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"Ask a Master Gardener" Column Stories, By Year & Date of Publication

2025

2024

Bountiful berries
  • April 27, 2024
What do plants do?
  • December 14, 2024
The mysteries of plant sex
  • January 13, 2024
Pruning your conifers
  • January 20, 2024
Join the gang!
  • July 20, 2024
Red-tailed hawks
  • June 15, 2024
Poisonous plants
  • March 16, 2024
Two pests and a tree
  • November 23, 2024
Wildscape or landscape
  • November 9, 2024
The miracle of cover crops
  • October 12, 2024
Plants to avoid
  • October 26, 2024

2023

Ways to be water-wise
  • April 29, 2023
Starting a graywater system
  • August 12, 2023
Dogs in the garden
  • August 19, 2023
Earth movers
  • August 5, 2023
Skip the chemicals
  • December 2, 2023
Dormant spray
  • December 23, 2023
Mediterranean oak borer
  • December 30, 2023
Honor thy tools
  • February 11, 2023
Feeding our friends
  • February 25, 2023
It’s bare root season!
  • January 21, 2023
Oh rats
  • July 22, 2023
So much to learn!
  • July 29, 2023
Among rose blossoms
  • June 17, 2023
Caring for spring bulbs
  • March 18, 2023
Embrace low-water choices
  • November 11, 2023
Mealybugs in the landscape
  • November 25, 2023
Grow a fall edible garden
  • September 16, 2023
Powdery mildew
  • September 9, 2023

2022

Shot hole disease
  • April 2, 2022
Trees for the waterwise
  • April 9, 2022
The Rusts
  • December 10, 2022
In praise of weeds
  • December 24, 2022
Frost
  • December 31, 2022
Pesky plants
  • January 15, 2022
Dormant season pruning
  • January 8, 2022
Pine bark beetle
  • July 2, 2022
Meet us at the Fair!
  • June 25, 2022
Friends among plants
  • November 19, 2022
Autumn in the Garden
  • November 5, 2022
How to hire an arborist
  • October 15, 2022
Signals of the season
  • October 22, 2022
Transition to native plants
  • October 8, 2022
Make every drop count!
  • September 10, 2022
It’s all about the soil
  • September 3, 2022

2021

Winter fun in Marin gardens
  • December 25, 2021
Dormant season spraying
  • December 4, 2021
The wonder of seeds
  • February 13, 2021
Bird bye bird
  • February 20, 2021
Houseplants and your health
  • February 9, 2021
New pest threatens oak trees
  • January 23, 2021
Water worries!
  • March 13, 2021
Good guys in the garden
  • March 6, 2021
Marin’s oak trees
  • May 22, 2021
So Much to Share
  • November 13, 2021
Drought-stressed plants
  • October 30, 2021
Ode to a dying tree
  • September 11, 2021
'Tis a New Season
  • September 18, 2021
Water, water…anywhere???
  • September 27, 2021
It’s all about timing
  • September 4, 2021

2020

Water-wise hydrozones
  • April 4, 2020
Winter citrus care
  • December 12, 2020
Tending your indoor garden
  • December 19, 2020
Cucumber beetles
  • March 28, 2020
Keep on gardening on
  • May 23, 2020
Build and protect your soil
  • November 21, 2020
Ewww… rats are everywhere!
  • November 7, 2020
Landscape with space
  • October 10, 2020
Dig in to your garden info
  • October 24, 2020
Are your trees decaying?
  • September 12, 2020

2019

Lovely, lovely lavender
  • March 23, 2019

2018

Mysterious life of lichen
  • March 10, 2018
Preventing Erosion
  • October 20, 2018
Sunburn also plagues plants
  • September 8, 2018

2017

Time for tomatoes
  • April 1, 2017
Passionate gardeners wanted
  • August 12, 2017
Tackling tomato troubles
  • August 5, 2017
Cocktails from your garden
  • December 23, 2017
What’s in your compost?
  • December 30, 2017
Pesticides aren’t all bad
  • February 18, 2017
Weed woes in your garden
  • January 14, 2017
Get into grafting
  • January 7, 2017
Yikes, thrips
  • May 20, 2017
What makes a plant invasive?
  • September 30, 2017

2016

Native plants need TLC, too
  • August 20, 2016
Rain makes the world go round
  • December 17, 2016
Brighten up with white
  • December 3, 2016
Tough guys in the Garden
  • January 16, 2016
Wildflowers need your help
  • January 8, 2016
Herbs for all seasons
  • September 10, 2016

