Master Gardener Association of San Diego County

10/28/2026

What to do with scary sunburnt plants! The extended, extreme temperatures we have experienced this summer have yielded scary results in our gardens. Even with sufficient water, plants that normally love hot, sunny weather have suffered burnt leaves and damaged fruit.

So, now what? Let your damaged plants regroup for a month or two as the temperatures cool before cutting out dead foliage, the same way we deal with frost damage. Damaged fruit can be cut away immediately, so the plant isn’t putting more energy into compromised fruit. Plants will recuperate, but some may not look good for a year or two. A spooky reminder of our weather extremes!

Photo descriptions: Agave, bird of paradise, and avocados from a homeowner's yard all shown with light yellow, brown, or dark brown sun damage.
Photo credits: Leslie Crawford

10/27/2026

Grow your own grapes for w**e!🍇Grapevines are perennial plants that change with the seasons and improve with age. With a little planning and patience, it is possible to grow w**e grapes in a home garden and produce a few cases of w**e for your own enjoyment and sharing with family and friends. Grapes are typically planted as bare-root vines in the late winter or early spring, so NOW is the time to think about the location for your personal vineyard, setting up irrigation and supports and what varieties you want to grow. Check out this article, originally published in the San Diego Union Tribune Garden Mastery section by UC Master Gardener Susan Pacheco, for an overview on setting up a home vineyard.

"Growing your own grapes for w**e"
https://www.mastergardenersd.org/growing-your-own-grapes-for-w**e
🔗Link in bio

10/25/2026

Free irrigation class! Save money on water💧Is your irrigation system working efficiently—or sending water down the sidewalk? Learn how to evaluate and improve your irrigation system to provide your landscape with the water it needs while reducing waste, runoff, and erosion. This virtual class, with UC Master Gardener Kathryn Blankinship, will cover practical strategies for customizing irrigation methods to fit your landscape, improving system performance, and saving money on water while maintaining a healthy, thriving garden.

• Free virtual class
•”Irrigation: Save Money on Water”
• Saturday November 7, 2026
• 10-11:30
• Register: https://ucanr.edu/site/integrated-pest-management-southern-california/healthy-garden-healthy-home
🔗 Link in bio

We hope to see you there!

Video credit: Leah Taylor. Video description: slow motion closeup of water droplets falling on a green cilantro plant, taken at the San Diego County Operations Center Garden, a collaborative demonstration garden designed and maintained by University of California Collaborative Extension (UCCE) trained Master Gardeners. This project displays a 20 x 20 working garden, celebrated by our elected leaders, teaching visitors and thousands of County employees about growing healthy fruit and vegetables in small spaces such as patio or backyard gardens. It is located in a highly visible location where thousands of employees work, and public County customers conduct business, allowing our onsite volunteer gardeners the chance to answer questions and proactively promote learning.

10/22/2026

Invite owls to help you keep rodent populations down by installing a barn owl box. Learn more about these birds click https://ucanr.edu/blog/real-dirt/article/owls-and-integrated-pest-management-ipm.

10/15/2026

Yes, carnivorous plants can be grown well in San Diego! They may even help to control pesky house pests such as fungus gnats and fruit flies.
Check out the latest UC Master Gardener article published in the Union Tribune by following the link to learn more about their needs and pro tips on how to keep them thriving.

Varieties that do well locally include Venus flytraps (Dionaea muscipula), North American (Sarracenia) and Asian (Nepenthes) pitcher plants, sundews (Drosera), and the brilliantly blooming butterworts (Pinguicula). The SDCPS (www.SanDiegoCarnivorousPlantSociety.com) offers free growing guides and events to help people care for carnivorous plants. They’re happy to help San Diego gardeners find beautiful, responsibly-sourced carnivorous plants for their home. As Aria Huerta explained, “Carnivorous plants really bring out the kid in people and foster a love for the natural world. Getting rid of some pesky bugs in your home or yard is an added bonus!”


Description: Natural pest control with carnivorous plants? By Kim Schultz. The dark coloration of Nepenthes naga makes it one of the most striking of the Asian pitcher plants.

Photo credit: Francis Bauzon, SDCPS.

https://www.MasterGardenerSD.org/weird-and-wonderful-carnivorous-plants/

10/14/2026

Need a rain barrel? Stormwater Department’s Rain Tank Voucher Program, in partnership with Catching H2O, provides upfront discounts to City of San Diego residents for the purchase of rain tanks. This program is being funded by an Integrated Regional Water Management Program grant awarded to the City to help increase access to residential rainwater harvesting.

The voucher acts like a coupon or discount code on an online purchase. The vouchers are first come, first serve so interested residents are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. The funding is only available until May 2027.

For more information visit https://www.thinkblue.org/rain-tank-voucher-program/
To apply visit https://forms.gle/nqrGYKMeVFotqf2a8

City of San Diego Rain Tank Voucher Program The Stormwater Department was awarded a grant from the Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) Program to enhance the City’s Water Conservation Rebates Program by reducing the financial barrier to harvesting rainwater. This Rain Tank Voucher Program ...