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UC Master Gardener Program of Sonoma County

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Advice to Grow By

March 30, 2025
By Cynthia Bailey

The UC Master Gardeners of Sonoma County author articles written for the home gardener that are featured in the Press Democrat, our local Pulitzer Prize winning newspaper. Our regular column is called Advice to Grow By. Topics include plant selection, sustainable garden practices, pest management and more. We are UC trained and certified home garden experts and all of our information is science-based.

Browse and read our latest Advice to Grow By articles here.

Choosing Fruit Trees for a Changing Climate — Choosing Fruit Trees for a Changing Climate, January 24,20026

Tips for beginner gardeners to start garden — Tips to Start a Garden for Beginners January 10, 2026

Winter post holiday garden cleanup tips Sonoma County — Post-holiday Winter Garden Cleanup January 3, 2025

Tips for the best way to buy roses — What is the Best Way to Buy Roses December 27, 2025

Best Books for North Bay Gardeners — Books for North Bay Gardeners December 13, 2025

Tips for growing and maintaining Poinsettia plants — Poinsettias December 6, 2025

Growing proteas in the home garden in Sonoma County — Growing Proteas November 22, 2025

Frost preparation tips for the home gardener in Sonoma County — Frost Preparation November 8, 2025

Fall garden cleanup tasks for Sonoma County — Fall Garden Cleanup, but Leave a Few Leaves Behind November 1, 2025

Gopher Resistant Plants — Gopher Resistant Plants October 25, 2025

Care tips for California native plants in the fall garden — Care for Native Plants in the Fall Garden October 11, 2025

Home garden advice and tasks for Sonoma County in the fall — Fall Garden Advice October 4, 2025

Expert garden tips on how to grow shallots in Sonoma County — Growing Shallots September 27, 2025

Tips on how to save garden seeds for next year — Seed Saving September 13, 2025

September tasks in the Sonoma County home garden — September in the Garden September 6, 2025

Tips on how to grow prickly pear cactus for home gardeners — The Wonders of Growing Prickly Pear Cactus August 23,2025

Where do Gravenstein Apples come from — Gravenstein Apples August 8, 2025

Farmers Markets and Master Gardener Info Desks — Farmers Markets and Master Gardener Info Tables for Fall Garden Tips August 2, 2025

How to harvest and store dried beans — How to harvest and store beans July 26, 2025

Expert advice for growing cacti indoors — Advice for Growing Cacti Indoors July 12, 2025

Tips for home gardeners July tasks Sonoma County — Things to Do in Your July Garden July 5, 2025

Information on why and how to use shade cloth in your Sonoma County Garden — Protect Plants From Heat and Sun With Shade Cloth June 28, 2025

Sonoma County Super Star Shrubs — Sonoma County Superstar Shrubs Include Some Non-California Natives June 14, 2025

Tasks for your Sonoma County home garden — Guide on June Garden Tasks June 7, 2025

Expert tips for growing a home garden in pots and containers — Portable Container Garden Tips May 24, 2025

Syrphid flies are garden pollinators — Less Common Garden Pollinators May 10, 2025

Expert tips for adding compost to your Sonoma County spring garden — Start May With Compost May 3, 2025

Expert tips on caring for carnivorous plants — How to Care For Carnivorous Plants April 26, 2025

Lavender — Lavender in the Landscape April 12, 2025

April in the garden — April in the Garden April 5, 2025

How to attract more birds to your garden — How to Attract More Birds to Your Blooming Garden March 29, 2025

Learn how to grow pulses in your garden — Learn how to grow pulses in your garden March 22, 2025

Here is how you can grow citrus in Sonoma County — Here is how you can grow citrus in Sonoma County March 8, 2025

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