2015

Bagrada bug is on its way
  • January 30, 2015
Wild west gardening
  • June 27, 2015
Saving drought stressed trees
  • September 18, 2015

2014

Warming up to frost
  • January 4, 2014
The worm in the apple
  • May 10, 2014
Snails and slugs
  • November 14, 2014
Climate chaos in the garden
  • November 7, 2014

2013

Go ergonomic with your tools
  • February 23, 2013
Growing olives at home
  • January 26, 2013
How to propagate plants
  • March 9, 2013
Are weeds foes or friends?
  • November 16. 2013
Saving your pumpkin seeds
  • November 23, 2013
Living gifts are the best
  • November 30, 2013

2012

All Kinds of Tomatoes
  • April 2, 2012
Alternatives to Lawns
  • April 23, 2012
Solving Soil Problems
  • April 9, 2012
Great reads for children
  • December 8, 2012
Pollinators
  • February 20, 2012
Try Unusual Vegetables
  • February 27, 2012
Garden Myth Busting
  • February 6, 2012
Houseplants Part 1
  • January 16, 2012
Roses in January
  • January 2, 2012
Houseplants Part 2
  • January 23, 2012
All Stars for your Garden
  • January 30, 2012
Primer on Pruning
  • January 9, 2012
Gardening for the Birds
  • March 5, 2012

2011

Backyard Sleuthing
  • June 04, 2011
Feed your garden well
  • June 18, 2011
Leavesare more than fall color
  • November 26, 2011

2010

Time to be Picky
  • August 21, 2010
Sold on Salvia
  • December 11, 2010
Playtime with succulents
  • December 25, 2010
Designing serenity
  • July 31, 2010
Herbs with History
  • March 20, 2010
Fall in your Garden
  • November 13, 2010
Herbs for what ail you
  • October 23, 2010
Truly fresh picked
  • October 30, 2010
Planting inspiration
  • October 9, 2010
Out, out damn'd weeds
  • September 11, 2010
Form and function of trees
  • September 25, 2010

2009

A tomato for every garden
  • April 10, 2009
Spray now or pay later
  • January 23, 2009

2008

SMALL FALL GARDENS
  • August 18, 2008
Comfort in the Garden
  • August 4, 2008
Paying Attention to Mushrooms
  • February 04, 2008
Gardening Muses
  • February 11, 2008
Beginning Beekeeping
  • February 18, 2008
Rose Pruning Basics
  • January 01, 2008
Pansy--A Friend in Winter
  • January 14, 2008
Gardening without Watering
  • January 21, 2008
Who Greened Your County
  • January 28, 2008
Midsummer Gardening Tips
  • July 07, 2008
AMAZING Alstroemerias
  • July 28, 2008
Heat Stressed Plants
  • June 30, 2008
Experiencing Euphorbia
  • June 9, 2008
Pollination Ecology
  • March 17, 2008
The Calla
  • May 19, 2008
The Brilliant Colors of Fall
  • November 10, 2008
A Salad Garden
  • November 3, 2008
The Beautiful Predators
  • September 15, 2008
A Green Autumn
  • September 29, 2008
A Rose By Any Other Name …
  • September 8, 2008

2007

Rabbit Food for Roses?
  • April 9, 2007
Planting in Layers
  • August 6, 2007
Oh Christmas Tree!
  • December 10, 2007
Citron and Buddha's Hand
  • December 24, 2007
Make Time for Garlic
  • December 3, 2007
The Seeds They are a Changing
  • February 12, 2007
Easy Seeding Spring Annuals
  • February 26, 2007
Garden Good Guys – Toads
  • February 5, 2007
Royal Companions
  • July 2, 2996
Snack Time in the Garden
  • July 30, 2007
Asparagus
  • June 4, 2007
Creating a Garden Album
  • March 19, 2007
Green Roofs
  • May 14, 2007
Hillside Gardening
  • May 7, 2007
Darwin, Divas and Worms
  • November 11, 2007
The Chinese Garden
  • November 11, 2007
Why Do Leaves Fall
  • November 19, 2007
Plants with Place
  • November 26, 2007
How to Help our Pollinators
  • October 22, 2007
Photo Garden Journal
  • October 8,2007
Late Summer Color
  • September 10, 2007

2006

2005