom

Spots, wilting, dieback, or unusual growth don't always mean a plant has a disease. Join Dr. Akif Eskalen, Professor of Cooperative Extension in Plant Pathology, for a practical, science-based look at diagnosing tree health problems.

Learn how to:

Tell the difference between disease and environmental or cultural stress
Examine plants and collect useful samples
Use simple magnification tools to investigate symptoms
Apply prevention, sanitation, irrigation management, and integrated pest management

Great for Master Gardeners and anyone who wants to avoid misdiagnosis and unnecessary pesticide use. Join us via Zoom: https://yolocounty.zoom.us/j/83058654815